--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In other words, musicians know that going…" description: "\"In other words, musicians know that going back to the Spoonful, what we were doing was not copying.\" — John Sebastian" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/126/john-sebastian-27696_copying_in-other-words-musicians-know-that-going_1191271.png" --- # In other words, musicians know that going back to the… ![“In other words, musicians know that going back to the Spoonful, what we were doing was not copying.” quote by John Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/126/john-sebastian-27696_copying_in-other-words-musicians-know-that-going_1191271.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/126/john-sebastian-27696_copying_in-other-words-musicians-know-that-going_1191271.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/126/john-sebastian-27696_copying_in-other-words-musicians-know-that-going_1191271.png) > “In other words, musicians know that going back to the Spoonful, what we were doing was not copying.” [John Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sebastian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Returning to roots isn’t copying; it’s reinterpreting original influences in a new context. **In simple terms:** Returning to roots is reinterpretation. Key Takeaway Honor origins while creating anew. Themes creativity heritage originality music inspiration Mood reflective inspired thoughtful Type artistic educational When to use this quote - songwriting - live performance - educational workshops Key Concepts cultural transmission artistic evolution Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate homage from imitation? - What defines authentic creativity? A Different Perspective Originality can be blurred by similarity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Copying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copying/) [Going Spoonful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-spoonful-3534979/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musicians/) [Musicians Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musicians-know-955382/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Spoonful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spoonful-1296888/) [Spoonful Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spoonful-doing-3534980/) ## Related quotes > [The point is, technology has empowered so many musicians, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-clarke/the-point-is-technology-has-empowered-so-many-musicians-you-know/) [Stanley Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-clarke/) > [I have never been one for musicians. I know girls are supposed to go crazy for frontmen who close their eyes when they sing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-klausner/i-have-never-been-one-for-musicians-i-know-girls-are-supposed-to-go/) [Julie Klausner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-klausner/) > [My musicians know all of my music, and so that makes for something different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-reeves/my-musicians-know-all-of-my-music-and-so-that-makes-for-something/) [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) > [The constructive criticism that I take very seriously is from people I know and respect, and they don't have to be musicians. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-thile/the-constructive-criticism-that-i-take-very-seriously-is-from-people/) [Chris Thile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-thile/) > [But God has a few of us to whom he whispers in the ear; The rest may reason and welcome; 'tis we musicians know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/but-god-has-a-few-of-us-to-whom-he-whispers-in-the-ear-the-rest-may/) [Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/) > [Most of the musicians that I know almost to the man everybody uses Apple computers. They've thought of the steps that you're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/most-of-the-musicians-that-i-know-almost-to-the-man-everybody-uses/) [Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/) > [“As that great philosopher, Mary Poppins, once said, 'A spoonful of sugar makes the feminism go down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irene-ziegler/as-that-great-philosopher-mary-poppins-once-said-a-spoonful-of-sugar/) [Irene Ziegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irene-ziegler/) > [The whole banquet is in the first spoonful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/the-whole-banquet-is-in-the-first-spoonful/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [It could be a spoonful of diamonds, could be a spoonful of gold. Just a little spoon of your precious love satisfies my soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-dixon/it-could-be-a-spoonful-of-diamonds-could-be-a-spoonful-of-gold-just-a/) [Willie Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-dixon/) > [A spoonful of hope and a cup of despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jordan/a-spoonful-of-hope-and-a-cup-of-despair/) [Robert Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jordan/) > [The idea of 'Spoonful' was that it doesn't take a large quantity of anything to be good. If you have a little money when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howlin-wolf/the-idea-of-spoonful-was-that-it-doesn-t-take-a-large-quantity-of/) [Howlin' Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howlin-wolf/) > [If grammar is medicine, then Roy Clark gives us the spoonful of sugar to help it go down. A wonderful tour through the labyrinth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hull/if-grammar-is-medicine-then-roy-clark-gives-us-the-spoonful-of-sugar/) [Anne