---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think there are any clichés I try…"
description: "\"I don't think there are any clichés I try to avoid. As soon as I spot a cliché, I go for it. I feel like clichés are the most useful thing in songwriti..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae5/stephin-merritt-18370_song_i-don-t-think-there-are-any-clich-s-i-tr_767719.jpg"
---

#  I don't think there are any clichés I try to avoid. As…

![“I don't think there are any clichés I try to avoid. As soon as I spot a cliché, I go for it. I feel like clichés are the most useful thing in songwriting. They're the tool on which you build all the rest of the song.” quote by Stephin Merritt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae5/stephin-merritt-18370_song_i-don-t-think-there-are-any-clich-s-i-tr_767719.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae5/stephin-merritt-18370_song_i-don-t-think-there-are-any-clich-s-i-tr_767719.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae5/stephin-merritt-18370_song_i-don-t-think-there-are-any-clich-s-i-tr_767719.jpg)

> “I don't think there are any clichés I try to avoid. As soon as I spot a cliché, I go for it. I feel like clichés are the most useful thing in songwriting. They're the tool on which you build all the rest of the song.”

[Stephin Merritt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephin-merritt/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Clichés are valuable tools that can be deliberately used to structure songwriting effectively.

**In simple terms:** Clichés can be useful in songs.

Key Takeaway

Embrace clichés strategically.

Themes

songwriting creativity tradition

Mood

reflective pragmatic

Type

advice inspirational

When to use this quote

- writing lyrics
- music production
- teaching songwriting

Key Concepts

cultural tropes artistic technique

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you balance originality with cliché use?
- When do clichés enhance a song?

A Different Perspective

Overreliance may make work feel unoriginal.

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[Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Songwriting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songwriting/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

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