--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We've always been trying to climb this…" description: "\"We've always been trying to climb this ladder that leans so hard on our own idea of what our big songs are. We realized recently that we're not a band ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/aaron-dessner-11850_music_we-ve-always-been-trying-to-climb-this-l_346733.jpg" --- # We've always been trying to climb this ladder that leans… ![“We've always been trying to climb this ladder that leans so hard on our own idea of what our big songs are. We realized recently that we're not a band with big songs.” quote by Aaron Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/aaron-dessner-11850_music_we-ve-always-been-trying-to-climb-this-l_346733.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/aaron-dessner-11850_music_we-ve-always-been-trying-to-climb-this-l_346733.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/aaron-dessner-11850_music_we-ve-always-been-trying-to-climb-this-l_346733.jpg) > “We've always been trying to climb this ladder that leans so hard on our own idea of what our big songs are. We realized recently that we're not a band with big songs.” [Aaron Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-dessner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artists often chase grand ambitions without recognizing their true identity; humility reveals authentic purpose. **In simple terms:** We chase big ideas without knowing ourselves. Key Takeaway Align goals with genuine strengths. Themes creativity identity humility Mood thoughtful introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - songwriting - band dynamics - career planning Key Concepts self‑discovery artistic vision Questions to Reflect On - What core values define your creative work? - How can you simplify your artistic goals? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on ambition can cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Band Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band-big-1789269/) [Big Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-songs-3210805/) [Climb Ladder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climb-ladder/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Realized Recently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realized-recently-964443/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Songs Realized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songs-realized-2536911/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [The truth about autobiographical songs, he realized, was that you had to make the present become the past, somehow: you had to take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/the-truth-about-autobiographical-songs-he-realized-was-that-you-had/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [Our big songs were all songs that were never meant to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kerr/our-big-songs-were-all-songs-that-were-never-meant-to-be/) [Jim Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kerr/) > [I never realized until recently how much my life parallels Peter Pan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-rigby/i-never-realized-until-recently-how-much-my-life-parallels-peter-pan/) [Cathy Rigby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-rigby/) > [I like big songs that feel quite upbeat, the songs that people love - me singing them, less so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-sanders/i-like-big-songs-that-feel-quite-upbeat-the-songs-that-people-love-me/) [Lou Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-sanders/) > [I've been a story-teller all my life but I realized it only recently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/i-ve-been-a-story-teller-all-my-life-but-i-realized-it-only-recently/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [People think that once a band is 'big' that they make a ton of money, but that's not true. It's hard to make money.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/people-think-that-once-a-band-is-big-that-they-make-a-ton-of-money/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [At every show, I pray with my band. It's a big thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-reyez/at-every-show-i-pray-with-my-band-it-s-a-big-thing/) [Jessie Reyez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-reyez/) > [Everyone in a band has a big ego - they love having pictures taken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-duley/everyone-in-a-band-has-a-big-ego-they-love-having-pictures-taken/) [Giles Duley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-duley/) > [The Beatles were just a band that made it very, very big, that's all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-beatles-were-just-a-band-that-made-it-very-very-big-that-s-all/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [To go see a band in a big venue is a difficult experience. I don't really like that too much. I'm not a guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-summers/to-go-see-a-band-in-a-big-venue-is-a-difficult-experience-i-don-t/) [Andy Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-summers/) > [The stereotypical rock-star-trashing-a-hotel-room thing? Those days had passed by the time I was in a band big enough to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-collins/the-stereotypical-rock-star-trashing-a-hotel-room-thing-those-days/) [Phil Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-collins/) > [BIGBANG is the band that i myself am a big fan of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/bigbang-is-the-band-that-i-myself-am-a-big-fan-of/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [I've been through this fame thing before, when the band was big in '80, '81.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lurie/i-ve-been-through-this-fame-thing-before-when-the-band-was-big-in-80/) [John Lurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lurie/) > [When you're in a band that's so big when you're young, you kind of lose your identity a little bit. You just become part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-re-in-a-band-that-s-so-big-when-you-re-young-you-kind-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We had no sleep or days off or anything like that and then, when the band became big, Hendrix became a star and looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-redding/we-had-no-sleep-or-days-off-or-anything-like-that-and-then-when-the/) [Noel Redding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-redding/) ## More by Aaron Dessner > [The Planned Parenthood 7" project is an example of us putting our noses to the grindstone on and trying to make a little difference.