--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the problems with musicals and…" description: "\"One of the problems with musicals and opera is you can't ever hear all the words.\" — Tim Rice" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/tim-rice-11697_hear_one-of-the-problems-with-musicals-and-op_706098.png" --- # One of the problems with musicals and opera is you can't… ![“One of the problems with musicals and opera is you can't ever hear all the words.” quote by Tim Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/tim-rice-11697_hear_one-of-the-problems-with-musicals-and-op_706098.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/tim-rice-11697_hear_one-of-the-problems-with-musicals-and-op_706098.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/tim-rice-11697_hear_one-of-the-problems-with-musicals-and-op_706098.png) > “One of the problems with musicals and opera is you can't ever hear all the words.” [Tim Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-rice/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Musicals often sacrifice lyrical clarity for musicality, making full comprehension difficult. **In simple terms:** Music can drown words. Key Takeaway Appreciate the melody, not just lyrics. Themes music communication art Mood reflective analytical Type observational critical When to use this quote - listening to songs - singing in choirs - theatre criticism - language learning Key Concepts opera musical theater Questions to Reflect On - Do you focus on melody or words? - How does this affect your enjoyment? A Different Perspective Some audiences prefer clear lyrics for meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musicals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musicals/) [Opera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opera/) [Problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problems/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [I think that both musicals and opera have a capacity to get to an inner emotional landscape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-taymor/i-think-that-both-musicals-and-opera-have-a-capacity-to-get-to-an/) [Julie Taymor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-taymor/) > [“In fact, is the idea of a serious comparison of American musicals and opera really so outrageous?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-w-levine/in-fact-is-the-idea-of-a-serious-comparison-of-american-musicals-and/) Lawrence W. Levine > [I love grand opera. I can't hear 'La Boheme' without dissolving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/i-love-grand-opera-i-can-t-hear-la-boheme-without-dissolving/) [Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/) > [People who know me as a hard-core rocker who positively despises musicals might be surprised to find that I am a huge fan of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-fuchs/people-who-know-me-as-a-hard-core-rocker-who-positively-despises/) [Jackie Fuchs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-fuchs/) > [“Since that time, I've had many similar moments, and I can never hear the words "family" and "home" without feeling that they sound strange,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ogawa/since-that-time-i-ve-had-many-similar-moments-and-i-can-never-hear/) [Yōko Ogawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ogawa/) > [“Do you know what it's like to hear those words? To hear the person you love telling you they love you, too? If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-ward/do-you-know-what-it-s-like-to-hear-those-words-to-hear-the-person-you/) [Rachel Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-ward/) > [“There is a great difference between hearing and listening. When you hear, words just pass through your ears. When you listen, the words touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srinivart/there-is-a-great-difference-between-hearing-and-listening-when-you/) [Srinivart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srinivart/) > [“You do not know how I have yearned to hear those words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-mallory/you-do-not-know-how-i-have-yearned-to-hear-those-words/) [H.P. Mallory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-mallory/) > [“I had always wanted to hear those words. 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Sometimes we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-stay-quiet-it-doesn-t-mean-i-ve-nothing-to-say-it-means-i-don/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Tim Rice > [I went to religious schools. I wasn't that enthusiastic, by and large, but it sunk in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-rice/i-went-to-religious-schools-i-wasn-t-that-enthusiastic-by-and-large/) [Tim Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-rice/) > [Everybody's playing the game but nobody's rules are the same... Never make a promise or plan. Take a little love where you can... Never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-rice/everybody-s-playing-the-game-but-nobody-s-rules-are-the-same-never/) [Tim Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-rice/) > [Prove to me that you're no fool Walk across my swimming pool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-rice/prove-to-me-that-you-re-no-fool-walk-across-my-swimming-pool/) [Tim Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-rice/) > [Maintaining our standard; that's our challenge day-in and day-out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-rice/maintaining-our-standard-that-s-our-challenge-day-in-and-day-out/) [Tim Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-rice/) > [Now I'm where I want to be and who I want to be and doing what I always said I would and yet I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-rice/now-i-m-where-i-want-to-be-and-who-i-want-to-be-and-doing-what-i/) [Tim Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-rice/) > [I hope 'Chess' will hit the big screen. It seems a natural to me. 