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About this quote

What does it mean?
He distinguishes blues music from general sadness by noting that sadness cannot be sung.
In plain terms
You can sing the blues but not the blahs.
What can you take from it?
Art requires structure that pure sadness lacks.

Where it applies

  • music discussion
  • emotional analysis
  • performance

Putting it to work

  • writing songs
  • analyzing music
  • expressing feelings

Questions to consider

  • What makes sadness singable?
  • Is there a difference between pain and sadness?

Another view

Many songs capture vague sadness just as well as blues.

More from George Carlin

  1. The best thing about living at the water's edge: you only have assholes on three sides of you, and if they come this way, you can hear them splash.

    Permalink to quote #177
  2. The future will soon be a thing of the past.

    Permalink to quote #179
  3. Property is theft. Nobody 'owns' anything. When you die, it all stays here.

    Permalink to quote #176

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