--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Bowery was a place that would let us…" description: "\"The Bowery was a place that would let us do original songs - not just covers - but we would have to work for tips, so we learned how to work an audienc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/279/randy-owen-42763_audience_the-bowery-was-a-place-that-would-let-us_2651571.jpg" --- # The Bowery was a place that would let us do original songs… ![“The Bowery was a place that would let us do original songs - not just covers - but we would have to work for tips, so we learned how to work an audience. In order to keep our jobs, we had to keep people happy, so that meant playing the latest Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top or Merle Haggard.” quote by Randy Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/279/randy-owen-42763_audience_the-bowery-was-a-place-that-would-let-us_2651571.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/279/randy-owen-42763_audience_the-bowery-was-a-place-that-would-let-us_2651571.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/279/randy-owen-42763_audience_the-bowery-was-a-place-that-would-let-us_2651571.jpg) > “The Bowery was a place that would let us do original songs - not just covers - but we would have to work for tips, so we learned how to work an audience. In order to keep our jobs, we had to keep people happy, so that meant playing the latest Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top or Merle Haggard.” [Randy Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-owen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Original songs required audience work; playing popular covers kept jobs and taught audience engagement. **In simple terms:** Original work demands effort; covers attract audiences. Key Takeaway Balance originality with audience appeal. Themes music industry performance audience dynamics Mood reflective pragmatic Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - gig economy - songwriting - live performance - marketing Key Concepts career development musical adaptation Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay authentic while appealing? - What strategies keep audiences engaged? A Different Perspective Focusing on trends may dilute artistic identity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [How many of the original songs survive intact from the slave cabins? Probably not many in their original form. Time has transformed them like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-battle/how-many-of-the-original-songs-survive-intact-from-the-slave-cabins/) [Kathleen Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-battle/) > [I'm hoping to work on some original songs and to keep performing in front of a crowd as much as I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-hadwin/i-m-hoping-to-work-on-some-original-songs-and-to-keep-performing-in/) [Courtney Hadwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-hadwin/) > [The Bowery station on the J line is what happens to a neighborhood once politicians realize the people who live there don't vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-vachss/the-bowery-station-on-the-j-line-is-what-happens-to-a-neighborhood/) [Andrew Vachss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-vachss/) > [MEDICINE, n. A stone flung down the Bowery to kill a dog in Broadway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/medicine-n-a-stone-flung-down-the-bowery-to-kill-a-dog-in-broadway/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“but the Bowery does not think of itself as lost; it meets its peculiar problem in its own way—plenty of gin mills, plenty of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-b-white-2/but-the-bowery-does-not-think-of-itself-as-lost-it-meets-its-peculiar/) [E.B. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-b-white-2/) > [Writing original songs is much, much harder (I think) because you only have yourself to conjure up EVERY single moment a listener is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-goot/writing-original-songs-is-much-much-harder-i-think-because-you-only/) [Alex Goot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-goot/) > [I love the Bowery Hotel by night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-bailey-rae/i-love-the-bowery-hotel-by-night/) [Corinne Bailey Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-bailey-rae/) > [I'm not a nice girl; I'm a photographer. (On being told by a Federal Art Project official, after she photographed the Bowery, that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/i-m-not-a-nice-girl-i-m-a-photographer-on-being-told-by-a-federal-art/) [Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) > [I do not have a problem with remixes but original songs are not being included in an album, this is sad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amaal-mallik/i-do-not-have-a-problem-with-remixes-but-original-songs-are-not-being/) [Amaal Mallik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amaal-mallik/) > [I started out with original songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanishk-bagchi/i-started-out-with-original-songs/) [Tanishk Bagchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanishk-bagchi/) > [The Bowery Hotel is always a great place to meet people for drinks. It's so cozy in there, especially in the late fall and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-graynor/the-bowery-hotel-is-always-a-great-place-to-meet-people-for-drinks-it/) [Ari Graynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-graynor/) > [Bob Dylan's first couple of records in the 60's weren't considered cover records, but he only wrote one or two original songs on each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/bob-dylan-s-first-couple-of-records-in-the-60-s-weren-t-considered/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [I do original songs in the style of other artists, where I try to learn all their musical idiosyncrasies and try to do something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/i-do-original-songs-in-the-style-of-other-artists-where-i-try-to/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [Then I moved down to the Bowery to this building where Debbie Harry lived. It was there that I started combining some clothes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sprouse/then-i-moved-down-to-the-bowery-to-this-building-where-debbie-harry/) [Stephen Sprouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sprouse/) > [When I wasn't wrestling, I was always at the circus or at a show watching all these people - 'how do they make their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/when-i-wasn-t-wrestling-i-was-always-at-the-circus-or-at-a-show/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) ## More by Randy Owen > [Our original name was Wild Country, but when we first went to The Bowery, they had the name of all 50 states around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-owen/our-original-name-was-wild-country-but-when-we-first-went-to-the/) [Randy Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-owen/) > [As long as God lets me live, I want to do things that make a difference in the world besides play music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-owen/as-long-as-god-lets-me-live-i-want-to-do-things-that-make-a/) [Randy Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-owen/) > [The writing part of my life never changes, because that's just when the inspiration comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-owen/the-writing-part-of-my-life-never-changes-because-that-s-just-when/) [Randy Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-owen/) > [God has to let you be there, and then you just have to have good fortune for whatever reason. I'm enjoying every moment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-owen/god-has-to-let-you-be-there-and-then-you-just-have-to-have-good/) [Randy Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-owen/) > [For me, when I grew up playing music, I played music in church and people were shouting and having a big time, and church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-owen/for-me-when-i-grew-up-playing-music-i-played-music-in-church-and/) [Randy Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-owen/) > [I love writing songs. I love doing my radio show and talking to the fans and listening to what they have to say, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-owen/i-love-writing-songs-i-love-doing-my-radio-show-and-talking-to-the/) [Randy Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-owen/) > [The juices never stop flowing. I still write songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-owen/the-juices-never-stop-flowing-i-still-write-songs/) [Randy Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-owen/) > [I can't not be who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-owen/i-can-t-not-be-who-i-am/) [Randy Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-owen/) > [I feel very good and positive about my future. I look forward to seeing the fans and doing what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-owen/i-feel-very-good-and-positive-about-my-future-i-look-forward-to/) [Randy Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-owen/) [Explore all 10 Randy Owen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-owen/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Bowery was a place that would let us do original songs - not just covers - but we would have to work for tips, so we learned how to work an audience. 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