--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I start out with words, with the idea…" description: "\"I start out with words, with the idea, the line. Then after I get a line or two, I try to find what melodic line those lines would be suited to. As soo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22f/mose-allison-11837_form_i-start-out-with-words-with-the-idea-the_3150867.jpg" --- # I start out with words, with the idea, the line. Then… ![“I start out with words, with the idea, the line. Then after I get a line or two, I try to find what melodic line those lines would be suited to. As soon as I find the form I can finish the song in my head.” quote by Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22f/mose-allison-11837_form_i-start-out-with-words-with-the-idea-the_3150867.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22f/mose-allison-11837_form_i-start-out-with-words-with-the-idea-the_3150867.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22f/mose-allison-11837_form_i-start-out-with-words-with-the-idea-the_3150867.jpg) > “I start out with words, with the idea, the line. Then after I get a line or two, I try to find what melodic line those lines would be suited to. As soon as I find the form I can finish the song in my head.” [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. He begins with lyrics, then matches them to a melody, completing the song mentally once the form is clear. **In simple terms:** Words first, then music, then mental completion. Key Takeaway Let lyrics guide melody discovery. Themes creativity music process Mood inspirational introspective Type creative process-oriented When to use this quote - studio recording - live performance - collaborative writing Key Concepts songwriting improvisation artistic flow Questions to Reflect On - How does lyrical structure shape musical choices? - Can you hear a song before playing it? A Different Perspective Melody may not fit lyrical intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Songwriting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songwriting/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [A great melodic line is like a person's soul, and coming up with an original melody, it can be like you are illustrating the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-einaudi/a-great-melodic-line-is-like-a-person-s-soul-and-coming-up-with-an/) [Ludovico Einaudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-einaudi/) > [I most enjoy sitting down with the acoustic guitar and just fiddling around and trying to come up with something like a hook or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/i-most-enjoy-sitting-down-with-the-acoustic-guitar-and-just-fiddling/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [The realisation that, depending on where we changed from one note to the next in a melodic line, the music could subtly influence the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-price/the-realisation-that-depending-on-where-we-changed-from-one-note-to/) [Steven Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-price/) > [You have to follow every melodic line, every emotional idea, or you don't get your money's worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-hersh/you-have-to-follow-every-melodic-line-every-emotional-idea-or-you-don/) [Kristin Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-hersh/) > [I have an idea and a first line -- and that suggests the rest of it. I have little concept of what I’m going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-c-boyle/i-have-an-idea-and-a-first-line-and-that-suggests-the-rest-of-it-i/) [T.C. Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-c-boyle/) > [Every time I finish a song... most of the time it's in my own head, like this sounds too much like a Townes Van…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/every-time-i-finish-a-song-most-of-the-time-it-s-in-my-own-head-like/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [Linkin Park has been a band for such a long time, for me, in my eyes. I was 16 years old when I first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-carlile/linkin-park-has-been-a-band-for-such-a-long-time-for-me-in-my-eyes-i/) [Austin Carlile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-carlile/) > [I realized by using the high notes of the chords as a melodic line, and by the right harmonic progression, I could play what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-parker/i-realized-by-using-the-high-notes-of-the-chords-as-a-melodic-line/) [Charlie Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-parker/) > [Most of the time I wind up with a sleepily mumbled melodic line, sometimes with words, sometimes not. But then with my waking brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-leo/most-of-the-time-i-wind-up-with-a-sleepily-mumbled-melodic-line/) [Ted Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-leo/) > [Before I can finish one song, another is knocking on my door in my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/before-i-can-finish-one-song-another-is-knocking-on-my-door-in-my-head/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [I used to feel like I wasn't a good songwriter when I couldn't finish a song by myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/i-used-to-feel-like-i-wasn-t-a-good-songwriter-when-i-couldn-t-finish/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) > [When I'm in the studio, I don't finish the song and say, 'That's going to be a big ringtone.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-pain/when-i-m-in-the-studio-i-don-t-finish-the-song-and-say-that-s-going/) [T-Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-pain/) > [Well after 'Fast Car' was so huge, everyone was asking me, 'What's the next song?' At the time I just had ideas I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-blue/well-after-fast-car-was-so-huge-everyone-was-asking-me-what-s-the/) [Jonas Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-blue/) > [To finish a song is the best feeling in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/to-finish-a-song-is-the-best-feeling-in-the-world/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [I tend to overthink things. I'm not the guy who screams 'This is a world smash!' when I finish a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-mars/i-tend-to-overthink-things-i-m-not-the-guy-who-screams-this-is-a/) [Bruno Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-mars/) ## 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? 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