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And I've always liked a song called 'Heaven Help My Heart,' which is quite a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-rice/i-always-think-pity-the-child-is-a-goodie-and-i-ve-always-liked-a/) [Tim Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-rice/) [Explore all 58 Tim Rice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-rice/) ## More Hear quotes > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [All I hear is the people that appreciate me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-hardy/all-i-hear-is-the-people-that-appreciate-me/) [Greg Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-hardy/) > [“do i look like i can't hear you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanenbaum/do-i-look-like-i-can-t-hear-you/) Tanenbaum > [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. It's a time when you really get to do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/you-always-hear-actors-say-theater-is-my-first-love-and-it-is-it-s-a/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [Inspiration comes from so many sources. Music, other fiction, the non-fiction I read, TV shows, films, news reports, people I know, stories I hear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/inspiration-comes-from-so-many-sources-music-other-fiction-the-non/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) > [I hear a lot of 'Top Model' girls say they are dismissed by clients because they recognize them, but it never happened to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fatima-siad/i-hear-a-lot-of-top-model-girls-say-they-are-dismissed-by-clients/) [Fatima Siad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fatima-siad/) > [Hear the truth from whomever says it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/hear-the-truth-from-whomever-says-it/) [Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/) > [Regardless of what I do, whether I write a book or whether I act or whether I host, I'll always do stand-up comedy because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/regardless-of-what-i-do-whether-i-write-a-book-or-whether-i-act-or/) [Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/) > [The first thing I hear when I wake up is the sea, which is so close to our house that its reflections from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-brown/the-first-thing-i-hear-when-i-wake-up-is-the-sea-which-is-so-close-to/) [Craig Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-brown/) > [Most people have to talk so they won't hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-sarton/most-people-have-to-talk-so-they-won-t-hear/) [May Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-sarton/) > [“You hear it, too?” Walter asked. “Of course I do,” she snapped. “It’s real!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christa-faust/you-hear-it-too-walter-asked-of-course-i-do-she-snapped-it-s-real/) [Christa Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christa-faust/) > [Some people don't like my songs because they think they're too simple or easy or not that thought-out. I feel like the way I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langhorne-slim/some-people-don-t-like-my-songs-because-they-think-they-re-too-simple/) [Langhorne Slim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langhorne-slim/) > [I follow a simple formula when I compose. I ask myself, 'What would the audience want to hear?' and 'Why would they buy my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/i-follow-a-simple-formula-when-i-compose-i-ask-myself-what-would-the/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) > [You get 15 minutes of fame, I hear, and I've had 14 minutes. The clock's ticking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-howard/you-get-15-minutes-of-fame-i-hear-and-i-ve-had-14-minutes-the-clock-s/) [Tim Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-howard/) > [Television is a thing that people get very familiar with. They want to hear your voice in their head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-wayans-jr/television-is-a-thing-that-people-get-very-familiar-with-they-want-to/) [Damon Wayans, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-wayans-jr/) Browse all 1,984 Hear quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One of the problems with musicals and opera is you can't ever hear all the words.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tim Rice" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-rice/one-of-the-problems-with-musicals-and-opera-is-you-can-t-ever-hear/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hear" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-rice/one-of-the-problems-with-musicals-and-opera-is-you-can-t-ever-hear/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/tim-rice-11697_hear_one-of-the-problems-with-musicals-and-op_706098.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/tim-rice-11697_hear_one-of-the-problems-with-musicals-and-op_706098.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee6/tim-rice-11697_hear_one-of-the-problems-with-musicals-and-op_706098.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One of the problems with musicals and opera is you can't ever hear all the words.” — Tim Rice", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tim Rice", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-rice/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One of the problems with musicals...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-rice/one-of-the-problems-with-musicals-and-opera-is-you-can-t-ever-hear/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-rice/one-of-the-problems-with-musicals-and-opera-is-you-can-t-ever-hear/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```