Logo - Feel The Words

Saying Quotes

The gap between what's said and what's meant.

This set focuses on the friction around saying things: doubts other people voice about an unusual project, the strangeness of writing lyrics meant for someone else's voice, and family conflicts that get said and later forgiven. It pairs well with our Know quotes.

Growing up, people are like, 'Mary, we'll see you at the Grammys.' You're like, 'I'll be at the Grammys.' Then, you're actually at the Grammys! That actually is happening; it's not just something people are saying because they like your...

Quotes by Mary Lambert

I hadn't even watched '24' before, and the audition was kind of far away. When I got the material, there wasn't a character yet, so it almost seemed like an assistant to Jack Bauer saying, 'Yes, sir. No, sir.'

Quotes by Mary Lynn Rajskub

Manual labor to my father was not only good and decent for it's own sake but, as he was given to saying, it straightened out one's thoughts.

Quotes by Mary Ellen Chase

The time when you need to do something is when no one else is willing to do it, when people are saying it can't be done.

Quotes by Mary Frances Berry

I've been so mutilated by a lot of articles. I know I haven't said a lot of things I'm quoted as saying in the papers.

Quotes by Mary Docter

I know I haven't said a lot of things I'm quoted as saying in the papers. It makes me wonder why I brought up the recovery story in the first place.

Quotes by Mary Docter

If somebody honks a horn in Cleveland, they're saying 'Hi.' It's so rare to be honked at in anger. When we have merging traffic, we just interweave. There's real courtesy.

Quotes by Mary Doria Russell

I have a manuscript that I'm almost done with, but I've been saying that forever. I'm on what I think will be the second-to-last chapter. It's a story about chance and coincidence.

Quotes by Mary E. Pearson

The thing about being a university teacher is that you're fairly tolerant about young people saying things they shouldn't have said.

Quotes by Mary Beard

I think that by following the route that I have tried to outline, one gets into a much more interesting and productive series of questions than those that result from saying simply that Chinese don't like milk because they don't...

Quotes by Marvin Harris

I'm not saying I'm something special. I might play a little better tennis than other people, but it is because I was given the chance, and not many people are.

Quotes by Martina Hingis

I'm not very prolific. I'm not good at sitting down as an artist and saying 'Okay, I need to put in my four hours today.'

Quotes by Martha Wainwright

I'm not changing any of my opinions or what I'm saying about a product in a video based on my relationship with the company… When they release a product, my job is to be honest and deliver what people want...

Quotes by Marques Brownlee

A lot of first-time filmmakers are almost apologizing for their movie by saying, 'Well, we only had 18 days to shoot, you know.'

Quotes by Mark Waters

You've got people who didn't serve with John Kerry saying they did serve with John Kerry in the boat. With George Bush, we can't find anybody who did serve with him.

Quotes by Mark Shields

I regularly encourage employees to break rules. I also say to employees that leadership starts with complaining and dissatisfaction. But it doesn't stop there. It comes from saying you're dissatisfied with something and then fixing it and making it better...

Quotes by Mark Pincus

Most Americans I play for are clueless as to who Richard Ramirez was, so you can imagine how audiences in Portugal react. I'm not saying they don't enjoy the music; I'm just saying they're a little lost on some references.

Quotes by Mark Kozelek

'NME' and 'Melody Maker' were saying I was the next Lou Reed or Van Morrison. So, everyone has their own version as to when the height of my career was.

Quotes by Mark Kozelek

I found Jerusalem to be a tourist trap. I hope that I don't offend anyone by saying that.

Quotes by Mark Kozelek

Oh my God, if you're talking terrible theme songs, you have to mention Matt Hardy. I can't understand what they're even saying. There's a point in Matt Hardy's song where it sounds like they say 'I want to meet the...

Quotes by Mark Henry

Frequently Asked Questions

What do these Saying quotes explore?
These quotes look at how what people say gets received — from criticism about taking on different projects, to why writing for someone else's voice is hard, to messy family dynamics, and being misunderstood even when you're being honest. It's a mixed bag; for lighter, more upbeat lines, see our Good collection.
Is there a quote about facing criticism for trying different projects?
Yes — one quote recalls getting pushback from people saying things like, "Why does Whit Stillman think he can do a film about blacks in early '60s Jam..." after taking on projects outside the expected mold. The quote is cut short in our records, but the gist is clear: branching out invited some pointed questions.
Is there a quote about the challenge of writing for someone else?
Yes — one quote points out that it's "weird to try to write lyrics for somebody else," because they can't fully get behind what you're saying if they haven't experienced it themselves. This speaks to how personal voice shapes what rings true, a theme you'll also find in our I Am collection.
Is there a quote about family always forgiving you?
There is. One quote admits, "You always end up saying and doing such horrible things to your family, 'cause you know they're never going anywhere, and at some point, they're going to forgive you." For more on the word 'always' as a theme, see our Always collection.
Is there a quote about being honest even when it's not enough?
Yes — one quote reads, "I know what you're saying, but I already told you all the truth and I, I don't what, I don't know what else to do. I just do the best I can and tell you the only thing I can, and that's what I already..." It's a raw, honest moment about doing your best even when it doesn't resolve things. For more on knowing and understanding, see our Know collection.

A few lines describe the frustration of repeating oneself and still feeling misunderstood, a mood also present in I Am quotes, while the theme of consistency in what one says connects to Always quotes.