--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You cannot put a song - you cannot put a…" description: "\"You cannot put a song - you cannot put a person's talent over somebody's humanity. That's just insane.\" — Tarana Burke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/tarana-burke-7738_cannot_you-cannot-put-a-song-you-cannot-put-a-p_2527386.jpg" --- # You cannot put a song - you cannot put a person's talent… ![“You cannot put a song - you cannot put a person's talent over somebody's humanity. That's just insane.” quote by Tarana Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/tarana-burke-7738_cannot_you-cannot-put-a-song-you-cannot-put-a-p_2527386.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/tarana-burke-7738_cannot_you-cannot-put-a-song-you-cannot-put-a-p_2527386.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/tarana-burke-7738_cannot_you-cannot-put-a-song-you-cannot-put-a-p_2527386.jpg) > “You cannot put a song - you cannot put a person's talent over somebody's humanity. That's just insane.” [Tarana Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarana-burke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Talent cannot replace fundamental human dignity; ethics outrank skill. **In simple terms:** Humanity matters more than talent. Key Takeaway Prioritize empathy over ability. Themes ethics humanity talent Mood thoughtful urgent Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - workplace hiring - educational curricula - public policy Key Concepts moral philosophy social justice Questions to Reflect On - How can we assess talent without compromising humanity? - What safeguards ensure humanity remains central? A Different Perspective Talent can still be valuable when balanced with humanity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cannot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cannot/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Person Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person-talent-1310700/) [Somebody Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somebody-humanity-1310701/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Song Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song-person-1310702/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Talent Somebody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent-somebody-1310699/) ## Related quotes > [I was never the person with the most talent who just felt like he could show up and hit a home run, so preparation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-semien/i-was-never-the-person-with-the-most-talent-who-just-felt-like-he/) [Marcus Semien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-semien/) > [Every person has a talent, but not the same one. Every person has to discover his personal talent and go with his talent. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/every-person-has-a-talent-but-not-the-same-one-every-person-has-to/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [The crown could go to a person with the most talent. But how could ‘most talent’ be determined? So Indian society settled on age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devdutt-pattanaik/the-crown-could-go-to-a-person-with-the-most-talent-but-how-could/) [Devdutt Pattanaik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devdutt-pattanaik/) > [Finish. The difference between being a writer and being a person of talent is the discipline it takes to apply the seat of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/finish-the-difference-between-being-a-writer-and-being-a-person-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A good song to one person could just be something mediocre to somebody else. It's always strange thinking about how songs connect with people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-mayberry/a-good-song-to-one-person-could-just-be-something-mediocre-to/) [Lauren Mayberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-mayberry/) > [An old pop music producer once said that there are really only four kinds of song a person can write: "I love you/I hate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-redman/an-old-pop-music-producer-once-said-that-there-are-really-only-four/) [Matt Redman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-redman/) > [“I decided then that when I met someone I thought was as beautiful as the song, I should give it to that person. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-decided-then-that-when-i-met-someone-i-thought-was-as-beautiful-as/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [For me, one song is not enough to be in a person's world. I need to be in their world for 40 minutes; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shura/for-me-one-song-is-not-enough-to-be-in-a-person-s-world-i-need-to-be/) [Shura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shura/) > [With every song I have a person in mind who, in a perfect world, would perform with me. Usually I end up not getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/busta-rhymes/with-every-song-i-have-a-person-in-mind-who-in-a-perfect-world-would/) [Busta Rhymes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/busta-rhymes/) > [A good song always has to do with the person representing it - how they're feeling in that moment - but I think my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/a-good-song-always-has-to-do-with-the-person-representing-it-how-they/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [For every beautiful song, we all have one person we think of every time it plays..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raj/for-every-beautiful-song-we-all-have-one-person-we-think-of-every/) [Raj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raj/) > [This is one of my lesser moments, and one I'm not proud to admit to, but there's always a time I feel the need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lopez/this-is-one-of-my-lesser-moments-and-one-i-m-not-proud-to-admit-to/) [Robert Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lopez/) > [An artist could have a really big relationship, and then they break up, and any song after that, people are automatically going to assume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-michaels/an-artist-could-have-a-really-big-relationship-and-then-they-break-up/) [Julia Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-michaels/) > [It's a dangerous game to write a song for a person you don't know. It feels disingenuous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-biersack/it-s-a-dangerous-game-to-write-a-song-for-a-person-you-don-t-know-it/) [Andy Biersack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-biersack/) > [I kind of feel that as soon as you've played a song to one other person, then it's something you share together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/i-kind-of-feel-that-as-soon-as-you-ve-played-a-song-to-one-other/) [Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) ## More by Tarana Burke > [The young girls of color that first encountered the 'me too' movement in community centers and classrooms and church basements were there not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarana-burke/the-young-girls-of-color-that-first-encountered-the-me-too-movement/) [Tarana Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarana-burke/) > [When you truly empathize with someone, you have to take into account all the things that make that person who