--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why be in music, why write songs, if you…" description: "\"Why be in music, why write songs, if you can't use them to explore life or an idealized vision of life? I believe a lot of our lives are spent asleep, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/rufus-wainwright-2260_asleep_why-be-in-music-why-write-songs-if-you-c_2615873.png" --- # Why be in music, why write songs, if you can't use them to… ![“Why be in music, why write songs, if you can't use them to explore life or an idealized vision of life? I believe a lot of our lives are spent asleep, and what I've been trying to do is hold on to those moments when a little spark cuts through the fog and nudges you.” quote by Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/rufus-wainwright-2260_asleep_why-be-in-music-why-write-songs-if-you-c_2615873.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/rufus-wainwright-2260_asleep_why-be-in-music-why-write-songs-if-you-c_2615873.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/rufus-wainwright-2260_asleep_why-be-in-music-why-write-songs-if-you-c_2615873.png) > “Why be in music, why write songs, if you can't use them to explore life or an idealized vision of life? I believe a lot of our lives are spent asleep, and what I've been trying to do is hold on to those moments when a little spark cuts through the fog and nudges you.” [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Music should explore life’s depths, offering moments of clarity amid confusion. **In simple terms:** Music must explore life and spark insight. Key Takeaway Create art that illuminates everyday life. Themes art music meaning exploration inspiration Mood reflective creative philosophical Type art music When to use this quote - Songwriting - live performance - studio sessions - personal journaling - public talks Key Concepts Aesthetic philosophy creative process existential inquiry Questions to Reflect On - What moments inspire your creative spark? - How do you keep art authentic? A Different Perspective Commercial pressures can dilute artistic depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asleep/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Fog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fog/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songs/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) ## Related quotes > [Why be in music, why write songs, if you can't use them to explore life or an idealized vision of life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/why-be-in-music-why-write-songs-if-you-can-t-use-them-to-explore-life/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I believe a lot of our lives are spent asleep, and what I've been trying to do is hold on to those moments when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-believe-a-lot-of-our-lives-are-spent-asleep-and-what-i-ve-been/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I always tell people I write songs, but I'm a writer. It's a difference. I can write songs to music, but I can write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ester-dean/i-always-tell-people-i-write-songs-but-i-m-a-writer-it-s-a-difference/) [Ester Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ester-dean/) > [I can't remember all the times I've tried to tell myself to hold on to these moments as they pass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-duritz/i-can-t-remember-all-the-times-i-ve-tried-to-tell-myself-to-hold-on/) [Adam Duritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-duritz/) > [“How can we hold onto those fleeting moments in our lives? Hold onto the moments that otherwise evaporate into the forgotten past? Or moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosanne-moreland/how-can-we-hold-onto-those-fleeting-moments-in-our-lives-hold-onto/) Rosanne Moreland > [“Depression is real. It happens. We go through it. Hold onto yourself in those moments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/depression-is-real-it-happens-we-go-through-it-hold-onto-yourself-in/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [You think you cant go on but truth is you can just give it a little more time and hold onto the moments that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-think-you-cant-go-on-but-truth-is-you-can-just-give-it-a-little/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I live in Nashville, and I don't know how many people there would call me country. I really started in punk and anti-folk, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-rose/i-live-in-nashville-and-i-don-t-know-how-many-people-there-would-call/) [Caitlin Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-rose/) > [I'm so hard on myself that when I'm in the studio, I'll write 10 songs and only use one. So those nine songs that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-j/i-m-so-hard-on-myself-that-when-i-m-in-the-studio-i-ll-write-10-songs/) [Jessie J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-j/) > [It creates a conflict of interest - what songs would I use for me, and what would I use for the band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/it-creates-a-conflict-of-interest-what-songs-would-i-use-for-me-and/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [I've always written songs to use music as a form of therapy or as a way to look at my obstacles or my memories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-ragan/i-ve-always-written-songs-to-use-music-as-a-form-of-therapy-or-as-a/) [Chuck Ragan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-ragan/) > [I love songs but am inhibited to have my characters burst out to express themselves through songs. I use the route of using old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sriram-raghavan/i-love-songs-but-am-inhibited-to-have-my-characters-burst-out-to/) [Sriram Raghavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sriram-raghavan/) > [I have an ocean of opportunities awaiting me and once I am back from Miss World, I want to explore whatever life has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manushi-chhillar/i-have-an-ocean-of-opportunities-awaiting-me-and-once-i-am-back-from/) [Manushi Chhillar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manushi-chhillar/) > [“Life is a journey where we don't want to arrive at our final destination too soon, unfortunately many of us live from day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-housley/life-is-a-journey-where-we-don-t-want-to-arrive-at-our-final/) Darren Housley > [Not to lose yourself on the path of life, you are given to look and explore life from different perspectives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chandrababu-vs/not-to-lose-yourself-on-the-path-of-life-you-are-given-to-look-and/) [Chandrababu VS](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chandrababu-vs/) ## More by Rufus Wainwright > [I have an ounce of Lady Gaga's full-bodied ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-have-an-ounce-of-lady-gaga-s-full-bodied-ambition/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I definitely consider 'Poses' - the whole album in fact - to be kind of a miracle. Like the last breath of that moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-definitely-consider-poses-the-whole-album-in-fact-to-be-kind-of-a/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [You know the question: 'How do you get to Carnegie Hall?' Answer: 'Practise?' Well, in my case, I got there by not practising. