--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always felt rock is folk music." description: "\"I've always felt rock is folk music.\" — Michael Penn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffc/michael-penn-11939_always_i-ve-always-felt-rock-is-folk-music-1568_1568831.jpg" --- # I've always felt rock is folk music. ![“I've always felt rock is folk music.” quote by Michael Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffc/michael-penn-11939_always_i-ve-always-felt-rock-is-folk-music-1568_1568831.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffc/michael-penn-11939_always_i-ve-always-felt-rock-is-folk-music-1568_1568831.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffc/michael-penn-11939_always_i-ve-always-felt-rock-is-folk-music-1568_1568831.jpg) > “I've always felt rock is folk music.” [Michael Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-penn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker equates rock music with folk, suggesting that rock shares folk’s storytelling roots and authenticity, blurring genre boundaries. **In simple terms:** Rock is like modern folk music. Key Takeaway See rock as storytelling. Themes music genre culture Mood reflective analytical Type musical philosophical When to use this quote - songwriting - music education - concert programming - genre analysis Key Concepts ethnomusicology authenticity evolution Questions to Reflect On - How does this view change your listening? - What elements make rock folk? A Different Perspective Fans may argue rock’s commercial aspects differ from folk’s tradition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Felt Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt-rock-3232381/) [Folk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folk/) [Folk music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folk-music/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock/) [Rock Folk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-folk-3198881/) ## Related quotes > [If folk is the music of the common people and not the intellectual elite, then that's what rock is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/if-folk-is-the-music-of-the-common-people-and-not-the-intellectual/) [Michael Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-penn/) > [I'm big fan of soulful music - classic rock with a folk-ish twist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sal-khan/i-m-big-fan-of-soulful-music-classic-rock-with-a-folk-ish-twist/) [Sal Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sal-khan/) > [Music was in the air when I was growing up. My siblings Katy, Dave and Phil were musical; my dad worked in inner-city New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-barry/music-was-in-the-air-when-i-was-growing-up-my-siblings-katy-dave-and/) [Sam Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-barry/) > [I've always felt that rock & roll was very, very wholesome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aretha-franklin/i-ve-always-felt-that-rock-roll-was-very-very-wholesome/) [Aretha Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aretha-franklin/) > [I always felt rock and roll was very, very wholesome music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aretha-franklin/i-always-felt-rock-and-roll-was-very-very-wholesome-music/) [Aretha Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aretha-franklin/) > [My father being in the movie business, I thought being an actor would be great. But when I started singing to people in coffeehouses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-crosby/my-father-being-in-the-movie-business-i-thought-being-an-actor-would/) [David Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-crosby/) > [There is a black folk music audience. They're just very small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/there-is-a-black-folk-music-audience-they-re-just-very-small/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [That's one of the things I like best about folk music is the beautiful melodies - and the harmonies - that exist in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mcguinn/that-s-one-of-the-things-i-like-best-about-folk-music-is-the/) [Roger McGuinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mcguinn/) > [I've always dreamt of doing an entire record just on folk music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devi-sri-prasad/i-ve-always-dreamt-of-doing-an-entire-record-just-on-folk-music/) [Devi Sri Prasad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devi-sri-prasad/) > [Folks out in the country couldn't afford to pay for anybody else to make music. They had to make their own. So the peasantry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-seeger/folks-out-in-the-country-couldn-t-afford-to-pay-for-anybody-else-to/) [Pete Seeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-seeger/) > [Folk music is music that everyday people can play, and it inspired a lot of people to make their own music. That trailed into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-guthrie/folk-music-is-music-that-everyday-people-can-play-and-it-inspired-a/) [Arlo Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-guthrie/) > [There's a similarity between European and North African folk musics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-plant/there-s-a-similarity-between-european-and-north-african-folk-musics/) [Robert Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-plant/) > [Traditional folk music is about survival of the fittest song just like evolution is about survival of the fittest organism and generally the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-spiers/traditional-folk-music-is-about-survival-of-the-fittest-song-just/) [John Spiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-spiers/) > [I was very engaged by the folk music movement.Bob Dylan; Joan Baez; Peter, Paul and Mary. And then I sort of discovered world