--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Arnie Kott owned the only harpsichord on…" description: "\"“Arnie Kott owned the only harpsichord on Mars. However, it was out of tune, and he could find no one to service it. No matter which way you cut it, th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/philip-k-dick-2-53326_song_arnie-kott-owned-the-only-harpsichord-on_1247744.png" --- # Arnie Kott owned the only harpsichord on Mars. However, it… ![“Arnie Kott owned the only harpsichord on Mars. However, it was out of tune, and he could find no one to service it. No matter which way you cut it, there were no harpsichord tuners on Mars.” quote by Philip K Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/philip-k-dick-2-53326_song_arnie-kott-owned-the-only-harpsichord-on_1247744.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/philip-k-dick-2-53326_song_arnie-kott-owned-the-only-harpsichord-on_1247744.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/philip-k-dick-2-53326_song_arnie-kott-owned-the-only-harpsichord-on_1247744.png) > ““Arnie Kott owned the only harpsichord on Mars. However, it was out of tune, and he could find no one to service it. No matter which way you cut it, there were no harpsichord tuners on Mars.”” [Philip K Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A whimsical illustration of scarcity and the absurdity of trying to maintain culture in an alien environment. **In simple terms:** Even simple things can become impossible far away. Key Takeaway Adapt to constraints creatively. Themes scarcity absurdity culture technology Mood wry thoughtful Type humorous speculative When to use this quote - colonial outpost - space settlement - musical performance Key Concepts resource limitation humor adaptation Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle missing resources? - What creative solutions arise from constraints? A Different Perspective Even with scarcity, ingenuity can find workarounds. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cut Harpsichord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cut-harpsichord-3919565/) [Harpsichord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harpsichord-461689/) [Harpsichord Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harpsichord-mars-3919562/) [Harpsichord Tuners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harpsichord-tuners-3919564/) [Owned Harpsichord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/owned-harpsichord-3919563/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [The sound of the harpsichord resembles that of a bird-cage played with toasting-forks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/the-sound-of-the-harpsichord-resembles-that-of-a-bird-cage-played/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [I think I was drawn to the harpsichord because of the similarity of touch between the harpsichord and the tracker organ. When you press…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-harbach/i-think-i-was-drawn-to-the-harpsichord-because-of-the-similarity-of/) [Barbara Harbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-harbach/) > [I mean, already in the French Revolution, the harpsichord becomes identified with the aristocracy, with the ancien regime. Plus, hey, you know, I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahan-esfahani/i-mean-already-in-the-french-revolution-the-harpsichord-becomes/) [Mahan Esfahani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahan-esfahani/) > [I do have to admit that teaching, composing, and editing is a bit easier than sitting at the organ or harpsichord for seven straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-harbach/i-do-have-to-admit-that-teaching-composing-and-editing-is-a-bit/) [Barbara Harbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-harbach/) > [As long as there's a place for sundials and gardening and beautiful things, there's a place for the harpsichord. I completely reject the idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahan-esfahani/as-long-as-there-s-a-place-for-sundials-and-gardening-and-beautiful/) [Mahan Esfahani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahan-esfahani/) > [Well, harpsichord is kind of a big guitar, isn't it? I mean, it is plucked, after all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahan-esfahani/well-harpsichord-is-kind-of-a-big-guitar-isn-t-it-i-mean-it-is/) [Mahan Esfahani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahan-esfahani/) > [One of the tracks that I have is Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach - by the way, that's Bach's second son - Emanuel Bach's variations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahan-esfahani/one-of-the-tracks-that-i-have-is-carl-philipp-emanuel-bach-by-the-way/) [Mahan Esfahani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahan-esfahani/) > [“He looked up and saw her and his breath stopped in his throat. His hands stopped too, still spread above the keyboard. Harpsichord notes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/he-looked-up-and-saw-her-and-his-breath-stopped-in-his-throat-his/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [The harpsichord was actually ideologically considered a very questionable instrument in that period, much like I think it's ideologically considered suspect today in some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahan-esfahani/the-harpsichord-was-actually-ideologically-considered-a-very/) [Mahan Esfahani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahan-esfahani/) > [“Your friend Mr. Tulip would perhaps like part of your payment to be the harpsichord?" said the chair. "It's not a --ing harpsichord, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/your-friend-mr-tulip-would-perhaps-like-part-of-your-payment-to-be/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Oh, well,' Mrs. Zender continued, 