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/you-know-the-question-how-do-you-get-to-carnegie-hall-answer-practise/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I've had my ups and downs, and I definitely have a sense - in America, especially - that once you've made your mark and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-ve-had-my-ups-and-downs-and-i-definitely-have-a-sense-in-america/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I'll always be a boulevardier. I have an extreme reverence and romantic longing for all that is decrepit and fatalistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-ll-always-be-a-boulevardier-i-have-an-extreme-reverence-and/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I'm very blessed, mainly because even though my family is mostly in show business, it's really centered around music. My parents were very successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-m-very-blessed-mainly-because-even-though-my-family-is-mostly-in/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [Growing up, for years and years I had no idea what the plots of operas were, and that's part of what fascinated me -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/growing-up-for-years-and-years-i-had-no-idea-what-the-plots-of-operas/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [Once illness strikes, you realize there's not a lot of time for you to do what you really need to do. And there's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/once-illness-strikes-you-realize-there-s-not-a-lot-of-time-for-you-to/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I basically have needed to go to the piano and give voice periodically to, you know - I'm always afraid to describe it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-basically-have-needed-to-go-to-the-piano-and-give-voice/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [And you will believe in love And all that it's supposed to be But just until the fish start to smell And you're struck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/and-you-will-believe-in-love-and-all-that-it-s-supposed-to-be-but/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [It's about how whenever I fall in love, I have these expectations of the experience being a perfect dream, which, of course, ruins it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/it-s-about-how-whenever-i-fall-in-love-i-have-these-expectations-of/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [Crazy as it sounds, I'm a believer in destiny and serendipity, and I have had cosmic experiences all my life. Something told me I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/crazy-as-it-sounds-i-m-a-believer-in-destiny-and-serendipity-and-i/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I think everybody identified at a pretty young age that I was fairly entranced with myself. And that I had to be tempered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-think-everybody-identified-at-a-pretty-young-age-that-i-was-fairly/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [The song is about knowing the end result of every situation you're in, and being able to play it out in your mind and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/the-song-is-about-knowing-the-end-result-of-every-situation-you-re-in/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I like to make the mundane fabulous whenever I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-like-to-make-the-mundane-fabulous-whenever-i-can/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) [Explore all 176 Rufus Wainwright quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) ## More Asleep quotes > [So sick of being single! Ready to fall asleep & wake next to someone special!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-sick-of-being-single-ready-to-fall-asleep-wake-next-to-someone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are asleep people, unconscious people, and this is what is serious. Unfortunately, we think the best of ourselves and not even suspect that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samael-aun-weor/we-are-asleep-people-unconscious-people-and-this-is-what-is-serious/) [Samael Aun Weor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samael-aun-weor/) > [But even before I was in the military, I was extremely jumpy when asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/but-even-before-i-was-in-the-military-i-was-extremely-jumpy-when/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [“80. It normally takes 5-9 minutes for most healthy people to fall asleep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-shaw/80-it-normally-takes-5-9-minutes-for-most-healthy-people-to-fall/) [Lena Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-shaw/) > [I don't usually have time for TV. When I get home at night, I just want to fall asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/i-don-t-usually-have-time-for-tv-when-i-get-home-at-night-i-just-want/) [Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/) > [I think about you every night before I sleep. I imagine you are here with me. With one arm around me and your legs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-about-you-every-night-before-i-sleep-i-imagine-you-are-here/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Trying to fall asleep is as hard as trying to wake up in the morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/trying-to-fall-asleep-is-as-hard-as-trying-to-wake-up-in-the-morning/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm running on adrenalin when we're shooting. It's non-stop. As soon as I have time to sit down, then I fall asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/i-m-running-on-adrenalin-when-we-re-shooting-it-s-non-stop-as-soon-as/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [99% of the time my brain is thinking blah, meh, why, huh, WTF, food and computers. The other 1% I'm usually asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/99-of-the-time-my-brain-is-thinking-blah-meh-why-huh-wtf-food-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Lit up the world as I fell asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owl-city/lit-up-the-world-as-i-fell-asleep/) [Owl City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owl-city/) > [You can get anywhere on earth by falling asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/you-can-get-anywhere-on-earth-by-falling-asleep/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [Your the First thing I think about when I wake up & your the last thing I think about when I fall asleep .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-lechuga/your-the-first-thing-i-think-about-when-i-wake-up-your-the-last-thing/) [Alejandro Lechuga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-lechuga/) > [I love reading but I never last very long because I fall asleep right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-rieu/i-love-reading-but-i-never-last-very-long-because-i-fall-asleep-right/) [Andre Rieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-rieu/) > [What if I find someone new but still fall asleep to the thought of you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn/what-if-i-find-someone-new-but-still-fall-asleep-to-the-thought-of-you/) [Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn/) > [“We fell asleep wrapped in each other as if we could not bear to part, even in sleep we could not bear to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/we-fell-asleep-wrapped-in-each-other-as-if-we-could-not-bear-to-part/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) [Browse all 472 Asleep quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asleep/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Why be in music, why write songs, if you can't use them to explore life or an idealized vision of life? 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