--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was young, I had this contrarian…" description: "\"When I was young, I had this contrarian thing, and my music for a long time was an extension of that. I didn't want to entertain people; I had too much..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fc/anonymous-1_came_when-i-was-young-i-had-this-contrarian-t_2257986.jpg" --- # When I was young, I had this contrarian thing, and my… ![“When I was young, I had this contrarian thing, and my music for a long time was an extension of that. I didn't want to entertain people; I had too much vanity to be an entertainer. I think that some layers of vanity came off.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fc/anonymous-1_came_when-i-was-young-i-had-this-contrarian-t_2257986.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fc/anonymous-1_came_when-i-was-young-i-had-this-contrarian-t_2257986.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fc/anonymous-1_came_when-i-was-young-i-had-this-contrarian-t_2257986.jpg) > “When I was young, I had this contrarian thing, and my music for a long time was an extension of that. I didn't want to entertain people; I had too much vanity to be an entertainer. I think that some layers of vanity came off.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes a youthful contrarian attitude that made their music a personal expression rather than a performance for others, driven by vanity and a reluctance to entertain. **In simple terms:** Music as personal rebellion, not for audience approval. Key Takeaway Embrace authenticity over audience expectations. Themes authenticity vanity artistic identity rebellion Mood reflective defiant introspective Type personal philosophical artistic When to use this quote - songwriting - live performance - personal branding - creative collaboration Key Concepts self‑expression ego performance anxiety Questions to Reflect On - How does vanity shape your creative choices? - Can you balance personal expression with audience engagement? A Different Perspective The desire to avoid entertaining can limit audience connection and commercial success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Came](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/came/) [Contrarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contrarian/) [Contrarian Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contrarian-thing-3978509/) [Entertain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entertain/) [Entertain people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entertain-people/) [Entertainer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entertainer/) [Entertainer Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entertainer-think-1233997/) [Extension](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extension/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Layers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/layers/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/much/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/off/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Too](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too/) [Too much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-much/) [Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity/) [Vanity Entertainer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity-entertainer-5184303/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) ## Related quotes > [The most contrarian thing of all is not to oppose the crowd but to think for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-most-contrarian-thing-of-all-is-not-to-oppose-the-crowd-but-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The cliche of what a rock star is - there's something elitist about it. I never related to that. I'm an entertainer. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beck/the-cliche-of-what-a-rock-star-is-there-s-something-elitist-about-it/) [Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beck/) > [I don't think I'm an entertainer. I never think, 'Wow, I can't wait to get the crowd moving.' Some of my favorite bands never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ric-ocasek/i-don-t-think-i-m-an-entertainer-i-never-think-wow-i-can-t-wait-to/) [Ric Ocasek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ric-ocasek/) > [“Decision making brings together many of the finest traits of contrarian leadership--thinking gray, thinking free, artful listening, delegating authority while retaining ultimate responsibility,artful procrastination,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-b-sample/decision-making-brings-together-many-of-the-finest-traits-of/) [Steven B. Sample](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-b-sample/) > [To be a contrarian, you've got to be a contrarian against your own people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carville/to-be-a-contrarian-you-ve-got-to-be-a-contrarian-against-your-own/) [James Carville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carville/) > [“Let’s watch out for the unpredictability and the wildcat jumps of contrarian people, whose sole interests are soaring targets at high-speed, at all costs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/let-s-watch-out-for-the-unpredictability-and-the-wildcat-jumps-of/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [None of this means, however, that a business or stock is an intelligent purchase simply because it is unpopular; a contrarian approach is just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/none-of-this-means-however-that-a-business-or-stock-is-an-intelligent/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [When the things in front of you in life reveal how messed up the system is, you lose faith in the system pretty quickly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jalen-rose/when-the-things-in-front-of-you-in-life-reveal-how-messed-up-the/) [Jalen Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jalen-rose/) > [The very act of becoming an entrepreneur is contrarian to middle class values, study hard, get a good job, be happy with secure income…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashmi-bansal/the-very-act-of-becoming-an-entrepreneur-is-contrarian-to-middle/) [Rashmi Bansal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashmi-bansal/) > [When your views are truly contrarian, they are inevitably uncomfortable. Courage and the ability to withstand pain are required,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steinhardt/when-your-views-are-truly-contrarian-they-are-inevitably/) [Michael Steinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steinhardt/) > [Value investing is at its core the marriage of a contrarian streak and a calculator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/value-investing-is-at-its-core-the-marriage-of-a-contrarian-streak/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [“Defending unpopular positions is what lawyers