--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Songwriting is a mysterious art. When I…" description: "\"Songwriting is a mysterious art. When I sit down to write a song, the end result should be mysterious and have this dark quality.\" — Martin Gore" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/martin-gore-10578_art_songwriting-is-a-mysterious-art-when-i-s_2030559.jpg" --- # Songwriting is a mysterious art. When I sit down to write… ![“Songwriting is a mysterious art. When I sit down to write a song, the end result should be mysterious and have this dark quality.” quote by Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/martin-gore-10578_art_songwriting-is-a-mysterious-art-when-i-s_2030559.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/martin-gore-10578_art_songwriting-is-a-mysterious-art-when-i-s_2030559.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/martin-gore-10578_art_songwriting-is-a-mysterious-art-when-i-s_2030559.jpg) > “Songwriting is a mysterious art. When I sit down to write a song, the end result should be mysterious and have this dark quality.” [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The creative process of songwriting should embrace mystery and a dark tone, allowing the unknown to shape the final piece. **In simple terms:** Songwriting thrives on mystery and darkness. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty in your music. Themes creativity artistry mystery darkness Mood enigmatic reflective Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - writing a new song - producing a concept album - exploring lyrical themes - collaborating with producers Key Concepts aesthetic emotional resonance intuitive composition Questions to Reflect On - How does mystery affect listener connection? - When is darkness appropriate in lyrics? A Different Perspective Might limit accessibility for mainstream audiences seeking clarity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [End result](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-result/) [Mysterious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mysterious/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Songwriting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songwriting/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Songwriting is such a mysterious thing. Its a magical channel thats a gift to you and you cant really conjure it up when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-campbell/songwriting-is-such-a-mysterious-thing-its-a-magical-channel-thats-a/) [Mike Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-campbell/) > [Songwriting is a very mysterious process. It feels like creating something from nothing. It's something I don't feel like I really control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chapman/songwriting-is-a-very-mysterious-process-it-feels-like-creating/) [Tracy Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chapman/) > [Songwriting is too mysterious and uncontrolled a process for me to direct it towards any one thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-taylor/songwriting-is-too-mysterious-and-uncontrolled-a-process-for-me-to/) [James Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-taylor/) > [I've learned that the effort sportsmen and women put in is incredible. Their commitment to their sport is phenomenal. Sometimes as a viewer, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-douglas/i-ve-learned-that-the-effort-sportsmen-and-women-put-in-is-incredible/) [Jill Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-douglas/) > [I never thought I'd be successful. It seems in my own mind that in everything I've undertaken I've never quite made the mark. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-wang/i-never-thought-i-d-be-successful-it-seems-in-my-own-mind-that-in/) [Vera Wang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-wang/) > [Sometimes when you have limited resources and you really have to think about creative ways to get around some of these problems, generally the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-lieberman/sometimes-when-you-have-limited-resources-and-you-really-have-to/) [Todd Lieberman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-lieberman/) > [I know a lot of Christians who have been in ministry and walked away from it because the pressure can be too great. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-baldwin/i-know-a-lot-of-christians-who-have-been-in-ministry-and-walked-away/) [Stephen Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-baldwin/) > [I feel like you have to make art because you have to make it. But the end result of it- that last stage- you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-iero/i-feel-like-you-have-to-make-art-because-you-have-to-make-it-but-the/) [Frank Iero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-iero/) > [The end result of positively reinforcing bad behavior is that you get more of it. The culmination of a failure to punish predators is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilana-mercer/the-end-result-of-positively-reinforcing-bad-behavior-is-that-you-get/) [Ilana Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilana-mercer/) > [I honestly just love being in my studio working on music. That's all the inspiration I need. And I don't write with an end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/i-honestly-just-love-being-in-my-studio-working-on-music-that-s-all/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [Inner silence works from the moment you begin to accrue it. What the old sorcerers were after was the final dramatic, end result of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/inner-silence-works-from-the-moment-you-begin-to-accrue-it-what-the/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [The photographer Ruth Bernhard used to tell me that this is like asking somebody how they evolved their signature. It is not something I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kenna/the-photographer-ruth-bernhard-used-to-tell-me-that-this-is-like/) [Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/) > [The song is about knowing the end result of every situation you're in, and being able to play it out in your mind