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.

Originality does not consist in saying what no one has ever said before, but in saying exactly what you think yourself.

Quotes by James Stephens

I started playing in my first band when I was 12. I like to date myself by saying I was in a New Age band when it wasn't ironic; it was actually called new wave because it was new.

Quotes by James Murphy

I love America, but I've now got two young kids and America has changed so much since 9/11 and Bush. It's beyond Orwellian. The idea in '1984' that if you keep saying you're being attacked then you can get away...

Quotes by James Marsh

One of my kids keeps on saying that he wants to be a paleontologist, but first he wants to make a time machine, so he can go back and save the dinosaurs.

Quotes by James Callis

The film industry is about saying 'no' to people, and inherently you cannot take 'no' for an answer.

Quotes by James Cameron

One of the big learnings both out of the referendum, and out of 2017 general election is that parties that don't have a professional network on the ground slightly lose the ability to hear what local people are saying, so...

Quotes by James Cleverly

I had some glamour models messaging me on Twitter and saying they think I'm hot, but I'm being careful.

Quotes by James Arthur

When you have energy companies like Shell and British Petroleum, both of which are perhaps represented in this room, saying there is a problem with excess carbon dioxide emission, I think we ought to listen.

Quotes by James Baker

Pay attention to not only what you're saying or doing but who you're saying and doing it with.

Quotes by Jalen Rose

I'm not saying I won't make a mistake throughout the game.

Quotes by Jake Arrieta

I was giving some of my teammates a hard time, saying I've got more pop than they do.

Quotes by Jake Arrieta

Being invisible would be pretty great. You could watch everybody, sneak into places and know what people were saying.

Quotes by Jaime Pressly

During my time, squash was not even part of Asian or Commonwealth Games. Considering the dominance of Jansher Khan and I in the '80s and '90s, it goes without saying that Pakistan would have bagged a plethora of medals through...

Quotes by Jahangir Khan

I remember hearing other models talk about going to castings for Givenchy, and I was like, 'What are they saying?' And then I realized and was like, 'Oh, the Give-in-chee one.' I had been calling it Give-in-chee the whole time....

Quotes by Jacquelyn Jablonski

Law is when you don't have a method of solving a problem... It's just nailing a proclamation on a wall saying, 'Don't do this.'

Quotes by Jacque Fresco

I don't think I've ever had a minute off in Israel. I've been completely and utterly devoted to what Hanadiv does. I'm not saying I'm a good guy for that. It's just the way the dice have fallen.

Quotes by Jacob Rothschild

I do think that Thanksgiving is a very nice holiday because it's all about saying thank you; it's being thankful.

Quotes by Jacob Tremblay

I have had to learn about saying no.

Quotes by Jaclyn Smith

Sexism is alive and well! We were saying this forty years ago. I'm an optimist, so I like to think we've progressed in some ways - in Australia, we get equal pay.

Quotes by Jacki Weaver

In South Carolina, the Confederate flag flies high on countless flagpoles. Those who defend this practice by saying it is part of Southern culture are lying to themselves.

Quotes by Jack Schlossberg

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.