"I always record far more than I can use. There's probably twice as much recorded as comes out"
About this Quote
The subtext is control. Morrison’s career has always carried a streak of guardedness about access to his process and, by extension, to him. Recording twice what’s released keeps the public-facing catalog curated, not exhaustive. It also implies a private archive - songs as lived experience that don’t automatically become content. That matters now, when the streaming economy nudges artists toward constant output and “deluxe” editions that monetize the cutting-room floor. Morrison’s comment reads like a refusal to confuse productivity with publication.
Contextually, it fits the way his music often feels: improvised, searching, devotional, as if the performance is one possible channeling among many. Recording excess gives him room to chase takes where the band locks in, the phrasing catches fire, or the mood turns transcendent - the stuff you can’t schedule. The real flex isn’t that he records a lot. It’s that he can leave most of it unheard, trusting that what survives isn’t everything, just the essential.
Quote Details
| Topic | Music |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Morrison, Van. (2026, January 16). I always record far more than I can use. There's probably twice as much recorded as comes out. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-always-record-far-more-than-i-can-use-theres-95611/
Chicago Style
Morrison, Van. "I always record far more than I can use. There's probably twice as much recorded as comes out." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-always-record-far-more-than-i-can-use-theres-95611/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I always record far more than I can use. There's probably twice as much recorded as comes out." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-always-record-far-more-than-i-can-use-theres-95611/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.