they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarana-burke/when-you-truly-empathize-with-someone-you-have-to-take-into-account/) [Tarana Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarana-burke/) > [I think that Me Too is for everybody. I think it's important that people feel validated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarana-burke/i-think-that-me-too-is-for-everybody-i-think-it-s-important-that/) [Tarana Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarana-burke/) > [When the #MeToo movement started and went viral, it was everyday people all around the world. The fact that the stories continue to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarana-burke/when-the-metoo-movement-started-and-went-viral-it-was-everyday-people/) [Tarana Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarana-burke/) > [The work is more than just about the amplification of survivors and quantifying their numbers. The work is really about survivors talking to each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarana-burke/the-work-is-more-than-just-about-the-amplification-of-survivors-and/) [Tarana Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarana-burke/) > [Social media is not a safe space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarana-burke/social-media-is-not-a-safe-space/) [Tarana Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarana-burke/) > [I'm grounded in joy; I'm not grounded in the trauma anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarana-burke/i-m-grounded-in-joy-i-m-not-grounded-in-the-trauma-anymore/) [Tarana Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarana-burke/) > ['Me too' became a term that was both succinct and powerful, and it was a way to ring up immediate empathy between survivors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarana-burke/me-too-became-a-term-that-was-both-succinct-and-powerful-and-it-was-a/) [Tarana Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarana-burke/) > ['Me too' was just two words; it's two magic words that galvanised the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarana-burke/me-too-was-just-two-words-it-s-two-magic-words-that-galvanised-the/) [Tarana Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarana-burke/) > [Get up. Stand up. Speak up. Do something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarana-burke/get-up-stand-up-speak-up-do-something/) [Tarana Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarana-burke/) > [Anita Hill thanklessly put herself and her career as a law professor on the line more than 25 years ago to publicly name Clarence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarana-burke/anita-hill-thanklessly-put-herself-and-her-career-as-a-law-professor/) [Tarana Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarana-burke/) > [Foundations have to think outside the box and maybe expand past the usual suspects that get all of the funding and start thinking about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarana-burke/foundations-have-to-think-outside-the-box-and-maybe-expand-past-the/) [Tarana Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarana-burke/) > [Everybody has a lane. Everybody has something that they can contribute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarana-burke/everybody-has-a-lane-everybody-has-something-that-they-can-contribute/) [Tarana Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarana-burke/) > [We all have the right to an opinion, sure, but can we say how someone else should feel?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarana-burke/we-all-have-the-right-to-an-opinion-sure-but-can-we-say-how-someone/) [Tarana Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarana-burke/) > [What's interesting to me is that people engage survivors from a place of pity all the time - a place of sympathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarana-burke/what-s-interesting-to-me-is-that-people-engage-survivors-from-a-place/) [Tarana Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarana-burke/) [Explore all 88 Tarana Burke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarana-burke/) ## More Cannot quotes > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [The book is not simply the object that one holds in one's hands, and it cannot remain within the little parallelpiped that contains it:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/the-book-is-not-simply-the-object-that-one-holds-in-one-s-hands-and/) [Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/) > [Nothing is more private than a woman's body; it is her physical, emotional, and moral citadel. She cannot be free at all if she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/nothing-is-more-private-than-a-woman-s-body-it-is-her-physical/) [Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/) > [Visaaranai' reflects a stark reality from which you cannot shut yourself out: that is its success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vetrimaaran/visaaranai-reflects-a-stark-reality-from-which-you-cannot-shut/) [Vetrimaaran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vetrimaaran/) > [When you put more than a million kids in school, you take a plane today and go to Haiti, you cannot see the results.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-martelly/when-you-put-more-than-a-million-kids-in-school-you-take-a-plane/) [Michel Martelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-martelly/) > [We cannot stop anyone from criticising us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inzamam-ul-haq/we-cannot-stop-anyone-from-criticising-us/) [Inzamam-ul-Haq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inzamam-ul-haq/) > [Once you publish a book, it is out of your control. You cannot dictate how people read it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/once-you-publish-a-book-it-is-out-of-your-control-you-cannot-dictate/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [The Brazilians are amazing in their nature. You cannot describe it; you must feel that warmth when you're around them to understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrikh-mkhitaryan/the-brazilians-are-amazing-in-their-nature-you-cannot-describe-it-you/) [Henrikh Mkhitaryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrikh-mkhitaryan/) > [The two things you cannot do effectively on stage are pray and copulate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/the-two-things-you-cannot-do-effectively-on-stage-are-pray-and/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [Liberty does not exist where rights are on one side and power on the other. To be liberty, rights must be armed with vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/liberty-does-not-exist-where-rights-are-on-one-side-and-power-on-the/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) > [The reason I fight is to provide for my family, and I cannot risk having that taken away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-whittaker/the-reason-i-fight-is-to-provide-for-my-family-and-i-cannot-risk/) [Robert Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-whittaker/) > [We cannot have players who don't give their soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/we-cannot-have-players-who-don-t-give-their-soul/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [I cannot do confrontation. You know that fight or flight thing? I'm flight. 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