--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would hate to think my songs were…" description: "\"I would hate to think my songs were giving advice to people.\" — Nick Cave" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/nick-cave-1153_advice_i-would-hate-to-think-my-songs-were-givi_742666.jpg" --- # I would hate to think my songs were giving advice to people. ![“I would hate to think my songs were giving advice to people.” quote by Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/nick-cave-1153_advice_i-would-hate-to-think-my-songs-were-givi_742666.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/nick-cave-1153_advice_i-would-hate-to-think-my-songs-were-givi_742666.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/nick-cave-1153_advice_i-would-hate-to-think-my-songs-were-givi_742666.jpg) > “I would hate to think my songs were giving advice to people.” [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) ## 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 worries that personal songs unintentionally become advice, blurring art and didactic intent. **In simple terms:** Songs may be taken as advice even if not intended. Key Takeaway Be mindful of how lyrics might be interpreted. Themes artistic expression responsibility interpretation listener impact Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - songwriting - public speaking - media production Key Concepts intentionality message audience perception Questions to Reflect On - Do creators bear responsibility for listeners’ actions? - How can intent be clarified without limiting art? A Different Perspective Artists cannot control every listener’s take‑away. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Advice People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice-people/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Giving advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-advice/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Hate Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate-think/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songs/) [Songs Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songs-giving-5795398/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-songs-530667/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes we spend so much time giving advice to other people that we don't realize we are the ones who need to be advised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-we-spend-so-much-time-giving-advice-to-other-people-that-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I hate giving advice, because people won't take it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-hate-giving-advice-because-people-won-t-take-it/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [All my adult life I've been in the practice of giving advice to people who are happier than I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/all-my-adult-life-i-ve-been-in-the-practice-of-giving-advice-to/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [I am not fond of giving advice; people are different, circumstances are different, motivations vary, but overall I would say that no amount of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guinevere-van-seenus/i-am-not-fond-of-giving-advice-people-are-different-circumstances-are/) [Guinevere Van Seenus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guinevere-van-seenus/) > [I'm very wary about giving advice. I think it's very dangerous to give advice to people, except if you know them very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-sharif/i-m-very-wary-about-giving-advice-i-think-it-s-very-dangerous-to-give/) [Omar Sharif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-sharif/) > [I'm always giving out advice. People always come to me for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tameka-cottle/i-m-always-giving-out-advice-people-always-come-to-me-for-that/) [Tameka Cottle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tameka-cottle/) > [I'm just good in giving advice to other people but when it comes to myself I don't even know what exactly is happening in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle/i-m-just-good-in-giving-advice-to-other-people-but-when-it-comes-to/) [Danielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle/) > [When you're coming up in the business, there are so many people giving you advice and people prepping you for interviews: what to say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-amboyer/when-you-re-coming-up-in-the-business-there-are-so-many-people-giving/) [Dan Amboyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-amboyer/) > [“It's pointless giving advice to people who will not listen. It only reduces the value of your words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farahad-zama/it-s-pointless-giving-advice-to-people-who-will-not-listen-it-only/) [Farahad Zama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farahad-zama/) > [I think songs and visuals are so evocative of each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksa-palladino/i-think-songs-and-visuals-are-so-evocative-of-each-other/) [Aleksa Palladino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksa-palladino/) > [I think every one of our songs could be a Top 10 record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-think-every-one-of-our-songs-could-be-a-top-10-record/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [I don't really think much of any songs I put out like I know... I think they're good, that's why I'm putting them out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amine/i-don-t-really-think-much-of-any-songs-i-put-out-like-i-know-i-think/) [Amine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amine/) > [It bugs me that people think my songs are personal because it means I have to explain myself all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/it-bugs-me-that-people-think-my-songs-are-personal-because-it-means-i/) [Ray LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/) > [Now somebody will ask me, Pete, how can you prove these songs really make a difference? And I have to confess I can't prove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-seeger/now-somebody-will-ask-me-pete-how-can-you-prove-these-songs-really/) [Pete Seeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-seeger/) > [I can think of only two or three songs out of hundreds I've recorded that I performed as originally written. I like to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-campbell/i-can-think-of-only-two-or-three-songs-out-of-hundreds-i-ve-recorded/) [Glen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-campbell/) ## More by Nick Cave > [Texting is apocalyptic on some level. It's a reduction of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/texting-is-apocalyptic-on-some-level-it-s-a-reduction-of-things/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [“And I know why our friendship must be kept a secret. Or they will kill You like they killed You in the Bible. