--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Before I even pick up a guitar, usually…" description: "\"Before I even pick up a guitar, usually the words are done. So I'm not first and foremost a musician. I'm first and foremost a writer.\" — Lucy Dacus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f38/lucy-dacus-7153_done_before-i-even-pick-up-a-guitar-usually-t_804496.jpg" --- # Before I even pick up a guitar, usually the words are… ![“Before I even pick up a guitar, usually the words are done. So I'm not first and foremost a musician. I'm first and foremost a writer.” quote by Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f38/lucy-dacus-7153_done_before-i-even-pick-up-a-guitar-usually-t_804496.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f38/lucy-dacus-7153_done_before-i-even-pick-up-a-guitar-usually-t_804496.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f38/lucy-dacus-7153_done_before-i-even-pick-up-a-guitar-usually-t_804496.jpg) > “Before I even pick up a guitar, usually the words are done. So I'm not first and foremost a musician. I'm first and foremost a writer.” [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She prioritizes writing over music, indicating that her songwriting process begins with lyrics before the instrument. **In simple terms:** She writes first, then plays music. Key Takeaway Start with words before music. Themes creativity songwriting writing music process Mood introspective inspirational Type creative philosophical When to use this quote - song composition - album production - poetry workshops - creative writing classes - personal journaling Key Concepts lyative hierarchy artistic identity discipline Questions to Reflect On - How does writing first affect musical expression? - Can the process be reversed for different outcomes? A Different Perspective May limit musical spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [If I am feeling musical and I pick up the guitar, usually something will eventually come out and I'll see where it goes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fitzsimmons/if-i-am-feeling-musical-and-i-pick-up-the-guitar-usually-something/) [William Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fitzsimmons/) > [I'm a musician, first and foremost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarface/i-m-a-musician-first-and-foremost/) [Scarface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarface/) > [I am saying what comes out, because I'm really not a methodical writer. I'm not a good building writer, where you are like "well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fitzsimmons/i-am-saying-what-comes-out-because-i-m-really-not-a-methodical-writer/) [William Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fitzsimmons/) > [Sometimes I'll try something on piano and move to guitar, but usually that comes after scratching down some ideas for lyrics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-gardot/sometimes-i-ll-try-something-on-piano-and-move-to-guitar-but-usually/) [Melody Gardot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-gardot/) > [I sit around and play acoustic guitar - usually acoustic, sometimes electric, occasionally piano, but more often guitar, just trying to come up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-hay/i-sit-around-and-play-acoustic-guitar-usually-acoustic-sometimes/) [Colin Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-hay/) > [When I'm on a stage, it's just me, singing a song with words that I wrote and I believe in. And if I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/when-i-m-on-a-stage-it-s-just-me-singing-a-song-with-words-that-i/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [When we did the 'Skin and Bones' tour I didn't even own an acoustic guitar, I had to borrow one from my friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-smear/when-we-did-the-skin-and-bones-tour-i-didn-t-even-own-an-acoustic/) [Pat Smear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-smear/) > [I've been in a band, so I understand the politics. 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Music, other fiction, the non-fiction I read, TV shows, films, news reports, people I know, stories I hear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/inspiration-comes-from-so-many-sources-music-other-fiction-the-non/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) > [I'll tell you one thing: I will always play the sh\*\* out of my guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-satriani/i-ll-tell-you-one-thing-i-will-always-play-the-sh-out-of-my-guitar/) [Joe Satriani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-satriani/) ## More by Lucy Dacus > [When I'm on a stage, it's just me, singing a song with words that I wrote and I believe in. And if I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/when-i-m-on-a-stage-it-s-just-me-singing-a-song-with-words-that-i/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [Being on tour, it's really easy to stop knowing people that you want to know, because you're not sharing experiences; you're not existing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/being-on-tour-it-s-really-easy-to-stop-knowing-people-that-you-want/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [The main way that being adopted has shaped my songwriting is that I was asked at an early age to consider the circumstances that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/the-main-way-that-being-adopted-has-shaped-my-songwriting-is-that-i/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [Music was always encouraged as a passion and a hobby, but I was never told, 'This should be your job. You write music and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/music-was-always-encouraged-as-a-passion-and-a-hobby-but-i-was-never/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [Whenever I'm trying to understand people that I don't understand, or things in people or even in myself, I'll say, 'When did this negativity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/whenever-i-m-trying-to-understand-people-that-i-don-t-understand-or/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [In film school, you get skills, but then you get lackey jobs, working on projects that you probably don't care about. And there's something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/in-film-school-you-get-skills-but-then-you-get-lackey-jobs-working-on/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [I think a lot about my obsessive need to document things and what it's going to mean in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/i-think-a-lot-about-my-obsessive-need-to-document-things-and-what-it/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [I've talked with friends about this: when you write about yourself, that's what people connect to. When you write a sermon or a lesson,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/i-ve-talked-with-friends-about-this-when-you-write-about-yourself/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [I was always writing. I've always been attracted to words and stories, communication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/i-was-always-writing-i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-words-and-stories/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [I was always taught to be grateful, and so the question came early: What is there to be grateful for? Why is life supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/i-was-always-taught-to-be-grateful-and-so-the-question-came-early/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [I really enjoy navigating the business aspect of having a band, and there is a great amount of instinct. You don't wanna work with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/i-really-enjoy-navigating-the-business-aspect-of-having-a-band-and/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [I feel like the expectations have gone up. It's not a complaint, but it's a little intimidating. People are like, 'Oh, you're on Matador.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/i-feel-like-the-expectations-have-gone-up-it-s-not-a-complaint-but-it/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [In middle school, you're figuring out how you're affecting people, and sometimes you're affecting people negatively. And what sucks is that it can affect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/in-middle-school-you-re-figuring-out-how-you-re-affecting-people-and/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [I'm never writing as a character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/i-m-never-writing-as-a-character/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [There is no 'stop' - there's always 'go' on both sides: always keep writing, always keep recording. 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But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [Against his own will, almost, Will felt himself understanding; he would have done anything, he thought, told any lie, taken any risk, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/against-his-own-will-almost-will-felt-himself-understanding-he-would/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. 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