--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You've got to separate the singer and the…" description: "\"You've got to separate the singer and the songs.\" — Van Morrison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/van-morrison-1192_music_you-ve-got-to-separate-the-singer-and-th_602025.jpg" --- # You've got to separate the singer and the songs. ![“You've got to separate the singer and the songs.” quote by Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/van-morrison-1192_music_you-ve-got-to-separate-the-singer-and-th_602025.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/van-morrison-1192_music_you-ve-got-to-separate-the-singer-and-th_602025.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/van-morrison-1192_music_you-ve-got-to-separate-the-singer-and-th_602025.jpg) > “You've got to separate the singer and the songs.” [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Separate the artist’s personal life from the artistic work. **In simple terms:** Judge songs, not the singer’s behavior. Key Takeaway Focus on the music itself. Themes art criticism ethical consumption media literacy Mood thoughtful neutral Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - listening sessions - radio playlists - concert reviews - social media discussions Key Concepts separation of art and artist moral judgment Questions to Reflect On - Can you enjoy a song without endorsing the artist? - What criteria help you separate art from artist? A Different Perspective Fans may struggle to ignore the artist’s controversies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Separate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separate/) [Separate Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separate-singer-4906486/) [Separation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation/) [Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singer/) [Singer Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singer-songs-4578602/) [Singers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singers/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songs/) ## Related quotes > [I'd like to be remembered as a premier singer of songs, not just a popular act of a given period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-vandross/i-d-like-to-be-remembered-as-a-premier-singer-of-songs-not-just-a/) [Luther Vandross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-vandross/) > [It's really hard for actors to cross over and get any respect as a singer, and if I could just keep it separate and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taryn-manning/it-s-really-hard-for-actors-to-cross-over-and-get-any-respect-as-a/) [Taryn Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taryn-manning/) > [I'm not a rock singer and I don't want to be a rock singer. I'm not interested. It doesn't seem to get across.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/i-m-not-a-rock-singer-and-i-don-t-want-to-be-a-rock-singer-i-m-not/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I dropped the 'Bundy' with my country music because I wanted it to be two separate things: There's me as a songwriter and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bell-bundy/i-dropped-the-bundy-with-my-country-music-because-i-wanted-it-to-be/) [Laura Bell Bundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bell-bundy/) > [“Staying separate from those we love hurts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-aman/staying-separate-from-those-we-love-hurts/) [Jodi Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-aman/) > [“When we separate ourselves from the rest of the world, the world becomes a lonely and difficult place to live in. When we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-walsh/when-we-separate-ourselves-from-the-rest-of-the-world-the-world/) [Tom Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-walsh/) > [Your work is a separate thing from you. You are this person who has your friends and your life, and you have to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-work-is-a-separate-thing-from-you-you-are-this-person-who-has/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you know they're bad, let them go. If it keeps you alive, hold it close. If they separate you from others, stay away.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris/if-you-know-they-re-bad-let-them-go-if-it-keeps-you-alive-hold-it/) [Chris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris/) > [Try to understand what I am saying: everything is dependent on everything else, everything is connected, nothing is separate. Therefore everything is going in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-i-gurdjieff/try-to-understand-what-i-am-saying-everything-is-dependent-on/) [G. I. Gurdjieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-i-gurdjieff/) > [Church and state should be separate, not only in form, but fact - religion and politics should not be mingled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millard-fillmore/church-and-state-should-be-separate-not-only-in-form-but-fact/) [Millard Fillmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millard-fillmore/) > [There is a time to separate from our mother. But unless we are ready to separate-unless we are ready to leave her and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-viorst/there-is-a-time-to-separate-from-our-mother-but-unless-we-are-ready/) [Judith Viorst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-viorst/) > [If I could be anyone, I'd choose the lead singer of Arcade Fire, Win Butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kardashian/if-i-could-be-anyone-i-d-choose-the-lead-singer-of-arcade-fire-win/) [Rob Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kardashian/) > [Though the singer is silent…there is still the truth of the song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/though-the-singer-is-silent-there-is-still-the-truth-of-the-song/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [I think I'm a soulful singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katey-sagal/i-think-i-m-a-soulful-singer/) [Katey Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katey-sagal/) > [Some people, you know, should just go to college and do what they do and have a great job and not worry about trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/some-people-you-know-should-just-go-to-college-and-do-what-they-do/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) ## More by Van Morrison > [The fog of illusion, the fog of confusion is hanging all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/the-fog-of-illusion-the-fog-of-confusion-is-hanging-all-over-the-world/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [Somebody's going to hear a song that will key in a nerve or something in their experience that represents their own vision. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/somebody-s-going-to-hear-a-song-that-will-key-in-a-nerve-or-something/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I realized that what I was looking for was doing collaborations with other people - people who can play a ballad, rock, jazz. