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. ”