'Mother always said that Mr. Zender had other talents. He was good looking, and I think Mother put looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg-2/oh-well-mrs-zender-continued-mother-always-said-that-mr-zender-had/) [E.L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg-2/) > [I mean to me, the harpsichord has a huge dynamic range. And I always say to people, come and listen to it. You know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahan-esfahani/i-mean-to-me-the-harpsichord-has-a-huge-dynamic-range-and-i-always/) [Mahan Esfahani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahan-esfahani/) > [I don't use the harpsichord because it evokes a past time period: I use it because I like the sound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-holter/i-don-t-use-the-harpsichord-because-it-evokes-a-past-time-period-i/) [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) > [Someday we may have as many followers as the harpsichord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-condon/someday-we-may-have-as-many-followers-as-the-harpsichord/) [Eddie Condon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-condon/) > [The simple act of sitting down and playing something enormously complex and spiritually uplifting on a harpsichord just bores kids to tears. There's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogden-stiers/the-simple-act-of-sitting-down-and-playing-something-enormously/) [David Ogden Stiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogden-stiers/) ## More by Philip K Dick > [“A brand-new tape recorder, completely worn out. Bought with funny money that the store is willing to accept. Worthless money, worthless article purchased; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick-2/a-brand-new-tape-recorder-completely-worn-out-bought-with-funny-money/) [Philip K Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick-2/) > [“God, how dark it is here, and totally silent. Nothing but me lives in this vacuum.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick-2/god-how-dark-it-is-here-and-totally-silent-nothing-but-me-lives-in/) [Philip K Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick-2/) > [“...hence the very best science fiction ultimately winds up being a collaboration between author and reader, in which both create - and enjoy it;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick-2/hence-the-very-best-science-fiction-ultimately-winds-up-being-a/) [Philip K Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick-2/) > [Reality is whatever refuses to go away when I stop believing in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick-2/reality-is-whatever-refuses-to-go-away-when-i-stop-believing-in-it/) [Philip K Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick-2/) > [“...this is the essence of science fiction, the conceptual dislocation within the society is generated in the author's mind, transferred to paper, and from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick-2/this-is-the-essence-of-science-fiction-the-conceptual-dislocation/) [Philip K Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick-2/) [Explore all 6 Philip K Dick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick-2/) ## More Song quotes > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [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 understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [ “Downloading's the same as what I used to do. I used to tape the charts of the songs I liked \[off the radio\]. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-gallagher/downloading-s-the-same-as-what-i-used-to-do-i-used-to-tape-the-charts/) [Liam Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-gallagher/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [I want people to hear my lyrics and my melodies and say, 'That dude's in pain.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-moody/i-want-people-to-hear-my-lyrics-and-my-melodies-and-say-that-dude-s/) [Ivan Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-moody/) > [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/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [Eric Clapton's scales - when he comes off a high note and it's time for a refrain or a little bit of a rest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/eric-clapton-s-scales-when-he-comes-off-a-high-note-and-it-s-time-for/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [I do a lot of vocal exercises and drink hot tea, which I hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darci-lynne-farmer/i-do-a-lot-of-vocal-exercises-and-drink-hot-tea-which-i-hate/) [Darci Lynne Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darci-lynne-farmer/) > [There were songs that we cut out after we chose the name, because 'Praise Break' turned out to be an underlying concept that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-caesar/there-were-songs-that-we-cut-out-after-we-chose-the-name-because/) [Daniel Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-caesar/) > [My parents were not musical, and they were not effervescent people; everything was very quiet. The music that I played was loud; it used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/my-parents-were-not-musical-and-they-were-not-effervescent-people/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I remember that the bass was turned up slightly more on the mix from last week, and I thought that was good - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ronson/i-remember-that-the-bass-was-turned-up-slightly-more-on-the-mix-from/) [Mark Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ronson/) [Browse all 46,732 Song quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Arnie Kott owned the only harpsichord on Mars. However, it was out of tune, and he could find no one to service it. 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