---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I actually had publishers that would…"
description: "\"I actually had publishers that would encourage me at times to keep it simpler, not pack in so much information, but I'm a fan of songs and movies and b..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/walker-hayes-9641_attention_i-actually-had-publishers-that-would-enc_3038032.jpg"
---

#  I actually had publishers that would encourage me at times…

![“I actually had publishers that would encourage me at times to keep it simpler, not pack in so much information, but I'm a fan of songs and movies and books that the second time you read them, you find more stuff that you missed, so I like to pay attention to that detail.” quote by Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/walker-hayes-9641_attention_i-actually-had-publishers-that-would-enc_3038032.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/walker-hayes-9641_attention_i-actually-had-publishers-that-would-enc_3038032.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/walker-hayes-9641_attention_i-actually-had-publishers-that-would-enc_3038032.jpg)

> “I actually had publishers that would encourage me at times to keep it simpler, not pack in so much information, but I'm a fan of songs and movies and books that the second time you read them, you find more stuff that you missed, so I like to pay attention to that detail.”

[Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/)

## About This Quote

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

Encourages complexity in creative works, valuing hidden details revealed on repeat consumption.

**In simple terms:** Loves depth and re‑watchability in songs, movies, books.

Key Takeaway

Embrace layered storytelling.

Themes

creativity detail media replayability

Mood

thoughtful inquisitive

Type

artistic educational

When to use this quote

- songwriting
- film production
- literary analysis

Key Concepts

intertextuality depth

Questions to Reflect On

- What details do you notice on a second listen?
- How does complexity affect emotional impact?

A Different Perspective

Risk of over‑complicating for casual audiences.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Second](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-second-1914912/) [Information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/information/) [Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movies/) [Pay attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay-attention/) [Publishers Encourage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishers-encourage-4994180/) [Read Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-stuff-576235/) [Simpler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simpler/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Times Simpler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-simpler-4316377/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/)

## Related quotes

> [“Don Raimondo tells me what he can’t tell them. “The emptiness on the surface of a wall left by a sold bookshelf is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erri-deluca/don-raimondo-tells-me-what-he-can-t-tell-them-the-emptiness-on-the/)

[Erri DeLuca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erri-deluca/)

> [I think a lot about when times were simpler, when I was still dancing and living with my parents. I really miss living at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hailey-baldwin/i-think-a-lot-about-when-times-were-simpler-when-i-was-still-dancing/)

[Hailey Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hailey-baldwin/)

> [All that makes earlier times seem simpler is our ignorance of their complexities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/all-that-makes-earlier-times-seem-simpler-is-our-ignorance-of-their/)

[Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/)

> [“Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it." —P. J. O'Rourke”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-langtry/always-read-stuff-that-will-make-you-look-good-if-you-die-in-the/)

[Leslie Langtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-langtry/)

> [I read science books, chemistry books, history books. I read that stuff for fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-harrison/i-read-science-books-chemistry-books-history-books-i-read-that-stuff/)

[Rick Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-harrison/)

> [I tend to follow a scattershot approach to reading a lot of very diverse subjects interest me, and I'm quite happy to read stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/i-tend-to-follow-a-scattershot-approach-to-reading-a-lot-of-very/)

[Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/)

> [I don't really ever think in terms of what type of person I'd love to play. I usually just read stuff and can tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bowles/i-don-t-really-ever-think-in-terms-of-what-type-of-person-i-d-love-to/)

[Lauren Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bowles/)

> [I barley read stuff about myself. Even when I see some article about myself in a paper or a magazine, nine out of 10…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshaye-khanna/i-barley-read-stuff-about-myself-even-when-i-see-some-article-about/)

[Akshaye Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshaye-khanna/)

> [“If you read something, what you have written you ain't gonna like it... - It sounds horrible... so write don't read your own stuff.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/if-you-read-something-what-you-have-written-you-ain-t-gonna-like-it/)

[Deyth Banger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deyth-banger/)

> [When I was in prison, I was wrapped up in all those deep books. That Tolstoy crap - people shouldn't read that stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/when-i-was-in-prison-i-was-wrapped-up-in-all-those-deep-books-that/)

[Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/)

> [Read the great stuff, but read the stuff that isn't so great, too. Great stuff is very discouraging. If you read only Beckett and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/read-the-great-stuff-but-read-the-stuff-that-isn-t-so-great-too-great/)

[Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/)

> [I read certain things about history. I don't like fiction. I read about stuff that's real, stuff that's goin' on in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prodigy/i-read-certain-things-about-history-i-don-t-like-fiction-i-read-about/)

[Prodigy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prodigy/)

