--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even in the beginning, when we knew there…" description: "\"Even in the beginning, when we knew there was a legal argument about how much our song sounds like his song, as one songwriter to another, I wasn't sur..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/wayne-coyne-7254_about_even-in-the-beginning-when-we-knew-there_304928.png" --- # Even in the beginning, when we knew there was a legal… ![“Even in the beginning, when we knew there was a legal argument about how much our song sounds like his song, as one songwriter to another, I wasn't sure that Cat Stevens would take that as bad.” quote by Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/wayne-coyne-7254_about_even-in-the-beginning-when-we-knew-there_304928.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/wayne-coyne-7254_about_even-in-the-beginning-when-we-knew-there_304928.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/wayne-coyne-7254_about_even-in-the-beginning-when-we-knew-there_304928.png) > “Even in the beginning, when we knew there was a legal argument about how much our song sounds like his song, as one songwriter to another, I wasn't sure that Cat Stevens would take that as bad.” [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artists often worry about originality when songs sound similar, but peers may be more forgiving than the public assumes. **In simple terms:** Songwriters may be more forgiving than.. Key Takeaway Respect fellow creators' perspectives. Themes creativity originality peer perception Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - songwriting - music production - legal disputes - collaborations Key Concepts intellectual property artistic influence Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance inspiration with originality? - When should you seek permission? A Different Perspective Legal concerns can still impact artistic freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Another](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/another/) [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Argument Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument-song-2905766/) [Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad/) [Beginning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning/) [Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat-stevens-845817/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [His](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/his/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [In the beginning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/in-the-beginning/) [Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew/) [Legal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legal/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/much/) [Our](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Song Songwriter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song-songwriter-2905767/) [Songwriter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songwriter/) [Songwriter Wasn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songwriter-wasn-2905765/) [Sounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sounds/) [Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stevens/) [Sure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sure/) [Take](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) ## Related quotes > [Anyway, Cat Stevens is never going to make much money out of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/anyway-cat-stevens-is-never-going-to-make-much-money-out-of-us/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) > [I heard a lot of Cat Stevens when I was a kid and, subliminally, I guess it had an effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/i-heard-a-lot-of-cat-stevens-when-i-was-a-kid-and-subliminally-i/) [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) > [At the height of his popularity in 1977, Cat Stevens converted to Islam and dedicated his life to educational and philanthropic causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-amos/at-the-height-of-his-popularity-in-1977-cat-stevens-converted-to/) [Shawn Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-amos/) > [Longer is not my best song, it's just a classic love song, and every songwriter always dreams of writing a classic love song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelberg/longer-is-not-my-best-song-it-s-just-a-classic-love-song-and-every/) [Dan Fogelberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelberg/) > [The trip had become boring. It wasn't exciting anymore to totally be a singer/songwriter because it wasn't working for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/the-trip-had-become-boring-it-wasn-t-exciting-anymore-to-totally-be-a/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I'm a songwriter, and if it wasn't for country radio, I really wouldn't have many other outlets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uncle-kracker/i-m-a-songwriter-and-if-it-wasn-t-for-country-radio-i-really-wouldn-t/) [Uncle Kracker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uncle-kracker/) > [A flight from London carrying the artist we all used to know as Cat Stevens, now known as Yusuf Islam, was forced to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/a-flight-from-london-carrying-the-artist-we-all-used-to-know-as-cat/) [Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/) > [From a really young age, I was playing Cat Stevens and listening to Paul Simon. As I got a little older, I got really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-kahan/from-a-really-young-age-i-was-playing-cat-stevens-and-listening-to/) [Noah Kahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-kahan/) > [In reference to Cat Stevens, it is very, very important we have accurate information on our terrorist watch list and our no fly list…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asa-hutchinson/in-reference-to-cat-stevens-it-is-very-very-important-we-have/) [Asa Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asa-hutchinson/) > [I rejected most of the folk I was exposed to in the Seventies. I came around later to Tom Waits, some parts of Jim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cornell/i-rejected-most-of-the-folk-i-was-exposed-to-in-the-seventies-i-came/) [Chris Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cornell/) > [My dad has totally taken my Cat Stevens T-shirt, but it's OK; I have his Black Flag one, and that's amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kravitz/my-dad-has-totally-taken-my-cat-stevens-t-shirt-but-it-s-ok-i-have/) [Zoe Kravitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kravitz/) > [Yeah, some people said I tried to rip off Cat Stevens and Stevie Wonder. Oh, well. I've always admired those guys. But for