--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some people can sit down and write a…" description: "\"Some people can sit down and write a song, but they can't go on stage like I can.\" — Sharon Jones" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd7/sharon-jones-8033_down-and_some-people-can-sit-down-and-write-a-son_1857617.jpg" --- # Some people can sit down and write a song, but they can't… ![“Some people can sit down and write a song, but they can't go on stage like I can.” quote by Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd7/sharon-jones-8033_down-and_some-people-can-sit-down-and-write-a-son_1857617.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd7/sharon-jones-8033_down-and_some-people-can-sit-down-and-write-a-son_1857617.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd7/sharon-jones-8033_down-and_some-people-can-sit-down-and-write-a-son_1857617.jpg) > “Some people can sit down and write a song, but they can't go on stage like I can.” [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing a song is easier than performing it; confidence and stage presence are distinct skills. **In simple terms:** Songwriting and performing require different confidence. Key Takeaway Practice performance to match songwriting skill. Themes confidence performance creativity Mood determined energetic Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - concerts - rehearsals - workshops Key Concepts stagecraft musical expression public speaking Questions to Reflect On - How can you build stage confidence? - What separates a good song from a great performance? A Different Perspective Not everyone can translate writing into performance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Playing a song changes a song. Every night a song becomes something else on stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-mosshart/playing-a-song-changes-a-song-every-night-a-song-becomes-something/) [Alison Mosshart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-mosshart/) > [When I'm recording something (especially because I produce my own music) I might consider how hard it would be to replicate a song on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/when-i-m-recording-something-especially-because-i-produce-my-own/) [Erin McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/) > [In the studio you can really concentrate on performing the song where as on stage you also have to worry about connecting with so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/in-the-studio-you-can-really-concentrate-on-performing-the-song-where/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [I can sit in my room and write a song that I think might be a hit. I can sort of make myself do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estelle/i-can-sit-in-my-room-and-write-a-song-that-i-think-might-be-a-hit-i/) [Estelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/estelle/) > [There are two things John and I always do when we're going to sit down and write a song. First of all we sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/there-are-two-things-john-and-i-always-do-when-we-re-going-to-sit/) [Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/) > [In a certain sense, every time you sit down to write a song, there's a fear that you've forgotten how to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ramsey/in-a-certain-sense-every-time-you-sit-down-to-write-a-song-there-s-a/) [Matthew Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ramsey/) > [When you sit and write a song, sit and write the best song you can write, just try and write it and be connected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-roberson/when-you-sit-and-write-a-song-sit-and-write-the-best-song-you-can/) [Eric Roberson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-roberson/) > [There are people who can sit down and write a song about any given subject, and they can do it really, really well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-hansard/there-are-people-who-can-sit-down-and-write-a-song-about-any-given/) [Glen Hansard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-hansard/) > [I don't sit down to write a song; they just come to me from something that somebody says, or something in the news. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-don-t-sit-down-to-write-a-song-they-just-come-to-me-from-something/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I sit and I write automatically. I don't really try to write. My subconscious mind takes over and writes the songs for me. Songs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wilson/i-sit-and-i-write-automatically-i-don-t-really-try-to-write-my/) [Brian Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wilson/) > [When you first sit down to write the first song, until you've maybe got three or four under your belt, it's always, to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/when-you-first-sit-down-to-write-the-first-song-until-you-ve-maybe/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [I don't sit down to write a song, per se.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/creed-bratton/i-don-t-sit-down-to-write-a-song-per-se/) [Creed Bratton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/creed-bratton/) > [Sometimes, you sit down to write a song, you don't realize what it's going to mean to somebody other than yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-combs/sometimes-you-sit-down-to-write-a-song-you-don-t-realize-what-it-s/) [Luke Combs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-combs/) > [I can't stand narcissistic people. Not everything has to be about you, sit down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-can-t-stand-narcissistic-people-not-everything-has-to-be-about-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“People will sit up and take notice of you if you will sit up and take notice of what makes them sit up and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-gordon-selfridge/people-will-sit-up-and-take-notice-of-you-if-you-will-sit-up-and-take/) [harry