--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't sit down to write a song; they…" description: "\"I don't sit down to write a song; they just come to me from something that somebody says, or something in the news. The punchline comes to me, and I go..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5da/mose-allison-11837_form_i-don-t-sit-down-to-write-a-song-they-ju_1787863.jpg" --- # I don't sit down to write a song; they just come to me… ![“I don't sit down to write a song; they just come to me from something that somebody says, or something in the news. The punchline comes to me, and I go over it in my head and get the song form. I hadn't been doing that a lot.” quote by Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5da/mose-allison-11837_form_i-don-t-sit-down-to-write-a-song-they-ju_1787863.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5da/mose-allison-11837_form_i-don-t-sit-down-to-write-a-song-they-ju_1787863.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5da/mose-allison-11837_form_i-don-t-sit-down-to-write-a-song-they-ju_1787863.jpg) > “I don't sit down to write a song; they just come to me from something that somebody says, or something in the news. The punchline comes to me, and I go over it in my head and get the song form. I hadn't been doing that a lot.” [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative ideas often arrive spontaneously from everyday conversations or news, then are shaped mentally into songs. **In simple terms:** Ideas come from daily life and are refined in the mind. Key Takeaway Listen for inspiration everywhere. Themes creativity songwriting inspiration Mood reflective energetic Type artistic inspirational When to use this quote - writing lyrics - composing music - performing live - collaborating with other artists Key Concepts spontaneity mental processing cultural observation Questions to Reflect On - How can you capture fleeting ideas before they fade? - What daily sources spark your creativity? A Different Perspective May lack structured practice, leading to inconsistent output. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [News](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/news/) [Punchlines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punchlines/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I always try to write a song to work things out with myself and I want to do it with a little punchline at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-winehouse/i-always-try-to-write-a-song-to-work-things-out-with-myself-and-i/) [Amy Winehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-winehouse/) > [Sonnets are guys writing in English, imitating an Italian song form. It was a form definitely sung as often as it was recited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/sonnets-are-guys-writing-in-english-imitating-an-italian-song-form-it/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [I labour over details and whether a song should be a straight pop song form or exploratory. This is the curse with doing things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/i-labour-over-details-and-whether-a-song-should-be-a-straight-pop/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [The British ballads became a new kind of form in their hand. And out of them came the blues, a new kind of song…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lomax/the-british-ballads-became-a-new-kind-of-form-in-their-hand-and-out/) [Alan Lomax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lomax/) > [Sometimes, you sit down to write a song, you don't realize what it's going to mean to somebody other than yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-combs/sometimes-you-sit-down-to-write-a-song-you-don-t-realize-what-it-s/) [Luke Combs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-combs/) > [There are two things John and I always do when we're going to sit down and write a song. First of all we sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/there-are-two-things-john-and-i-always-do-when-we-re-going-to-sit/) [Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/) > [In a certain sense, every time you sit down to write a song, there's a fear that you've forgotten how to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ramsey/in-a-certain-sense-every-time-you-sit-down-to-write-a-song-there-s-a/) [Matthew Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ramsey/) > [When you sit and write a song, sit and write the best song you can write, just try and write it and be connected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-roberson/when-you-sit-and-write-a-song-sit-and-write-the-best-song-you-can/) [Eric Roberson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-roberson/) > [Some people can sit down and write a song, but they can't go on stage like I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/some-people-can-sit-down-and-write-a-song-but-they-can-t-go-on-stage/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [There are people who can sit down and write a song about any given subject, and they can do it really, really well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-hansard/there-are-people-who-can-sit-down-and-write-a-song-about-any-given/) [Glen Hansard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-hansard/) > [I sit and I write automatically. I don't really try to write. My subconscious mind takes over and writes the songs for me. Songs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wilson/i-sit-and-i-write-automatically-i-don-t-really-try-to-write-my/) [Brian Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wilson/) > [When you first sit down to write the first song, until you've maybe got three or four under your belt, it's always, to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/when-you-first-sit-down-to-write-the-first-song-until-you-ve-maybe/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [I don't sit down to write a song, per se.