> [“I have to admit that most of the time I read in the same way that I smoke and chew gum and jiggle my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/i-have-to-admit-that-most-of-the-time-i-read-in-the-same-way-that-i/)

[Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/)

> [What I try to do is read stuff that won't deal with the dangerous dark things I hope I am writing about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-busch/what-i-try-to-do-is-read-stuff-that-won-t-deal-with-the-dangerous/)

[Frederick Busch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-busch/)

> [I read all types of books. I read Christian books, I read black novels, I read religious books. I read stuff like 'Rich Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tee-grizzley/i-read-all-types-of-books-i-read-christian-books-i-read-black-novels/)

[Tee Grizzley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tee-grizzley/)

## More by Walker Hayes

> [I love clever lyrics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/i-love-clever-lyrics/)

[Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/)

> [My dad was listening to me noodle around on the guitar in the house and sing, and he was like, 'Man, you're funny, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/my-dad-was-listening-to-me-noodle-around-on-the-guitar-in-the-house/)

[Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/)

> [When my voice isn't doing what I want it to do, it's crushing in the most heavy way possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/when-my-voice-isn-t-doing-what-i-want-it-to-do-it-s-crushing-in-the/)

[Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/)

> [For 12 years, I was playing writer's rounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/for-12-years-i-was-playing-writer-s-rounds/)

[Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/)

> [I feel like, when we are young, especially, while we are experiencing so many 'firsts,' when songs move us, we recall exactly where we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/i-feel-like-when-we-are-young-especially-while-we-are-experiencing-so/)

[Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/)

> [I think every couple should find an artist that they dig together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/i-think-every-couple-should-find-an-artist-that-they-dig-together/)

[Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/)

> [I'm not a churchgoer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/i-m-not-a-churchgoer/)

[Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/)

> [When I'm in the studio, I'm very cautious about it because if there's one thing that can destroy music being made, it's any sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/when-i-m-in-the-studio-i-m-very-cautious-about-it-because-if-there-s/)

[Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/)

> [I want to be more selfless and look outward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/i-want-to-be-more-selfless-and-look-outward/)

[Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/)

> [I always just wanted to write a love song to my wife that wasn't cliche.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/i-always-just-wanted-to-write-a-love-song-to-my-wife-that-wasn-t/)

[Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/)

> [I'm pretty chill, but once birth starts, I go the opposite of chill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/i-m-pretty-chill-but-once-birth-starts-i-go-the-opposite-of-chill/)

[Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/)

> [I love lyrics that are not too clever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/i-love-lyrics-that-are-not-too-clever/)

[Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/)

> [People might get mad at my style or my delivery and say it's not country. But the country music that brought me to Nashville?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/people-might-get-mad-at-my-style-or-my-delivery-and-say-it-s-not/)

[Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/)

> [My parents once caught me conducting Beethoven's 'Fifth Symphony.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/my-parents-once-caught-me-conducting-beethoven-s-fifth-symphony/)

[Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/)

> [Somebody told me a long time ago that if everybody loves you, somebody's lying. It is the truest statement you could ever say to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/somebody-told-me-a-long-time-ago-that-if-everybody-loves-you-somebody/)

[Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/)

[Explore all 71 Walker Hayes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/)

## More Attention quotes

> [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/)

[David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/)

> [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/)

[Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/)

> [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/)

> [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/)

[Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/)

> [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/)

[Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/)

> [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/)

[Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/)

> [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/)

[Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/)

> [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/)

[Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/)

> [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/)

[Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/)

> [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/)

[Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/)

> [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/)

[Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/)

> [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/)

[Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/)

[Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I actually had publishers that would encourage me at times to keep it simpler, not pack in so much information, but I'm a fan of songs and movies and books that the second time you read them, you find more stuff that you missed, so I like to pay attention to that detail.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Walker Hayes"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/i-actually-had-publishers-that-would-encourage-me-at-times-to-keep-it/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Attention"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/i-actually-had-publishers-that-would-encourage-me-at-times-to-keep-it/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/walker-hayes-9641_attention_i-actually-had-publishers-that-would-enc_3038032.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/walker-hayes-9641_attention_i-actually-had-publishers-that-would-enc_3038032.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f61/walker-hayes-9641_attention_i-actually-had-publishers-that-would-enc_3038032.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I actually had publishers that would encourage me at times to keep it simpler, not pack in so much…” — Walker Hayes",
                "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": "Walker Hayes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I actually had publishers that would...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/i-actually-had-publishers-that-would-encourage-me-at-times-to-keep-it/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/i-actually-had-publishers-that-would-encourage-me-at-times-to-keep-it/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
