--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If it wasn't for music, I would think…" description: "\"If it wasn't for music, I would think that love is mortal.\" — Mark Helprin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/mark-helprin-1171_love_if-it-wasn-t-for-music-i-would-think-tha_3086671.png" --- # If it wasn't for music, I would think that love is mortal. ![“If it wasn't for music, I would think that love is mortal.” quote by Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/mark-helprin-1171_love_if-it-wasn-t-for-music-i-would-think-tha_3086671.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/mark-helprin-1171_love_if-it-wasn-t-for-music-i-would-think-tha_3086671.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/mark-helprin-1171_love_if-it-wasn-t-for-music-i-would-think-tha_3086671.png) > “If it wasn't for music, I would think that love is mortal.” [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Music reveals love's timeless, transcendent nature beyond mortality. **In simple terms:** Music shows love is eternal. Key Takeaway Value music as a lens for love. Themes love music eternity art emotion Mood reflective poetic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - creative expression - listening to music - writing love letters Key Concepts transcendence timelessness beauty Questions to Reflect On - How does music shape your perception of love? - Can love exist without artistic expression? A Different Perspective Music may not capture all aspects of love. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Mortal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mortal/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) ## Related quotes > [If it weren't for music, I would think that love is mortal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/if-it-weren-t-for-music-i-would-think-that-love-is-mortal/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [We all know that the people we love are mortal, we all know we’re mortal, we know it’s going to end; you cannot prepare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-all-know-that-the-people-we-love-are-mortal-we-all-know-we-re/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't wait to make you the love of my mortal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/i-can-t-wait-to-make-you-the-love-of-my-mortal-life/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [We that are true lovers run into strange capers; but as all is mortal in nature, so is all nature in love mortal in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/we-that-are-true-lovers-run-into-strange-capers-but-as-all-is-mortal/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [To live in this world, you must be able to do three things: to love what is mortal; to hold it against your bones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/to-live-in-this-world-you-must-be-able-to-do-three-things-to-love/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [“You should remind yourself that what you love is mortal, that what you love is not your own. It is granted to you the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-doughty/you-should-remind-yourself-that-what-you-love-is-mortal-that-what-you/) [Louise Doughty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-doughty/) > [The soul in its nature loves God and longs to be at one with Him in the noble love of a daughter for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plotinus/the-soul-in-its-nature-loves-god-and-longs-to-be-at-one-with-him-in/) [Plotinus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plotinus/) > [Unhappy is the soul enslaved by the love of anything that is mortal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/unhappy-is-the-soul-enslaved-by-the-love-of-anything-that-is-mortal/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [“You should know by now that love is never a weakness, Ares. Love is the mortal world’s greatest strength.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-ardito/you-should-know-by-now-that-love-is-never-a-weakness-ares-love-is-the/) Gina Ardito > [Every mortal has a price , it doesn't have to be money. It can be morals, love, or whatever. Every mortal has a price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-country/every-mortal-has-a-price-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-money-it-can-be-morals/) [Michael Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-country/) > [“This love, this mortal love, is of their own making," Hermes muses, "the thing we did not intend, foresee or sanction. How then should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-banville/this-love-this-mortal-love-is-of-their-own-making-hermes-muses-the/) [John Banville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-banville/) > [All the music I listened to in high school that I loved and that moved me wasn't the same music other kids were listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d/all-the-music-i-listened-to-in-high-school-that-i-loved-and-that/) [Mike D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d/) > [I met a lot of label people at the start of doing this music thing, and I just realised soon that it wasn't much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-orange-county/i-met-a-lot-of-label-people-at-the-start-of-doing-this-music-thing/) [Rex Orange County](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-orange-county/) > [Pop just didn't have enough substance for me. All this nyah-nyah-nyah, you know, 'Paper Tiger' and 'Hold the Ladder, James' and 'Crimson and Clover.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregg-allman/pop-just-didn-t-have-enough-substance-for-me-all-this-nyah-nyah-nyah/) [Gregg Allman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregg-allman/) > [ \[Early on,\] the attitude was that what I was doing wasn't music. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beck/early-on-the-attitude-was-that-what-i-was-doing-wasn-t-music/) [Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beck/) ## More by Mark Helprin > [“Defiance, Catherine, is a gift of God, who is superior to nature. When nature comes to get you, honor God by treating it, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/defiance-catherine-is-a-gift-of-god-who-is-superior-to-nature-when/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [Because there were all kinds of hell - some were black and dirty, and some were silvery and high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/because-there-were-all-kinds-of-hell-some-were-black-and-dirty-and/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [“In living, one muddles through the years for the sake of those one or two moments which are indisputably great.