Hull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hull/) > [Whatever I do, I attempt to do it fully. I try, and don't always succeed, to be thorough. There are musicians who do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-dixon/whatever-i-do-i-attempt-to-do-it-fully-i-try-and-don-t-always-succeed/) [Bill Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-dixon/) > [Historically, musicians know what it is like to be outside the norm - walking the high wire without a safety net. Our experience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/historically-musicians-know-what-it-is-like-to-be-outside-the-norm/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [“The best musicians know this music isn't about "schools" at all. Like my father says, "There's only one school, the school of 'Can you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/the-best-musicians-know-this-music-isn-t-about-schools-at-all-like-my/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) ## More by John Sebastian > [First of all, I think that is true, if you are a musician, particularly on the come, that you do have to end up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sebastian/first-of-all-i-think-that-is-true-if-you-are-a-musician-particularly/) [John Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sebastian/) > [You have to remember now, I was not being terribly successful at going solo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sebastian/you-have-to-remember-now-i-was-not-being-terribly-successful-at-going/) [John Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sebastian/) > [I think that my past stands me in good stead in that it does have a certain strength for musicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sebastian/i-think-that-my-past-stands-me-in-good-stead-in-that-it-does-have-a/) [John Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sebastian/) > [Now, I was the Summer Concert guy. I played every Summer concert there was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sebastian/now-i-was-the-summer-concert-guy-i-played-every-summer-concert-there/) [John Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sebastian/) > [It might be thematic work. It might be theatrical. I enjoy that kind of work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sebastian/it-might-be-thematic-work-it-might-be-theatrical-i-enjoy-that-kind-of/) [John Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sebastian/) > [...after using your stuff on a jug band full of instruments, all I can say is Thank You Dr. Duck !...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sebastian/after-using-your-stuff-on-a-jug-band-full-of-instruments-all-i-can/) [John Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sebastian/) > [To the extent that '60s guys own things, yes... but I don't have the publishing, just like most '60s guys, and that was an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sebastian/to-the-extent-that-60s-guys-own-things-yes-but-i-don-t-have-the/) [John Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sebastian/) > [I'm seeing and hearing lots of B to B instruments, and everybody isn't, you know, using them... a lot of these guys are trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sebastian/i-m-seeing-and-hearing-lots-of-b-to-b-instruments-and-everybody-isn-t/) [John Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sebastian/) > [My father was invited to play on a television show when I was 17 or 18 that was an early equivalent of educational television,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sebastian/my-father-was-invited-to-play-on-a-television-show-when-i-was-17-or/) [John Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sebastian/) > [Geez, I wish I could tell you I had a whole bunch of '80s hair bands, you know something you really wouldn't expect, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sebastian/geez-i-wish-i-could-tell-you-i-had-a-whole-bunch-of-80s-hair-bands/) [John Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sebastian/) > [Well, I did a harmonica instruction tape for Homespun tapes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sebastian/well-i-did-a-harmonica-instruction-tape-for-homespun-tapes/) [John Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sebastian/) > [First of all I think that is true, if you are a musician, particularly on the comeback that you do have to end up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sebastian/first-of-all-i-think-that-is-true-if-you-are-a-musician-particularly-2/) [John Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sebastian/) > [I certainly hear the Trombones Unlimited version of "Daydream" in a lot of elevators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sebastian/i-certainly-hear-the-trombones-unlimited-version-of-daydream-in-a-lot/) [John Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sebastian/) > [But, what did happen is I went to Woodstock as a member of the audience. I did not show up there with a road…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sebastian/but-what-did-happen-is-i-went-to-woodstock-as-a-member-of-the/) [John Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sebastian/) > [My father was a classical musician and my mother was a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sebastian/my-father-was-a-classical-musician-and-my-mother-was-a-writer/) [John Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sebastian/) [Explore all 20 John Sebastian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sebastian/) ## More Copying quotes > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I hold flesh-food to be unsuited to our species. We err in copying the lower animal world if we are superior