Dorothy Fields

A song must move the story ahead. A song must take the place of dialogue. If a song halts the show, pushes it back, stalls it, the audience won't buy it; they'll be unhappy.

I don't care how good a song is - if it holds back the storyline, stalls the plot, your audience will reject it.

The songwriter mustn't fall in love with his own song. If it doesn't belong, he can't push it into a show. Let him save it; maybe it'll fit in another show.

Love is the reason you were born.

Keep it in tune with the times, but don't write with the specific purpose of trying to create a hit. If you're doing it strictly to make money, you're crazy. There are easier ways to make money.

There aren't more lady songwriters for the same reason that there aren't more lady doctors or lady accountants or lady lawyers; not enough women have the time for careers.

Write what you feel. Write because of that need for expression.

A songwriter should have friends who are similarly interested; should move about in the milieu of work he has chosen for himself.

In a show or a movie, one must work with many people. Many women just don't have the time for it.