music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-was-very-engaged-by-the-folk-music-movement-bob-dylan-joan-baez/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [The Urban Literate Southern California Sub-Group of the Early Atomic Period has not yet produced a distinct body of folk music of its own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hinton/the-urban-literate-southern-california-sub-group-of-the-early-atomic/) [Sam Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-hinton/) ## More by Michael Penn > [To me, playing with words is like playing with your food. You shouldn't do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/to-me-playing-with-words-is-like-playing-with-your-food-you-shouldn-t/) [Michael Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-penn/) > [That was a real debate for me whether to change my name, which I felt was a lie, or to make up a band…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/that-was-a-real-debate-for-me-whether-to-change-my-name-which-i-felt/) [Michael Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-penn/) > [Knowing when it is over is the beginning of a new life and the end of an old one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/knowing-when-it-is-over-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-life-and-the-end-of/) [Michael Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-penn/) > [What if I were Romeo in black jeans?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/what-if-i-were-romeo-in-black-jeans/) [Michael Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-penn/) > [If folk is the music of the common people and not the intellectual elite, then that's what rock is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/if-folk-is-the-music-of-the-common-people-and-not-the-intellectual/) [Michael Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-penn/) > [I'm an oblique guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/i-m-an-oblique-guy/) [Michael Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-penn/) > [I just had a real visceral, negative reaction to show-biz familes. They tend to be a freakish celebrations of dysfunction. Like a circus sideshow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/i-just-had-a-real-visceral-negative-reaction-to-show-biz-familes-they/) [Michael Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-penn/) > [I used to be paranoid for a couple reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/i-used-to-be-paranoid-for-a-couple-reasons/) [Michael Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-penn/) > [I've never been too comfortable with the whole between-song-banter thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/i-ve-never-been-too-comfortable-with-the-whole-between-song-banter/) [Michael Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-penn/) > [Just talking about the schedule and logistics of a tour is fine, but if the interview gets into lyrics and the music in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/just-talking-about-the-schedule-and-logistics-of-a-tour-is-fine-but/) [Michael Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-penn/) > [I got into music when I was pretty young, and there were a lot of shining lights to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/i-got-into-music-when-i-was-pretty-young-and-there-were-a-lot-of/) [Michael Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-penn/) > [I wouldn't balk at having a hit single, because it would allow me some of the freedom to do some of the things I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/i-wouldn-t-balk-at-having-a-hit-single-because-it-would-allow-me-some/) [Michael Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-penn/) > [I've been writing songs since I was a kid. You just hope that you get better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-a-kid-you-just-hope-that-you-get/) [Michael Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-penn/) > [If you talk about, say, 'Romeo and Juliet,' most people will think of it as a play about the highest form of romantic love.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/if-you-talk-about-say-romeo-and-juliet-most-people-will-think-of-it/) [Michael Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-penn/) > [If I was good at talking about my music, I'd be a lecturer or a teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/if-i-was-good-at-talking-about-my-music-i-d-be-a-lecturer-or-a-teacher/) [Michael Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-penn/) [Explore all 57 Michael Penn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-penn/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. 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/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've always felt rock is folk music.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Penn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/i-ve-always-felt-rock-is-folk-music/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/i-ve-always-felt-rock-is-folk-music/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffc/michael-penn-11939_always_i-ve-always-felt-rock-is-folk-music-1568_1568831.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffc/michael-penn-11939_always_i-ve-always-felt-rock-is-folk-music-1568_1568831.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffc/michael-penn-11939_always_i-ve-always-felt-rock-is-folk-music-1568_1568831.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've always felt rock is folk music.” — Michael Penn", "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": "Michael Penn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-penn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've always felt rock is folk...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/i-ve-always-felt-rock-is-folk-music/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/i-ve-always-felt-rock-is-folk-music/#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 } } ] } ```