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/and-i-know-why-our-friendship-must-be-kept-a-secret-or-they-will-kill/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [I want to write songs that are so sad, the kind of sad where you take someone's little finger and break it in three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-want-to-write-songs-that-are-so-sad-the-kind-of-sad-where-you-take/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [“Through these days Bunny made increasingly frequent and protracted visits to the bathroom, beating off with a single-minded savagery intense even by Bunny's standards.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/through-these-days-bunny-made-increasingly-frequent-and-protracted/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [Personally I find the story of Christ incredibly moving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/personally-i-find-the-story-of-christ-incredibly-moving/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [ That's what we \[outsiders\] feel America is really about - the kind of crazed ravings of the Christian right - when it's probably something… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/that-s-what-we-outsiders-feel-america-is-really-about-the-kind-of/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [“My relationship with my muse is a delicate one at the best of times and I feel that it is my duty to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/my-relationship-with-my-muse-is-a-delicate-one-at-the-best-of-times/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [I'm kind of old-school and love nothing more than sitting, opening a book, and reading it. But I also love listening to audio books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-m-kind-of-old-school-and-love-nothing-more-than-sitting-opening-a/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [Early on I realized when you write a song about someone, it flatters them on some level, and gives you a lot of room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/early-on-i-realized-when-you-write-a-song-about-someone-it-flatters/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [My father was a teacher and my mother also worked in the school, so the family has a background in education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/my-father-was-a-teacher-and-my-mother-also-worked-in-the-school-so/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [I think it's an essential fact for any performer or artist to fail as poignantly as they can succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-think-it-s-an-essential-fact-for-any-performer-or-artist-to-fail-as/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [To my undying shame, I do read reviews. I don't read them all, but I like to get some kind of idea how things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/to-my-undying-shame-i-do-read-reviews-i-don-t-read-them-all-but-i/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [Brother, be a brother, fill this tiny cup of mine. And please, sir, make it whiskey: I have no head for wine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/brother-be-a-brother-fill-this-tiny-cup-of-mine-and-please-sir-make/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [When you've been initiated, you can stand in the world differently. And I think it is up to all of us, we can have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/when-you-ve-been-initiated-you-can-stand-in-the-world-differently-and/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [Polly Jean, I love you. I love the texture of your skin, the taste of your saliva, the softness of your ears. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/polly-jean-i-love-you-i-love-the-texture-of-your-skin-the-taste-of/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) [Explore all 280 Nick Cave quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) ## More Advice quotes > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/) [Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/) > [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [My relationship with Ibrahimovic was completely neutral. He is not the type of player to approach the younger players and give them advice. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/my-relationship-with-ibrahimovic-was-completely-neutral-he-is-not-the/) [Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/) [Browse all 8,535 Advice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I would hate to think my songs were giving advice to people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nick Cave" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-would-hate-to-think-my-songs-were-giving-advice-to-people/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-would-hate-to-think-my-songs-were-giving-advice-to-people/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/nick-cave-1153_advice_i-would-hate-to-think-my-songs-were-givi_742666.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/nick-cave-1153_advice_i-would-hate-to-think-my-songs-were-givi_742666.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/nick-cave-1153_advice_i-would-hate-to-think-my-songs-were-givi_742666.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I would hate to think my songs were giving advice to people.” — Nick Cave", "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": "Nick Cave", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I would hate to think my...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-would-hate-to-think-my-songs-were-giving-advice-to-people/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-would-hate-to-think-my-songs-were-giving-advice-to-people/#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 } } ] } ```