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/in-living-one-muddles-through-the-years-for-the-sake-of-those-one-or/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [“Do you know why you walk slowly when you’re old?” “No.” “Because with age you receive the gift of friction. The less time you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/do-you-know-why-you-walk-slowly-when-you-re-old-no-because-with-age/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [The British monarchy has the political and constitutional task of subtracting from the government and governors of Britain the papal and kingly airs that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/the-british-monarchy-has-the-political-and-constitutional-task-of/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [“Your time is a good time, and though I have to leave, you can stay. How lucky you are to be in the city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/your-time-is-a-good-time-and-though-i-have-to-leave-you-can-stay-how/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [Truth is no rounder than a horse's eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/truth-is-no-rounder-than-a-horse-s-eye/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [They were dancing around the fountain, arm in arm, in an old Dutch dance, their cheeks touching, their hands entwined. They had no music;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/they-were-dancing-around-the-fountain-arm-in-arm-in-an-old-dutch/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [For what can be imagined more beautiful than the sight of a perfectly just city rejoicing in justice alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/for-what-can-be-imagined-more-beautiful-than-the-sight-of-a-perfectly/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [I follow my own nose. So I read things that are different. People will always say to me, "Have you read Robert S. Bosco's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/i-follow-my-own-nose-so-i-read-things-that-are-different-people-will/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [“If all the months and all their days could be like June weather in New York, there would be paradise on earth. Often, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/if-all-the-months-and-all-their-days-could-be-like-june-weather-in/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [“At least until there are new lakes in the clouds that open upon living cities as yet unknown, and perhaps forever, that is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/at-least-until-there-are-new-lakes-in-the-clouds-that-open-upon/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [You will most appreciate 'Freddy and Fredericka' if you are familiar with the story of the Fall, the Good Hermit, 'Tom Jones,' 'Huckleberry Finn,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/you-will-most-appreciate-freddy-and-fredericka-if-you-are-familiar/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [their powerlessness, innocence, and imagination fused to enable them to turn time inside out, travel on the wind, and enter the souls of animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/their-powerlessness-innocence-and-imagination-fused-to-enable-them-to/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > ['Freeing' a literary work into the public domain is less a public benefit than a transfer of wealth from the families of American writers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/freeing-a-literary-work-into-the-public-domain-is-less-a-public/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) [Explore all 279 Mark Helprin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) ## More Love quotes > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [I love going to Columbia, Missouri. That is a really underrated campus. It shocked me when I went there because I really didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-herbstreit/i-love-going-to-columbia-missouri-that-is-a-really-underrated-campus/) [Kirk Herbstreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-herbstreit/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [I fell in love with social work, and that was my undoing as a poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rakosi/i-fell-in-love-with-social-work-and-that-was-my-undoing-as-a-poet/) [Carl Rakosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rakosi/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [“To be loved by a man, truly loved, made a woman feel as if she could burst. Of course, Lia was strong and could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-anne/to-be-loved-by-a-man-truly-loved-made-a-woman-feel-as-if-she-could/) [Melody Anne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-anne/) > [So when you take those tears, don't look to see I'm alright. …\*Seal - Violet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nickel/so-when-you-take-those-tears-don-t-look-to-see-i-m-alright-seal-violet/) [Eric Nickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nickel/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. For eighteen months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-ashley/that-horrible-stinging-sensation-returned-the-muscles-behind-my-eyes/) [Devon Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-ashley/) > [I could program a 'fabulous, I love it' kind of hit season right now. I'm more interested in breaking boundaries, telling a story, defying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-wolfe/i-could-program-a-fabulous-i-love-it-kind-of-hit-season-right-now-i-m/) [George C. Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-wolfe/) [Browse all 233,035 Love quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If it wasn't for music, I would think that love is mortal.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mark Helprin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/if-it-wasn-t-for-music-i-would-think-that-love-is-mortal/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Love" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/if-it-wasn-t-for-music-i-would-think-that-love-is-mortal/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/mark-helprin-1171_love_if-it-wasn-t-for-music-i-would-think-tha_3086671.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/mark-helprin-1171_love_if-it-wasn-t-for-music-i-would-think-tha_3086671.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/173/mark-helprin-1171_love_if-it-wasn-t-for-music-i-would-think-tha_3086671.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If it wasn't for music, I would think that love is mortal.” — Mark Helprin", "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": "Mark Helprin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If it wasn't for music, I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/if-it-wasn-t-for-music-i-would-think-that-love-is-mortal/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/if-it-wasn-t-for-music-i-would-think-that-love-is-mortal/#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 } } ] } ```