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/creed-bratton/i-don-t-sit-down-to-write-a-song-per-se/) [Creed Bratton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/creed-bratton/) > [I can sit in my room and write a song that I think might be a hit. I can sort of make myself do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estelle/i-can-sit-in-my-room-and-write-a-song-that-i-think-might-be-a-hit-i/) [Estelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/estelle/) > [I never sit down and write. I just sorta let things form in my brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-never-sit-down-and-write-i-just-sorta-let-things-form-in-my-brain/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) ## More by Mose Allison > [I never bothered about keeping track.Every now and then someone records one of my songs, and I get credit for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-never-bothered-about-keeping-track-every-now-and-then-someone/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I just try to do as good job with the material as I can and play some jazz as well, some improvised music, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-just-try-to-do-as-good-job-with-the-material-as-i-can-and-play-some/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I'm happy whenever anybody does my material. I don't care what they do with it. I do what I want to with other people's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-m-happy-whenever-anybody-does-my-material-i-don-t-care-what-they-do/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I'm not inspired by songwriting at all; that took place years ago. I'm pretty well established, as far as my influences go. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-m-not-inspired-by-songwriting-at-all-that-took-place-years-ago-i-m/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [Ever since the world ended, I don't go out as much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/ever-since-the-world-ended-i-don-t-go-out-as-much/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [There's a lot of terrible things goin' on all the time, but you gotta try and have some fun in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/there-s-a-lot-of-terrible-things-goin-on-all-the-time-but-you-gotta/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I finally decided if I was going to make a living, I was gonna have to come to New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-finally-decided-if-i-was-going-to-make-a-living-i-was-gonna-have-to/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I started going to a piano teacher at 5 years old, but pretty soon I started picking things out on my own and stopped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-started-going-to-a-piano-teacher-at-5-years-old-but-pretty-soon-i/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [The idea was I'd never amount to anything in music, The theme there was that I was talented, but I wouldn't work hard enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/the-idea-was-i-d-never-amount-to-anything-in-music-the-theme-there/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I haven't stopped and I don't plan on stoppin' any time soon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-haven-t-stopped-and-i-don-t-plan-on-stoppin-any-time-soon/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [You always want to write the perfect song. But no one will ever write the perfect song, I guess. I would just like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/you-always-want-to-write-the-perfect-song-but-no-one-will-ever-write/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I been getting good crowds. It only took 50 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-been-getting-good-crowds-it-only-took-50-years/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [My main influences have always been the classic jazz players who sang, like Louis Armstrong and Nat King Cole and Jack Teagarden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/my-main-influences-have-always-been-the-classic-jazz-players-who-sang/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I was taking chemical engineering. But I went into the army after that. When I came out of the army, I was a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-was-taking-chemical-engineering-but-i-went-into-the-army-after-that/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I just have a lot off different influences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-just-have-a-lot-off-different-influences/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) [Explore all 57 Mose Allison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) ## More Form quotes > [The Copa del Rey is a different competition. It is football in its purest form and is different from the continuity of the league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-laudrup/the-copa-del-rey-is-a-different-competition-it-is-football-in-its/) [Michael Laudrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-laudrup/) > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. 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Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I think it's useful to experience other types of dance and other cultures, and the life of a classical dancer these days is certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/i-think-it-s-useful-to-experience-other-types-of-dance-and-other/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [There cannot be any communication except through form. If there is no form, you cannot create emotion in the spectator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-resnais/there-cannot-be-any-communication-except-through-form-if-there-is-no/) [Alain Resnais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-resnais/) > [I am strongly opposed to any form of amnesty, including, especially, executive amnesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-scalise/i-am-strongly-opposed-to-any-form-of-amnesty-including-especially/) [Steve Scalise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-scalise/) > [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) Browse all 12,984 Form quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't sit down to write a song; they just come to me from something that somebody says, or something in the news. 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