--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You get royalties from certain songs that…" description: "\"You get royalties from certain songs that you do when you do background. It's according to the work that you put in.\" — Merry Clayton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/merry-clayton-27309_according_you-get-royalties-from-certain-songs-tha_2008054.jpg" --- # You get royalties from certain songs that you do when you… ![“You get royalties from certain songs that you do when you do background. It's according to the work that you put in.” quote by Merry Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/merry-clayton-27309_according_you-get-royalties-from-certain-songs-tha_2008054.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/merry-clayton-27309_according_you-get-royalties-from-certain-songs-tha_2008054.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e68/merry-clayton-27309_according_you-get-royalties-from-certain-songs-tha_2008054.jpg) > “You get royalties from certain songs that you do when you do background. It's according to the work that you put in.” [Merry Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merry-clayton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Compensation for background work is based on contribution level, not just presence. **In simple terms:** Pay reflects effort put in. Key Takeaway Ensure your contribution is measurable. Themes fairness music industry royalties Mood pragmatic informative Type advice industry insight When to use this quote - studio sessions - live tours - songwriting - production credits Key Concepts performance value work measurement Questions to Reflect On - How can you document your contribution? - What systems improve transparency? A Different Perspective Complex calculations can delay payments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [According](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/according/) [Background](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/background/) [Background According](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/background-according-3571256/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Certain Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain-songs/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Put](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/put/) [Royalties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/royalties/) [Royalties Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/royalties-certain-3571255/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songs/) [Songs Background](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songs-background-374324/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [My first album, 'Get Lifted,' was a hip-hop soul album that had some of its roots in the church, as far as the sonic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/my-first-album-get-lifted-was-a-hip-hop-soul-album-that-had-some-of/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [There is a regular format for songs in commercial films, such as a hero introduction song, but in 'Premier Padmini,' the songs and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjun-janya/there-is-a-regular-format-for-songs-in-commercial-films-such-as-a/) [Arjun Janya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arjun-janya/) > [You have certain songs that bands make that just don't go away. We were blessed with that, and it was 'All Star.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harwell/you-have-certain-songs-that-bands-make-that-just-don-t-go-away-we/) [Steve Harwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harwell/) > [Most people didn't have the bandwidth to download whole albums. And so it brought back this cherry picking idea that the audience would focus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/most-people-didn-t-have-the-bandwidth-to-download-whole-albums-and-so/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [In the years that I've seen concerts, when I've paid to see somebody I want to see, there would be a certain amount of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-keith/in-the-years-that-i-ve-seen-concerts-when-i-ve-paid-to-see-somebody-i/) [Toby Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-keith/) > [It's not crazy to want to have certain songs be developed harmonically and still want to make noise with the guitar. And you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/it-s-not-crazy-to-want-to-have-certain-songs-be-developed/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [I have to remember that no matter how often I perform, there are certain songs that the audience truly wants to hear, and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/i-have-to-remember-that-no-matter-how-often-i-perform-there-are/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [I've always cared about how certain songs fade into other ones and which songs should follow others. I studied that as a consumer and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-premier/i-ve-always-cared-about-how-certain-songs-fade-into-other-ones-and/) [DJ Premier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-premier/) > [I just love to see the crowd reactions when I drop certain songs. There's some songs that you just know are going to pull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jax-jones/i-just-love-to-see-the-crowd-reactions-when-i-drop-certain-songs/) [Jax Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jax-jones/) > [In the years that Ive seen concerts, when Ive paid to see somebody I want to see, there would be a certain amount of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-keith/in-the-years-that-ive-seen-concerts-when-ive-paid-to-see-somebody-i/) [Toby Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-keith/) > [Any time I hear certain songs I put in a movie, I have to not listen to them anymore because I associate them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/any-time-i-hear-certain-songs-i-put-in-a-movie-i-have-to-not-listen/) [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) > [And that format was - we'd been using that format, I guess, since the late '70s, and it was starting to get very predictable.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-lesh/and-that-format-was-we-d-been-using-that-format-i-guess-since-the/) [Phil Lesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-lesh/) > [My fans get passionate about certain songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jewel/my-fans-get-passionate-about-certain-songs/) [Jewel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jewel/) > [Certain songs have a life, and certain songs don't. A song is like a saddle: you ride it for a while, and if it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-hansard/certain-songs-have-a-life-and-certain-songs-don-t-a-song-is-like-a/) [Glen Hansard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-hansard/) > [There's certain songs that you're gonna record that you hope to touch people and change lives, and there's certain songs that you know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-farr/there-s-certain-songs-that-you-re-gonna-record-that-you-hope-to-touch/) [Tyler Farr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-farr/) ## More by Merry Clayton > [My dad sung and played piano. But he was also a man of God. He was a minister. So when Sam Cooke would come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merry-clayton/my-dad-sung-and-played-piano-but-he-was-also-a-man-of-god-he-was-a/) [Merry Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merry-clayton/) > [I was very proud to be Mrs. Curtis Amy. My thing in life when I married Curtis Amy was being Mrs. Curtis Amy. Career…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merry-clayton/i-was-very-proud-to-be-mrs-curtis-amy-my-thing-in-life-when-i-married/) [Merry Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merry-clayton/) > [I was signed to A&M, I was signed to Lou Adler, who had a company within a company, which was A&M Records, and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merry-clayton/i-was-signed-to-a-m-i-was-signed-to-lou-adler-who-had-a-company/) [Merry Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merry-clayton/) > [My