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/i-realized-that-what-i-was-looking-for-was-doing-collaborations-with/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [It will make you feel good, and it will make you feel whole, when the spirit moves you and it fills you through and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/it-will-make-you-feel-good-and-it-will-make-you-feel-whole-when-the/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [ I'd much prefer to hear somebody like Ed Thigpen \[drummer with New York session group Stuff, and featured on innumerable hits\] take a solo.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/i-d-much-prefer-to-hear-somebody-like-ed-thigpen-drummer-with-new/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I've always listened to jazz or folk or blues. I was always listening to the prophets. I don't really go for...I don't know how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/i-ve-always-listened-to-jazz-or-folk-or-blues-i-was-always-listening/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [My experiences with dope were not good for me. I had to go another route. Because in my experience, dope didn't give me those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/my-experiences-with-dope-were-not-good-for-me-i-had-to-go-another/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [You learn to read the audiences after a while, and there are all different kinds of gigs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/you-learn-to-read-the-audiences-after-a-while-and-there-are-all/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [You gotta fight every day to keep mediocrity at bay...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/you-gotta-fight-every-day-to-keep-mediocrity-at-bay/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I didn't know what some of the stuff on Astral Weeks was about until years later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/i-didn-t-know-what-some-of-the-stuff-on-astral-weeks-was-about-until/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [Sometimes you do know where the ideas are coming from and sometimes you don't. You might get a song coming through that you just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/sometimes-you-do-know-where-the-ideas-are-coming-from-and-sometimes/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [At the end of the day, we should give thanks and pray, to the one, to the one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/at-the-end-of-the-day-we-should-give-thanks-and-pray-to-the-one-to/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [Have I told you lately that I love you, have I told you lately there's no one above you. Fill my heart with gladness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/have-i-told-you-lately-that-i-love-you-have-i-told-you-lately-there-s/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I also like to do physical things. I like swimming a lot. I like traveling. Not touring traveling but just plain traveling. I also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/i-also-like-to-do-physical-things-i-like-swimming-a-lot-i-like/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [There's no man alive who has any answers. We all know that. It's like the guru trip. All a guru can do is direct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/there-s-no-man-alive-who-has-any-answers-we-all-know-that-it-s-like/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) [Explore all 276 Van Morrison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) ## More Music quotes > [I feel like I definitely have a real sporty style, more so than a lot of people in G.O.O.D. Music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/i-feel-like-i-definitely-have-a-real-sporty-style-more-so-than-a-lot/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I'm at the edge of the world, Where do I go from here? Do I disappear? Edge of the world, Should I sink or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bring-me-the-horizon/i-m-at-the-edge-of-the-world-where-do-i-go-from-here-do-i-disappear/) [Bring Me The Horizon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bring-me-the-horizon/) > [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [When you listen to someone improvise, the notes that are played are only half the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-laws/when-you-listen-to-someone-improvise-the-notes-that-are-played-are/) [Hubert Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-laws/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [ “Downloading's the same as what I used to do. I used to tape the charts of the songs I liked \[off the radio\]. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-gallagher/downloading-s-the-same-as-what-i-used-to-do-i-used-to-tape-the-charts/) [Liam Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-gallagher/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [Each woman is like an instrument, waiting to be learned, loved, and finely played, to have at last her own true music made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/each-woman-is-like-an-instrument-waiting-to-be-learned-loved-and/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I want people to hear my lyrics and my melodies and say, 'That dude's in pain.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-moody/i-want-people-to-hear-my-lyrics-and-my-melodies-and-say-that-dude-s/) [Ivan Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-moody/) > [I make dance music because I love to dance. 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I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) [Browse all 55,293 Music quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You've got to separate the singer and the songs.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Van Morrison" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/you-ve-got-to-separate-the-singer-and-the-songs/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Music" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/you-ve-got-to-separate-the-singer-and-the-songs/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/van-morrison-1192_music_you-ve-got-to-separate-the-singer-and-th_602025.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/van-morrison-1192_music_you-ve-got-to-separate-the-singer-and-th_602025.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/van-morrison-1192_music_you-ve-got-to-separate-the-singer-and-th_602025.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You've got to separate the singer and the songs.” — Van Morrison", "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": "Van Morrison", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You've got to separate the singer...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/you-ve-got-to-separate-the-singer-and-the-songs/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/you-ve-got-to-separate-the-singer-and-the-songs/#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 } } ] } ```