me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/yeah-some-people-said-i-tried-to-rip-off-cat-stevens-and-stevie/) [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) > [Our artistic heroes tend to be those self-exercisers, like Picasso, and Nabokov, and Wallace Stevens, who rather defiantly kept playing past dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/our-artistic-heroes-tend-to-be-those-self-exercisers-like-picasso-and/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [My big influences are Joni Mitchell, and a lot of classical and Indian music, as well as Nina Simone and the personal blues and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yael-naim/my-big-influences-are-joni-mitchell-and-a-lot-of-classical-and-indian/) [Yael Naim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yael-naim/) > [True enough, Osama bin Laden is dead and other al-Qaeda leaders have joined him. But, the assassination of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/true-enough-osama-bin-laden-is-dead-and-other-al-qaeda-leaders-have/) [Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/) ## More by Wayne Coyne > [People have given me the freedom and believe in me enough to say if I want to do these things that I will find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/people-have-given-me-the-freedom-and-believe-in-me-enough-to-say-if-i/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) > [I'm pouring my guts out so they can feel like your guts at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/i-m-pouring-my-guts-out-so-they-can-feel-like-your-guts-at-the-same/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) > [Making movie you just think, well, you know what you're gonna do, and you just when it comes down to the very specifics of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/making-movie-you-just-think-well-you-know-what-you-re-gonna-do-and/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) > [It was endlessly entertaining, watching people beat each other up. All the little kids in the neighborhood would come and watch... and then we'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/it-was-endlessly-entertaining-watching-people-beat-each-other-up-all/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) > [A lot of times I'll doodle on something while I'm doing interviews, because sometimes I'm on the phone for three or four hours and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/a-lot-of-times-i-ll-doodle-on-something-while-i-m-doing-interviews/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) > [There is a lot of melody and things that sound familiar in hundreds of songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/there-is-a-lot-of-melody-and-things-that-sound-familiar-in-hundreds/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) > [Most music that you hear is in synch with itself. We were experimenting with the music falling out of synch with itself and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/most-music-that-you-hear-is-in-synch-with-itself-we-were/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) > [The 'cool' record store. It is where you can talk to people who are like you. They look like you, think like you and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/the-cool-record-store-it-is-where-you-can-talk-to-people-who-are-like/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) > [Try to be happy within the context of the life we are actually living. Happiness is not a situation to be longed for or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/try-to-be-happy-within-the-context-of-the-life-we-are-actually-living/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) > [Your life is built on when love dies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/your-life-is-built-on-when-love-dies/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) > [Eating good things and being around people who are happy - you want to be influenced by the world because it has so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/eating-good-things-and-being-around-people-who-are-happy-you-want-to/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) > [We love playing music but were too weird to play music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/we-love-playing-music-but-were-too-weird-to-play-music/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) > [Music has the power to transcend your physical being and take you up. Because music has a metaphysical quality it really makes your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/music-has-the-power-to-transcend-your-physical-being-and-take-you-up/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) > [If SANTA CLAUS came down the chimney in a f\*\*king jogging suit, you wouldn't even know it was him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/if-santa-claus-came-down-the-chimney-in-a-f-king-jogging-suit-you/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) > [The movie that we could've finished in 2001 would've sucked. The movie that we could've finished in 2002 would've just been a disaster, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/the-movie-that-we-could-ve-finished-in-2001-would-ve-sucked-the-movie/) [Wayne Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) [Explore all 93 Wayne Coyne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Even in the beginning, when we knew there was a legal argument about how much our song sounds like his song, as one songwriter to another, I wasn't sure that Cat Stevens would take that as bad.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wayne Coyne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/even-in-the-beginning-when-we-knew-there-was-a-legal-argument-about/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/even-in-the-beginning-when-we-knew-there-was-a-legal-argument-about/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/wayne-coyne-7254_about_even-in-the-beginning-when-we-knew-there_304928.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/wayne-coyne-7254_about_even-in-the-beginning-when-we-knew-there_304928.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/608/wayne-coyne-7254_about_even-in-the-beginning-when-we-knew-there_304928.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Even in the beginning, when we knew there was a legal argument about how much our song sounds like his song…” — Wayne Coyne", "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": "Wayne Coyne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-coyne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Even in the beginning, when we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/even-in-the-beginning-when-we-knew-there-was-a-legal-argument-about/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-coyne/even-in-the-beginning-when-we-knew-there-was-a-legal-argument-about/#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 } } ] } ```