---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'd rather be B.B. King. That's the way I…"
description: "\"I'd rather be B.B. King. That's the way I started. Let the heavy metal guys play heavy metal, let the others play the other ... I try to do what I do b..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/b-b-king-4531_get-away_i-d-rather-be-b-b-king-that-s-the-way-i_232748.png"
---

#  I'd rather be B.B. King. That's the way I started. Let the…

![“I'd rather be B.B. King. That's the way I started. Let the heavy metal guys play heavy metal, let the others play the other ... I try to do what I do better, not get away from it.” quote by B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/b-b-king-4531_get-away_i-d-rather-be-b-b-king-that-s-the-way-i_232748.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/b-b-king-4531_get-away_i-d-rather-be-b-b-king-that-s-the-way-i_232748.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/b-b-king-4531_get-away_i-d-rather-be-b-b-king-that-s-the-way-i_232748.png)

> “I'd rather be B.B. King. That's the way I started. Let the heavy metal guys play heavy metal, let the others play the other ... I try to do what I do better, not get away from it.”

[B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote expresses a desire to stay true to one’s roots while allowing others to explore different styles, emphasizing authenticity over conformity.

**In simple terms:** Stay authentic, let others do their own thing.

Key Takeaway

Maintain your core style while respecting others’ choices.

Themes

authenticity artistry individuality music creativity

Mood

reflective inspirational confident

Type

philosophical musical

When to use this quote

- musician interviews
- creative collaboration
- genre blending
- career advice

Key Concepts

genre self‑expression musical integrity

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance staying true to yourself with exploring new directions?
- When is it valuable to step outside your comfort zone?

A Different Perspective

It may overlook the benefits of cross‑genre experimentation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Get away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get-away/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Heavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heavy/) [Heavy metal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heavy-metal/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Let Heavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-heavy-554743/) [Metal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metal/) [Metal Guys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metal-guys-1288529/) [Metals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metals/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Heavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-heavy-1113377/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/)

## Related quotes

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> [I meet these rock guys, these metal guys, and we are very real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-moody/i-meet-these-rock-guys-these-metal-guys-and-we-are-very-real/)

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> [“That's certainly the roots of heavy metal. That whole sense of revolution and wanting to be powerful is definetly a puberty thing. Fans don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-christe/that-s-certainly-the-roots-of-heavy-metal-that-whole-sense-of/)

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> [Heavy metal drives me bonkers, it makes me want to vomit, heavy metal really is a pile of puke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/heavy-metal-drives-me-bonkers-it-makes-me-want-to-vomit-heavy-metal/)

[Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/)

> [Basically I listen to just about everything except heavy metal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-kreuk/basically-i-listen-to-just-about-everything-except-heavy-metal/)

[Kristin Kreuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-kreuk/)

> [I write almost all my songs on an acoustic guitar, even if they turn into rock songs, hard rock songs, metal songs, heavy metal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/i-write-almost-all-my-songs-on-an-acoustic-guitar-even-if-they-turn/)

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> [I'm only interested in heavy metal when it's me who's playing it. I suppose it's a bit like smelling your own farts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-entwistle/i-m-only-interested-in-heavy-metal-when-it-s-me-who-s-playing-it-i/)

[John Entwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-entwistle/)

> [Ever since I was 12 years old I had to defend my love for heavy metal against those who say it's a less valid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-dunn/ever-since-i-was-12-years-old-i-had-to-defend-my-love-for-heavy-metal/)

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> [Why would heavy metal ever go away?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ian/why-would-heavy-metal-ever-go-away/)

[Scott Ian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ian/)

> [She's the quiet type who's into heavy metal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/she-s-the-quiet-type-who-s-into-heavy-metal/)

[Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/)

> [Only two to three per cent of an audience is interested in words and pays attention to lyrics; most of the rest of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/only-two-to-three-per-cent-of-an-audience-is-interested-in-words-and/)

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## More by B. B. King

> [Blues purists never cared for me. I don't worry about it. I think if it this way: When I made 'Three O' Clock Blues,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/blues-purists-never-cared-for-me-i-don-t-worry-about-it-i-think-if-it/)

[B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/)

> [Everybody wants to go to Heaven, but no one wants to die to get there!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/everybody-wants-to-go-to-heaven-but-no-one-wants-to-die-to-get-there/)

[B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/)

> [My ex-wife was trying to be nice once, so she took me to a concert in Los Angeles. I went with her to Symphony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/my-ex-wife-was-trying-to-be-nice-once-so-she-took-me-to-a-concert-in/)

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> [When I do eventually drop, I pray to God that it'll happen in one of three ways. Firstly, on stage or leaving the stage,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/when-i-do-eventually-drop-i-pray-to-god-that-it-ll-happen-in-one-of/)

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> [Many people leave the country to see beautiful places. I just look out the window and see some of the most gorgeous scenery ever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/many-people-leave-the-country-to-see-beautiful-places-i-just-look-out/)

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> [Albert King wasn't my brother in blood, but he sure was my brother in Blues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/albert-king-wasn-t-my-brother-in-blood-but-he-sure-was-my-brother-in/)

[B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/)

> [ Playing the guitar is like telling the truth - you never have to worry about repeating the same \[lie\] if you told the truth.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/playing-the-guitar-is-like-telling-the-truth-you-never-have-to-worry/)

[B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/)

> [There's a sadness to all kinds of music if you want to hear it. There's also happiness to it if you want to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/there-s-a-sadness-to-all-kinds-of-music-if-you-want-to-hear-it-there/)

[B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/)

> [Touring a segregated America - forever being stopped and harassed by white cops hurt you most 'cos you don't realise the damage. You hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/touring-a-segregated-america-forever-being-stopped-and-harassed-by/)

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> [I was glad to see other blues guitarists like Albert King have crossover successes like me. We played in the same places like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/i-was-glad-to-see-other-blues-guitarists-like-albert-king-have/)

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> [There was a lot of other young players around at that time when I was coming, but there was older people like Blind Lemon,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/there-was-a-lot-of-other-young-players-around-at-that-time-when-i-was/)

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> [I don't think anybody steals anything; all of us borrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/i-don-t-think-anybody-steals-anything-all-of-us-borrow/)

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> [It's the tradition of American writers getting away in order to see the country - to get a better view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-anderson/it-s-the-tradition-of-american-writers-getting-away-in-order-to-see/)

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