and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/the-song-is-about-knowing-the-end-result-of-every-situation-you-re-in/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [My dark comic edge is the end result of trying to use humor to maintain my sanity growing up in a dysfunctional family in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirby-wright/my-dark-comic-edge-is-the-end-result-of-trying-to-use-humor-to/) [Kirby Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirby-wright/) > [People will never understand the patience a photographer requires to make a great photograph, all they see is the end result. I can stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-eisenstaedt/people-will-never-understand-the-patience-a-photographer-requires-to/) [Alfred Eisenstaedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-eisenstaedt/) ## More by Martin Gore > [There are definite reference points to older Depeche Mode records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/there-are-definite-reference-points-to-older-depeche-mode-records/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [More than accepted, it's encouraged for rock stars to be out of control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/more-than-accepted-it-s-encouraged-for-rock-stars-to-be-out-of-control/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [I even have nephews who make music, my daughter makes music. I don't know what advice to give them these days. It's really a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/i-even-have-nephews-who-make-music-my-daughter-makes-music-i-don-t/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [I started getting back into buying old analog gear while we were recording. Lots of old drum machines and synths. It wasn't a conscious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/i-started-getting-back-into-buying-old-analog-gear-while-we-were/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [I didn't write songs for a very long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/i-didn-t-write-songs-for-a-very-long-time/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [I don't think I ever worry too much about what our target audience is, what we should be releasing. I just write naturally and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/i-don-t-think-i-ever-worry-too-much-about-what-our-target-audience-is/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [I think being in a band is probably the only job when you're actively encouraged to be out of it most of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/i-think-being-in-a-band-is-probably-the-only-job-when-you-re-actively/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [I don't like to think 10 years down the road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/i-don-t-like-to-think-10-years-down-the-road/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [The majority of the time I'm at home with my family, I play football three times a week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/the-majority-of-the-time-i-m-at-home-with-my-family-i-play-football/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [I don't think I've ever tried to be anything other than a weirdo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-tried-to-be-anything-other-than-a-weirdo/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [Our music over the years has been very cinematic. It's surprising we never really got into film soundtracks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/our-music-over-the-years-has-been-very-cinematic-it-s-surprising-we/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [“Vows are spoken To be broken Feelings are intense Words are trivial Pleasures remain So does the pain Words are meaningless And forgettable”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/vows-are-spoken-to-be-broken-feelings-are-intense-words-are-trivial/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [There haven't been many credible electronic covers records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/there-haven-t-been-many-credible-electronic-covers-records/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [If you took music out of my life, I don't know what I'd do. It's the one thing that I have a real passion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/if-you-took-music-out-of-my-life-i-don-t-know-what-i-d-do-it-s-the/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [I will be the focal point for however long I decide to play. Half of me likes that idea and half of me doesn't,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/i-will-be-the-focal-point-for-however-long-i-decide-to-play-half-of/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) [Explore all 64 Martin Gore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Songwriting is a mysterious art. When I sit down to write a song, the end result should be mysterious and have this dark quality.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Gore" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/songwriting-is-a-mysterious-art-when-i-sit-down-to-write-a-song-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/songwriting-is-a-mysterious-art-when-i-sit-down-to-write-a-song-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/martin-gore-10578_art_songwriting-is-a-mysterious-art-when-i-s_2030559.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/martin-gore-10578_art_songwriting-is-a-mysterious-art-when-i-s_2030559.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/martin-gore-10578_art_songwriting-is-a-mysterious-art-when-i-s_2030559.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Songwriting is a mysterious art. When I sit down to write a song, the end result should be mysterious and…” — Martin Gore", "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": "Martin Gore", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Songwriting is a mysterious art. When...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/songwriting-is-a-mysterious-art-when-i-sit-down-to-write-a-song-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/songwriting-is-a-mysterious-art-when-i-sit-down-to-write-a-song-the/#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 } } ] } ```