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Writing about music is like dancing about architecture — it's a really stupid thing to want to do.

— Elvis Costello Misattributed

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Source, in full

This has commonly been paraphrased "Talking about music is like dancing about architecture." More info at "Alan P. Scott : Talking about music..." Also, Costello has denied having coined this, in an interview in Q magazine, tentatively attributing the quote instead to Martin Mull.

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More quotes by Elvis Costello

When the media attention switches away from this story onto the next thing that happens in the world, the circumstances will still be there.

WARNING: This album contains country & western music and may cause offence to narrow minded listeners.

Warning label on Almost Blue (1981)

My ultimate vocation in life is to be an irritant, someone who disrupts the daily drag of life just enough to leave the victim thinking there's maybe more to it all than the mere hum-drum quality of existence.

New Music Express interview with Nick Kent (1978)

They say you better listen to the voice of reason
But they don't give you any choice
'cause they think that it's treason.

What shall we do, what shall we do with all this useless beauty?

All Elvis Costello quotes →

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The emphasis of study upon a particular aspect of music is in itself ideological because it contains implications about the music's value.

Lucy Green

Music is well said to be the speech of angels.

Thomas Carlyle Critical and Miscellaneous Essays (1827)

Music has no subject beyond the combinations of notes we hear, for music speaks not only by means of sounds, it speaks nothing but sound.

Eduard Hanslick

Above the pitch, out of tune, and off the hinges.

François Rabelais Gargantua and Pantagruel (1532)

Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Elvis Costello (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.