---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're collaborating with somebody…"
description: "\"When you're collaborating with somebody, there has to be a spirit of cooperation. There are a lot of times when you just can't persuade someone to writ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab1/walter-becker-8870_collaborating_when-you-re-collaborating-with-somebody_2469029.jpg"
---

#  When you're collaborating with somebody, there has to be a…

![“When you're collaborating with somebody, there has to be a spirit of cooperation. There are a lot of times when you just can't persuade someone to write a certain type of song, either musically or lyrically.” quote by Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab1/walter-becker-8870_collaborating_when-you-re-collaborating-with-somebody_2469029.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab1/walter-becker-8870_collaborating_when-you-re-collaborating-with-somebody_2469029.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab1/walter-becker-8870_collaborating_when-you-re-collaborating-with-somebody_2469029.jpg)

> “When you're collaborating with somebody, there has to be a spirit of cooperation. There are a lot of times when you just can't persuade someone to write a certain type of song, either musically or lyrically.”

[Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/)

## About This Quote

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

Collaboration requires mutual cooperation; you cannot force creative direction on others.

**In simple terms:** Work together, respect each other's ideas.

Key Takeaway

Embrace shared vision.

Themes

cooperation creativity teamwork

Mood

reflective constructive

Type

advice inspirational

When to use this quote

- songwriting sessions
- band rehearsals
- producer meetings

Key Concepts

artistic integrity communication

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you balance influence and autonomy?
- What signals show true collaboration?

A Different Perspective

One party may dominate, stifling originality.

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[Collaborating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaborating/) [Collaborating Somebody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaborating-somebody-739506/) [Cooperation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cooperation/) [Either](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/either/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Song Musically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song-musically-739508/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Spirit Cooperation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit-cooperation-739507/) [Teamwork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teamwork/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

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> [Even when I'm making my own solo records, I'm collaborating with people. It keeps things interesting for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lanegan/even-when-i-m-making-my-own-solo-records-i-m-collaborating-with/)

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[Etgar Keret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etgar-keret/)

> [I knew that collaborating on songwriting would be difficult for a lot of people, because I was known very much, for my independence and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-phair/i-knew-that-collaborating-on-songwriting-would-be-difficult-for-a-lot/)

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> [Every director is different. One of the great things about getting to work with so many directors in one TV series is collaborating with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beau-willimon/every-director-is-different-one-of-the-great-things-about-getting-to/)

[Beau Willimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beau-willimon/)

> [It's as if I were collaborating with myself, revealing my relationship to the material. My hand would make the drawing. Then my mouth would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hodges/it-s-as-if-i-were-collaborating-with-myself-revealing-my-relationship/)

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> [I was writing music when we finished the last Walkmen record, Heaven, and a few of these songs may have even been started before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamilton-leithauser/i-was-writing-music-when-we-finished-the-last-walkmen-record-heaven/)

[Hamilton Leithauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamilton-leithauser/)

> [I'm always interested in collaborating with designers. I love Gaultier. I know that's kind of a high hope!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-love/i-m-always-interested-in-collaborating-with-designers-i-love-gaultier/)

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> [I love the process of collaborating on music, mostly for the creativity that comes out of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hardwell/i-love-the-process-of-collaborating-on-music-mostly-for-the/)

[Hardwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hardwell/)

> [The director is the ultimate creative arbiter of what's going to happen. And as a director myself, you really appreciate collaborating with people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-coppola/the-director-is-the-ultimate-creative-arbiter-of-what-s-going-to/)

[Roman Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-coppola/)

> [The best part of making music, for me, is collaborating and working with new people and fresh sounds and all those things that get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/the-best-part-of-making-music-for-me-is-collaborating-and-working/)

[Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/)

## More by Walter Becker

> [Cynicism, I contend, is the wailing of someone who believes that things are, or should be, or could be, much, much better than they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/cynicism-i-contend-is-the-wailing-of-someone-who-believes-that-things/)

[Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/)

> [If it feels like we're re-creating something rather than creating something, we don't do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/if-it-feels-like-we-re-re-creating-something-rather-than-creating/)

[Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/)

> [There's a great freedom in writing by yourself. You can write anything you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/there-s-a-great-freedom-in-writing-by-yourself-you-can-write-anything/)

[Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/)

> [Most of our songs are about relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/most-of-our-songs-are-about-relationships/)

[Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/)

> [That's sort of what we wanted to do: conquer from the margins, sort of find our place in the middle based on the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/that-s-sort-of-what-we-wanted-to-do-conquer-from-the-margins-sort-of/)

[Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/)

> [You have a kid, and it's like, 'He's gotta go to college! Gotta have some clothes!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/you-have-a-kid-and-it-s-like-he-s-gotta-go-to-college-gotta-have-some/)

[Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/)

> [I think what television and video games do is reminiscent of drug addiction. There's a measure of reinforcement and a behavioural loop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/i-think-what-television-and-video-games-do-is-reminiscent-of-drug/)

[Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/)

> [I guess actually playing on the records and touring is a great forced practice regimen for me. And you learn a lot playing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/i-guess-actually-playing-on-the-records-and-touring-is-a-great-forced/)

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> [It seemed like the more complex the music we were playing, the less able we were to guarantee its consistency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-becker/it-seemed-like-the-more-complex-the-music-we-were-playing-the-less/)

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[Walter Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/)

[Explore all 77 Walter Becker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-becker/)

## More Collaborating quotes

> [The best part of making music, for me, is collaborating and working with new people and fresh sounds and all those things that get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/the-best-part-of-making-music-for-me-is-collaborating-and-working/)

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> [The director is the ultimate creative arbiter of what's going to happen. And as a director myself, you really appreciate collaborating with people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-coppola/the-director-is-the-ultimate-creative-arbiter-of-what-s-going-to/)

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> [I love the process of collaborating on music, mostly for the creativity that comes out of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hardwell/i-love-the-process-of-collaborating-on-music-mostly-for-the/)

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> [I'm always interested in collaborating with designers. I love Gaultier. I know that's kind of a high hope!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-love/i-m-always-interested-in-collaborating-with-designers-i-love-gaultier/)

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[Etgar Keret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etgar-keret/)

> [Even when I'm making my own solo records, I'm collaborating with people. It keeps things interesting for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lanegan/even-when-i-m-making-my-own-solo-records-i-m-collaborating-with/)

[Mark Lanegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lanegan/)

> [I love collaborating with people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/i-love-collaborating-with-people/)

[Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/)

> [ \[Mikhail\] Saakashvili will use all legal and illegal means possible to remain in power. People are being threatened to prevent them from collaborating with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irakli-okruashvili/mikhail-saakashvili-will-use-all-legal-and-illegal-means-possible-to/)

[Irakli Okruashvili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irakli-okruashvili/)

> [I've heard of translators collaborating closely with their authors, sometimes even living with them for a while, but that's not me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-naffis-sahely/i-ve-heard-of-translators-collaborating-closely-with-their-authors/)

[Andre Naffis-Sahely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-naffis-sahely/)

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[Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/)

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[Hallie Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hallie-ephron/)

[Browse all 189 Collaborating quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaborating/)

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