do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-clement/defending-unpopular-positions-is-what-lawyers-do/) [Paul Clement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-clement/) > [It’s actually pretty easy to be contrarian. It’s hard to be contrarian and right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/it-s-actually-pretty-easy-to-be-contrarian-it-s-hard-to-be-contrarian/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [Contrarian thinking at its best simply asks, Is this really true? It speaks up when the politically correct answer or the conventional wisdom doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-osborne/contrarian-thinking-at-its-best-simply-asks-is-this-really-true-it/) [Larry Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-osborne/) > [I have contrarian tendencies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/i-have-contrarian-tendencies/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Came quotes > [After '8 Mile' came out and blew up, the ball has been rolling ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-benson-miller/after-8-mile-came-out-and-blew-up-the-ball-has-been-rolling-ever-since/) [Omar Benson Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-benson-miller/) > [Oh, I'm a great believer in the power of the pause. Radio is a bit brasher now. My style was slower. I just used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-wogan/oh-i-m-a-great-believer-in-the-power-of-the-pause-radio-is-a-bit/) [Terry Wogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-wogan/) > [I was painfully shy, so my aunt suggested to my mum that me and my brother go to Stage 84, a performing arts school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-cooke/i-was-painfully-shy-so-my-aunt-suggested-to-my-mum-that-me-and-my/) [Christian Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-cooke/) > [I was strictly after hits when it came down to the Jackson 5. That's all I was concerned with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deke-richards/i-was-strictly-after-hits-when-it-came-down-to-the-jackson-5-that-s/) [Deke Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deke-richards/) > [We only call at ducks when their rear ends are towards us. If I'm looking at you and you call my name, then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jase-robertson/we-only-call-at-ducks-when-their-rear-ends-are-towards-us-if-i-m/) [Jase Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jase-robertson/) > [Yes, I worked in Montreal. I worked there for 20 years... I came back to Beauce in 2006 to represent the Beaucerons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxime-bernier/yes-i-worked-in-montreal-i-worked-there-for-20-years-i-came-back-to/) [Maxime Bernier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxime-bernier/) > [My parents were, had a marriage of passion, and the passion was about their religious beliefs. They were both immigrant families that - well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-parents-were-had-a-marriage-of-passion-and-the-passion-was-about/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [As someone who came to New York in the 1970s, I was, like so many of my friends, a certified member of what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graydon-carter/as-someone-who-came-to-new-york-in-the-1970s-i-was-like-so-many-of-my/) [Graydon Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graydon-carter/) > [I have never really been fond of animals. I certainly wasn't an 'animal lover' when I became involved in the movement. I just came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/i-have-never-really-been-fond-of-animals-i-certainly-wasn-t-an-animal/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [“I came back to You because I could not find the kind and decent things I found in You anywhere else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/i-came-back-to-you-because-i-could-not-find-the-kind-and-decent/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [There's a whole generation of women who never really heard the word investment before, when it came to fashion. They've been buying things because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kors/there-s-a-whole-generation-of-women-who-never-really-heard-the-word/) [Michael Kors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kors/) > [When President Obama first came into office in 2009, I spent a fair amount of time in Michigan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-deese/when-president-obama-first-came-into-office-in-2009-i-spent-a-fair/) [Brian Deese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-deese/) > [I can't tell you how good it is to go from 'Homeland' to be lucky enough to find 'The Blacklist' at the right time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-klattenhoff/i-can-t-tell-you-how-good-it-is-to-go-from-homeland-to-be-lucky/) [Diego Klattenhoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-klattenhoff/) > [I had a dream. And it came true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/i-had-a-dream-and-it-came-true/) [Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/) > [I don't know how 'X Factor' works. I was only there as a guest judge for a day. But I watched 'The Voice' a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-ora/i-don-t-know-how-x-factor-works-i-was-only-there-as-a-guest-judge-for/) [Rita Ora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-ora/) [Browse all 2,787 Came quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/came/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was young, I had this contrarian thing, and my music for a long time was an extension of that. I didn't want to entertain people; I had too much vanity to be an entertainer. I think that some layers of vanity came off.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-was-young-i-had-this-contrarian-thing-and-my-music-for-a-long/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Came" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-was-young-i-had-this-contrarian-thing-and-my-music-for-a-long/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fc/anonymous-1_came_when-i-was-young-i-had-this-contrarian-t_2257986.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fc/anonymous-1_came_when-i-was-young-i-had-this-contrarian-t_2257986.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fc/anonymous-1_came_when-i-was-young-i-had-this-contrarian-t_2257986.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was young, I had this contrarian thing, and my music for a long time was an extension of that. I…” — Anonymous", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was young, I had...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-was-young-i-had-this-contrarian-thing-and-my-music-for-a-long/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-was-young-i-had-this-contrarian-thing-and-my-music-for-a-long/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```