to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-hold-flesh-food-to-be-unsuited-to-our-species-we-err-in-copying-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Here's how man thinks: "If no one's done it, why should I try? It's a waste of my time; but if he's done it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nabil-n-jamal-2/here-s-how-man-thinks-if-no-one-s-done-it-why-should-i-try-it-s-a/) [Nabil N. Jamal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nabil-n-jamal-2/) > [It was only after I had been out of the art school that I actually copied a small Seurat, and I copied it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-riley/it-was-only-after-i-had-been-out-of-the-art-school-that-i-actually/) [Bridget Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-riley/) > [Copying is a form of self-validation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cox/copying-is-a-form-of-self-validation/) [Patrick Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cox/) > [You can't honour someone by copying them or trying to be exactly like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-craig-martin/you-can-t-honour-someone-by-copying-them-or-trying-to-be-exactly-like/) [Michael Craig-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-craig-martin/) > [Why would anybody hire a someone who is copying someone else when he can get the original one?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kk/why-would-anybody-hire-a-someone-who-is-copying-someone-else-when-he/) [KK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kk/) > [Out in the sun, some painters are lined up. The first is copying nature, the second is copying the first, the third is copying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gauguin/out-in-the-sun-some-painters-are-lined-up-the-first-is-copying-nature/) [Paul Gauguin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gauguin/) > [Fools talk of imitation and copying, all is imitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gainsborough/fools-talk-of-imitation-and-copying-all-is-imitation/) [Thomas Gainsborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gainsborough/) > [Copying is slavery. The letter must never be followed, only the spirit is to be grasped. Higher affirmations live in the spirit. And where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-t-suzuki/copying-is-slavery-the-letter-must-never-be-followed-only-the-spirit/) [D.T. Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-t-suzuki/) > [If I created a new depravity I would be a priestess, while my imitators would founder, after my reign, in abominable filth...Don't you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachilde/if-i-created-a-new-depravity-i-would-be-a-priestess-while-my/) [Rachilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachilde/) > [The only thing all successful people have in common is that they're successful, so don't waste your time copying "the successful strategies" of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-only-thing-all-successful-people-have-in-common-is-that-they-re/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [I've learned that you can do something great, but you have to continue reinventing yourself as an artist. So by the time someone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romeo-santos/i-ve-learned-that-you-can-do-something-great-but-you-have-to-continue/) [Romeo Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romeo-santos/) > [When photographers get beyond copying the achievements of others, or just repeating their own accidental first successes, they learn that they do not know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/when-photographers-get-beyond-copying-the-achievements-of-others-or/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) > [I can't catch her by copying her, I can't draw her with a borrowed stencil. She is all the things a lover should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-can-t-catch-her-by-copying-her-i-can-t-draw-her-with-a-borrowed/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) [Browse all 226 Copying quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copying/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In other words, musicians know that going back to the Spoonful, what we were doing was not copying.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Sebastian" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sebastian/in-other-words-musicians-know-that-going-back-to-the-spoonful-what-we/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Copying" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sebastian/in-other-words-musicians-know-that-going-back-to-the-spoonful-what-we/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/126/john-sebastian-27696_copying_in-other-words-musicians-know-that-going_1191271.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/126/john-sebastian-27696_copying_in-other-words-musicians-know-that-going_1191271.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/126/john-sebastian-27696_copying_in-other-words-musicians-know-that-going_1191271.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In other words, musicians know that going back to the Spoonful, what we were doing was not copying.” — John Sebastian", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Sebastian", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sebastian/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In other words, musicians know that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sebastian/in-other-words-musicians-know-that-going-back-to-the-spoonful-what-we/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sebastian/in-other-words-musicians-know-that-going-back-to-the-spoonful-what-we/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```