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-dessner/the-planned-parenthood-7-project-is-an-example-of-us-putting-our/) [Aaron Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-dessner/) > [My wife is from Copenhagen and her father has been a huge Liverpool supporter since the early 1960s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-dessner/my-wife-is-from-copenhagen-and-her-father-has-been-a-huge-liverpool/) [Aaron Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-dessner/) > [I grew up fly fishing when I was a kid. The feeling of it is fun. I went fly-fishing on Lake Delaware once, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-dessner/i-grew-up-fly-fishing-when-i-was-a-kid-the-feeling-of-it-is-fun-i/) [Aaron Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-dessner/) > [And my parents live down in West Virginia, and I have to drive through the Shenandoah Valley pretty often to go visit them. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-dessner/and-my-parents-live-down-in-west-virginia-and-i-have-to-drive-through/) [Aaron Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-dessner/) > [I tried hard not to think about the scope or scale of making a record that would be heard by millions and millions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-dessner/i-tried-hard-not-to-think-about-the-scope-or-scale-of-making-a-record/) [Aaron Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-dessner/) > [I do have a way of playing piano where it's very melodic and emotional, but then often it's great if whoever's singing doesn't sing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-dessner/i-do-have-a-way-of-playing-piano-where-it-s-very-melodic-and/) [Aaron Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-dessner/) > [Our recordings, you feel that it's been, not labored, but you feel that it's been constructed in a way where sometimes it's hard for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-dessner/our-recordings-you-feel-that-it-s-been-not-labored-but-you-feel-that/) [Aaron Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-dessner/) > [I think the idea is that every time we perform Big Red Machine music it should be different somehow - like, different people, different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-dessner/i-think-the-idea-is-that-every-time-we-perform-big-red-machine-music/) [Aaron Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-dessner/) > [One of the hardest things about being a musician is finishing a project and then having to wait three or six months to publish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-dessner/one-of-the-hardest-things-about-being-a-musician-is-finishing-a/) [Aaron Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-dessner/) > [Anyone who's speaking up about anything becomes a target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-dessner/anyone-who-s-speaking-up-about-anything-becomes-a-target/) [Aaron Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-dessner/) > [After years of touring you experience music festivals that are mostly the same - where you copy and paste the same experience into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-dessner/after-years-of-touring-you-experience-music-festivals-that-are-mostly/) [Aaron Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-dessner/) > [There's no one songwriter in the band. It's collaborative, and we all have different tastes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-dessner/there-s-no-one-songwriter-in-the-band-it-s-collaborative-and-we-all/) [Aaron Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-dessner/) > ["I'll Still Destroy You" song is lovingly talking about how we change our states of mind, whether it's weed or wine or whatever. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-dessner/i-ll-still-destroy-you-song-is-lovingly-talking-about-how-we-change/) [Aaron Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-dessner/) > [For whatever reason, you gravitate to certain subjects, and I read a lot of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-dessner/for-whatever-reason-you-gravitate-to-certain-subjects-and-i-read-a/) [Aaron Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-dessner/) > [I think for me to be involved in a festival, there has to be a strong element of songwriting and musicianship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-dessner/i-think-for-me-to-be-involved-in-a-festival-there-has-to-be-a-strong/) [Aaron Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-dessner/) [Explore all 57 Aaron Dessner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-dessner/) ## More Music quotes > [I feel like I definitely have a real sporty style, more so than a lot of people in G.O.O.D. Music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/i-feel-like-i-definitely-have-a-real-sporty-style-more-so-than-a-lot/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I'm at the edge of the world, Where do I go from here? Do I disappear? Edge of the world, Should I sink or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bring-me-the-horizon/i-m-at-the-edge-of-the-world-where-do-i-go-from-here-do-i-disappear/) [Bring Me The Horizon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bring-me-the-horizon/) > [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [When you listen to someone improvise, the notes that are played are only half the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-laws/when-you-listen-to-someone-improvise-the-notes-that-are-played-are/) [Hubert Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-laws/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [ “Downloading's the same as what I used to do. I used to tape the charts of the songs I liked \[off the radio\]. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-gallagher/downloading-s-the-same-as-what-i-used-to-do-i-used-to-tape-the-charts/) [Liam Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-gallagher/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [Each woman is like an instrument, waiting to be learned, loved, and finely played, to have at last her own true music made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/each-woman-is-like-an-instrument-waiting-to-be-learned-loved-and/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I want people to hear my lyrics and my melodies and say, 'That dude's in pain.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-moody/i-want-people-to-hear-my-lyrics-and-my-melodies-and-say-that-dude-s/) [Ivan Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-moody/) > [I make dance music because I love to dance. But I want to think at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-make-dance-music-because-i-love-to-dance-but-i-want-to-think-at-the/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) [Browse all 55,293 Music quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We've always been trying to climb this ladder that leans so hard on our own idea of what our big songs are. 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