Sharon Van Etten Quotes

People tend to put too much focus on the lyrics. It's not the be-all and end-all of our songs.

But the reality is when you write a song, you should be able to strip away all the instruments and just have a song right there with an acoustic guitar and a voice, and the song should be good.

There's such a huge difference between a great arrangement of riffs and a song. Sometimes the two can be the same. But the difference is a song doesn't necessarily need a riff, whereas a riff doesn't necessarily mean you've got a good song on your hands.

Melody is king, and don't you ever forget it. Lyrics appear to be out front, but they're not; they're just an accompanying factor. If they're good, you're really in good shape. Lyrics are written to be rewritten.

The music is the main thing and it's just as easy to write acceptable words.

Lyrics can be important, but ultimately, what pulls people in on a song is melody and the tracks and the way music feels.

It's all about the music. Everything else is just extra.

I'm pretty into music. Anything with music I love... I'm really big on lyrical content plus a good beat.

Music is the medium. Words merely enhance the composition.

I privilege the music over the lyrics.

I'm totally convinced I can write the perfect pop song.

Lyrics are important, but it's hard, because English isn't my first language - although it feels like it is these days! I grew up with amazing melodies, so getting that right on a song has always been the key thing for me, but there's no reason why a great melody doesn't deserve great lyrics.

We were concerned with having good songs, not just songs that go two hundred miles per hour.

Popular music usually has a chorus that needs to repeat, and people need to remember the song. That's sort of the major guideline when you're writing a song.

Each of my records has a different focus, a different theme.

I would start seeing, in just the sense I was saying now, the kind of record it was going to be and what the arrangement demands, and what my vocal part should be in the record. This was all emerging as the song was emerging.

I think it's his perception of knowing how to make a record build, keeping the integrity of the song in the music and really adding a lot of musical elements to compliment my voice and to compliment the song.

I think you can have the greatest lyrics in the world and if it doesn't have the best tune in the world it will suck. I mean if the music wasn't important it would just be a poem.

I don't think I really make singer-songwritery-type music - it's not my strong point.

A right balance between music and lyrics is important. Music complements lyrics.

Music is wonderful. Especially if there's some kind of content to it.

If you've got a good song, it's easy to play. But you can't make a bad song sound good no matter who you have to play on it.

I'm making a record that's half stripped down acoustic which is the way I perform a lot and half of it is very produced. It's really hard to keep music simple but I was trying to keep it simple and focus on one or two instruments and vocals.

There's two facets to writing a song. There's you sitting in your room writing the sentiments of the song; the lyrics, the melody and the changes, and then there's the part where you go into the studio and you put clothing on it.

I don't think you ever get tired of the well-written, well-crafted songs.