Tonight, tonight, won't be just any night. Tonight there will be no morning star.
Stephen SondheimRead
Music straightjackets a poem and prevents it from breathing on its own, whereas it liberates a lyric. Poetry doesn't need music; lyrics do.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the distinct roles of music and poetry, highlighting that while music can restrict a poem, it is essential for lyrics to thrive.
Stephen Sondheim's quote reflects on the relationship between poetry and music, asserting that poetry exists independently and can convey deep meaning on its own. In contrast, lyrics, which are intended to be sung, rely on music for their full expression, suggesting that the two art forms serve different purposes in communication and artistic expression.
Themes
PoetryMusicLyricsArtExpression
In practice
Example use cases
Use this quote in a discussion about the importance of music in songwriting classes.
More from Stephen Sondheim
All quotes βAfter the Rodgers and Hammerstein revolution, songs became part of the story, as opposed to just entertainments in between comedy scenes.
Stephen SondheimRead
Musical comedies aren't written, they are rewritten.
Stephen SondheimRead
Let Pirelli's / Miracle Elixir / Activate your roots, sir... Keep it off your boots, sir- / Eats right through. Yes, get Pirelli's! / Use a bottle of it! / Ladies seem to love it... Flies do, too!
Stephen SondheimRead
Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos.
Stephen SondheimRead
Careful the spell you cast, not just on children. Sometimes the spell may last Past what you can see And turn against you... Careful the tale you tell. That is the spell.
Stephen SondheimRead
Similar quotes
Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.
William WordsworthRead
Poetry operates by hints and dark suggestions. It is full of secrets and hidden formulae, like a witch's brew.
Anthony HechtRead
It's ironic that while I was a worker in Detroit, which I left when I was twenty six, my sense was that the thing that's going to stop me from being a poet is the fact that I'm doing this crummy work.
Philip LevineRead
People associate me with a time when movies were pleasant, when women wore pretty dresses in films and you heard beautiful music. I always love it when people write me and and say 'I was having a rotten time, and I walked into a cinema and saw one of your movies, and it made such a difference.'
Audrey HepburnRead
You will never, I think, fully conquer the play. Every night, you see this Everest before you. It's that two, three hours and the audience, and you'd better tell the truth.
David OyelowoRead
Creativity: Take the obvious, add a cupful of brains, a generous pinch of imagination, a bucketful of courage and daring, stir well and bring to a boil.
Bernard BaruchRead