gordon selfridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-gordon-selfridge/) ## More by Sharon Jones > [I'm telling the story, and if I can't tell the story, I'm not going to sing it. And if I don't agree with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/i-m-telling-the-story-and-if-i-can-t-tell-the-story-i-m-not-going-to/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [I miss my hair, but I feel like going out there with some fake braids wouldn't be right. I want to be the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/i-miss-my-hair-but-i-feel-like-going-out-there-with-some-fake-braids/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [I'm blessed to be in an environment where people are sincere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/i-m-blessed-to-be-in-an-environment-where-people-are-sincere/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [I'm singing, you know, because I'm happy and I'm free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/i-m-singing-you-know-because-i-m-happy-and-i-m-free/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [ We chose it's name \[Give the People What They Want\] a while ago, long before the cancer. But I can't think of a more… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/we-chose-it-s-name-give-the-people-what-they-want-a-while-ago-long/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [I really can't wait to dance with Ellen DeGeneres!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/i-really-can-t-wait-to-dance-with-ellen-degeneres/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [Singing is my life. And when I can do that, that's when I'm free. That's when I'm at my happiest, I'm at my most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/singing-is-my-life-and-when-i-can-do-that-that-s-when-i-m-free-that-s/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [At first, they told me it was just bile-duct cancer, but once they went in, they removed the gallbladder, the head of my pancreas,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/at-first-they-told-me-it-was-just-bile-duct-cancer-but-once-they-went/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [Me and the Dap-Kings, the whole band is playing a wedding band in 'The Wolf of Wall Street.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/me-and-the-dap-kings-the-whole-band-is-playing-a-wedding-band-in-the/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [People buy my albums, and I love my albums when I do them because we try to record live with that same energy, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/people-buy-my-albums-and-i-love-my-albums-when-i-do-them-because-we/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [In Rikers, you had the Italians over here, the Spanish over here, the Blacks here, then there would be your Christians here and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/in-rikers-you-had-the-italians-over-here-the-spanish-over-here-the/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [I often call Daptone the Motown and Stax of today. But in some ways, it's different. At Motown, a lot of the musicians didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/i-often-call-daptone-the-motown-and-stax-of-today-but-in-some-ways-it/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [I've got these five-pound weights and a treadmill in the living room. I work out the other parts that have affected my voice: my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/i-ve-got-these-five-pound-weights-and-a-treadmill-in-the-living-room/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [I chose not to put a wig on. The reason why I chose to come out with the cancer thing is because there's somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/i-chose-not-to-put-a-wig-on-the-reason-why-i-chose-to-come-out-with/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [God's eye is on a sparrow. And I know - oh, yes, I know he watches over me...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/god-s-eye-is-on-a-sparrow-and-i-know-oh-yes-i-know-he-watches-over-me/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) [Explore all 85 Sharon Jones quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) ## More Down and quotes > [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-on-slumdog-millionaire-we-have/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. 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It's a way to shut the rest of the world down and create your own world within it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-of-gab/music-is-how-i-get-free-it-s-a-way-to-shut-the-rest-of-the-world-down/) Gift of Gab > [Being funny is one of my greatest strengths. I can make girls smile when they're down, and when they're having a good time, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-krasinski/being-funny-is-one-of-my-greatest-strengths-i-can-make-girls-smile/) [John Krasinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-krasinski/) > [When I look at nature I feel as if I'll be able to paint it all, note it all down, and then you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/when-i-look-at-nature-i-feel-as-if-i-ll-be-able-to-paint-it-all-note/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [I think the best Thanksgiving we ever had was one where we didn't even have a turkey. Mom and Dad sat us kids down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-think-the-best-thanksgiving-we-ever-had-was-one-where-we-didn-t/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [When an angel comes down and takes me away, memories of me and my songs will always stay until the end of time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/when-an-angel-comes-down-and-takes-me-away-memories-of-me-and-my/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [I think there's too much mult-tasking going on. 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