family is part Creole, and were Indian, and were also very, very black. My father was so black, he was blue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merry-clayton/my-family-is-part-creole-and-were-indian-and-were-also-very-very/) [Merry Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merry-clayton/) > [Carole King is one of my dearest friends. Were like family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merry-clayton/carole-king-is-one-of-my-dearest-friends-were-like-family/) [Merry Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merry-clayton/) > [I started with Bobby Darin. He signed me to Capitol when I was 15. I was 14, getting ready to be 15. Then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merry-clayton/i-started-with-bobby-darin-he-signed-me-to-capitol-when-i-was-15-i/) [Merry Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merry-clayton/) > [I remember working with Ray Charles when I was quite young, and I would wonder, 'Why would he sing 'Georgia On My Mind' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merry-clayton/i-remember-working-with-ray-charles-when-i-was-quite-young-and-i/) [Merry Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merry-clayton/) > [Oh boy, I grew up hearing Sam Cooke, The Soul Stirrers, Mahalia Jackson, sitting on Mahalia Jackson's lap in my dad's church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merry-clayton/oh-boy-i-grew-up-hearing-sam-cooke-the-soul-stirrers-mahalia-jackson/) [Merry Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merry-clayton/) > [I have always said every good thing is divinely sent from heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merry-clayton/i-have-always-said-every-good-thing-is-divinely-sent-from-heaven/) [Merry Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merry-clayton/) > [Carole King is one of my dearest friends. We're like family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merry-clayton/carole-king-is-one-of-my-dearest-friends-we-re-like-family/) [Merry Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merry-clayton/) > [My mother was a lupus patient. I was a child with the lupus gene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merry-clayton/my-mother-was-a-lupus-patient-i-was-a-child-with-the-lupus-gene/) [Merry Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merry-clayton/) > [I was able to endure and play a special part in music history. And I always managed to keep working, even if I wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merry-clayton/i-was-able-to-endure-and-play-a-special-part-in-music-history-and-i/) [Merry Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merry-clayton/) > [Stay cool, stay humble, stay beautiful, and just do the work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merry-clayton/stay-cool-stay-humble-stay-beautiful-and-just-do-the-work/) [Merry Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merry-clayton/) > [I felt like if I just gave my heart to what I was doing, I would automatically be a star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merry-clayton/i-felt-like-if-i-just-gave-my-heart-to-what-i-was-doing-i-would/) [Merry Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merry-clayton/) > [I always say that I went to the College of Blossoms and the University of Ray Charles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merry-clayton/i-always-say-that-i-went-to-the-college-of-blossoms-and-the/) [Merry Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merry-clayton/) [Explore all 20 Merry Clayton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merry-clayton/) ## More According quotes > [If you want to to be a smart cricketer, you have to play according to the situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hardik-pandya/if-you-want-to-to-be-a-smart-cricketer-you-have-to-play-according-to/) [Hardik Pandya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hardik-pandya/) > [“life can seem either very long or very short, according to how you live it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/life-can-seem-either-very-long-or-very-short-according-to-how-you/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Modern capitalism seeks to assure us that it operates according to the principles of free creativity, endless development and diversity. It glosses over its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadezhda-tolokonnikova/modern-capitalism-seeks-to-assure-us-that-it-operates-according-to/) [Nadezhda Tolokonnikova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadezhda-tolokonnikova/) > [Everything that happens is according to destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayesha-takia/everything-that-happens-is-according-to-destiny/) [Ayesha Takia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayesha-takia/) > [You got to realize that the vision, the image, according to 1964 U.S. rock and roll standards, was mohair suit and tie, and nicey-nicey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-keys/you-got-to-realize-that-the-vision-the-image-according-to-1964-u-s/) [Bobby Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-keys/) > [According to fathers, their kids are always good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeetendra/according-to-fathers-their-kids-are-always-good/) [Jeetendra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeetendra/) > [Things always work according to their nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/things-always-work-according-to-their-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Umm... I don't judge my relationship with Puff or Bad Boy according to other people or past artists. At the end of the day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/french-montana/umm-i-don-t-judge-my-relationship-with-puff-or-bad-boy-according-to/) [French Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/french-montana/) > [When Caroline Kennedy endorsed Barack Obama in 2008 as her father's rightful heir, she laid upon him the mantle of Camelot and the enduring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-kelley/when-caroline-kennedy-endorsed-barack-obama-in-2008-as-her-father-s/) [Kitty Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-kelley/) > [I believe the game should really feel what the players are feeling and change according to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hideo-kojima/i-believe-the-game-should-really-feel-what-the-players-are-feeling/) [Hideo Kojima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hideo-kojima/) > [The Muslim world just doesn't believe that skin color is all that important. Obama may be half-black, but he's still all-Western, according to them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/the-muslim-world-just-doesn-t-believe-that-skin-color-is-all-that/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [According to me, art is honest and free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shriya-saran/according-to-me-art-is-honest-and-free/) [Shriya Saran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shriya-saran/) > [I think a fictional invention grows according to its own development, not the author's. Characters in fiction are not simply as alive as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-ozick/i-think-a-fictional-invention-grows-according-to-its-own-development/) [Cynthia Ozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-ozick/) > [I can't keep changing myself according to how someone sees me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richa-chadha/i-can-t-keep-changing-myself-according-to-how-someone-sees-me/) [Richa Chadha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richa-chadha/) > [“God has a way of working things out according to His will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shana-burton/god-has-a-way-of-working-things-out-according-to-his-will/) [Shana Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shana-burton/) [Browse all 246 According quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/according/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You get royalties from certain songs that you do when you do background. 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