--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The very thing that drives you, can drive…" description: "\"The very thing that drives you, can drive you insane Got a head full of thought crimes and a number with no name Got an eleventh hour Jesus and a mouth..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/ben-harper-3257_blame_the-very-thing-that-drives-you-can-drive_65007.jpg" --- # The very thing that drives you, can drive you insane Got a… ![“The very thing that drives you, can drive you insane Got a head full of thought crimes and a number with no name Got an eleventh hour Jesus and a mouth full of blame A casket lined with silver dollars and a number with no name.” quote by Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/ben-harper-3257_blame_the-very-thing-that-drives-you-can-drive_65007.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/ben-harper-3257_blame_the-very-thing-that-drives-you-can-drive_65007.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/ben-harper-3257_blame_the-very-thing-that-drives-you-can-drive_65007.jpg) > “The very thing that drives you, can drive you insane Got a head full of thought crimes and a number with no name Got an eleventh hour Jesus and a mouth full of blame A casket lined with silver dollars and a number with no name.” [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) ## 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 explores how personal motivations and inner conflicts can become overwhelming, leading to mental instability and self‑blame, while referencing societal pressures and existential anonymity. **In simple terms:** Inner drives can become destructive. Key Takeaway Beware of unchecked ambition. Themes identity mental health societal pressure existentialism religion Mood introspective dark urgent Type lyric philosophical When to use this quote - creative burnout - ethical dilemmas - spiritual crisis - financial stress - social alienation Key Concepts self‑awareness personal responsibility symbolism Practical Applications - counseling strategies - artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - What drives you beyond your control? - How do you recognize when a motive becomes harmful? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame/) [Blame Casket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame-casket-870029/) [Caskets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caskets/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars/) [Drive Insane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drive-insane-348462/) [Eleventh hour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eleventh-hour/) [Hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hours/) [Insane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insane/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Mouths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mouths/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silver/) [Thought Crimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-crimes-257150/) ## Related quotes > [There is no such crime as a crime of thought; there are only crimes of action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/there-is-no-such-crime-as-a-crime-of-thought-there-are-only-crimes-of/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [“Group dynamics and the decision to sacrifice the individual for the group are the first steps in a march down the road to Thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-bruce/group-dynamics-and-the-decision-to-sacrifice-the-individual-for-the/) [Tammy Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-bruce/) > [The firelight magnified our shadows, glinted off the silver, flickered high upon the walls; its reflection roared orange in the windowpanes as if a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/the-firelight-magnified-our-shadows-glinted-off-the-silver-flickered/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) > [You get to a stage where you replay every scenario in your head, but you have to stop; otherwise, you drive yourself insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millie-bright/you-get-to-a-stage-where-you-replay-every-scenario-in-your-head-but/) [Millie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millie-bright/) > [What are you doing son, you're gonna drive yourself insane. You'll never find the sunshine, when you're following the rain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-mcgraw/what-are-you-doing-son-you-re-gonna-drive-yourself-insane-you-ll/) [Tim McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-mcgraw/) > [All these things that crib and cab in your brain, in your imagination, are in fact things that might well in later life drive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-wynne-jones/all-these-things-that-crib-and-cab-in-your-brain-in-your-imagination/) [Diana Wynne Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-wynne-jones/) > [Arrogant people drive me insane!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/arrogant-people-drive-me-insane/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Never try to understand a woman. It will drive you insane, and you still won’t understand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerrelyn-sparks/never-try-to-understand-a-woman-it-will-drive-you-insane-and-you/) [Kerrelyn Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerrelyn-sparks/) > [“Ask me again why I don’t want you traveling with the team.” “Why?” He slid his thumb across her bottom lip. “Because you drive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-gibson/ask-me-again-why-i-don-t-want-you-traveling-with-the-team-why-he-slid/) [Rachel Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-gibson/) > [“Do you think too long a period of nightlessness,” mused Sandra, “could drive you insane, the way they say sleeplessness can?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/do-you-think-too-long-a-period-of-nightlessness-mused-sandra-could/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) > [“You baffle me, addle me, drive me insane. You muddle, befuddle, and rattle my brain. My senses are mad, Skewed judgment to blame. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/you-baffle-me-addle-me-drive-me-insane-you-muddle-befuddle-and-rattle/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [You are my kryptonite you take my powers away. And if I spend the night you probably drive me insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmine-sullivan/you-are-my-kryptonite-you-take-my-powers-away-and-if-i-spend-the/) [Jazmine Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmine-sullivan/) > [I feel like expectations definitely drive you to go insane in a sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelly-korda/i-feel-like-expectations-definitely-drive-you-to-go-insane-in-a-sense/) [Nelly Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelly-korda/) > [I never thought I would miss all those little things that drove me insane!! Stay safe and come home to me so you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce/i-never-thought-i-would-miss-all-those-little-things-that-drove-me/) [Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce/) > [“You drive me insane, June,” he murmurs against my hair. “You’re the scariest, most clever, bravest person I know, and sometimes I can’t catch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/you-drive-me-insane-june-he-murmurs-against-my-hair-you-re-the/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) ## More by Ben Harper > [Wish there was something that I could say or do, I can resist anything but the temptation from you. But I'd rather walk alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/wish-there-was-something-that-i-could-say-or-do-i-can-resist-anything/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [The advice I have for new artists is this - write great songs and play them live as often as possible. Get residencies all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/the-advice-i-have-for-new-artists-is-this-write-great-songs-and-play/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [Sometimes I think to talk too much about music almost cheapens it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/sometimes-i-think-to-talk-too-much-about-music-almost-cheapens-it/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [It was a huge deal, a huge musical discovery that became life lessons learned. You can't return from having an experience like that. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/it-was-a-huge-deal-a-huge-musical-discovery-that-became-life-lessons/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [I don't kid myself in thinking that I'm on the front lines. I know the people who are on the front lines. I mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/i-don-t-kid-myself-in-thinking-that-i-m-on-the-front-lines-i-know-the/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [If interviews are just interviews or if music is just music, why are we even doing it? You only get so many hours in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/if-interviews-are-just-interviews-or-if-music-is-just-music-why-are/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [You can't just say I love you, you have to LIVE I love you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/you-can-t-just-say-i-love-you-you-have-to-live-i-love-you/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [When it comes to writers and poets, for me it's Vinicius de Moraes. He's one of the greatest lyricists ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/when-it-comes-to-writers-and-poets-for-me-it-s-vinicius-de-moraes-he/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [My choice is what I choose to do and if I'm causing no harm it shouldn't bother you. Your choice is who you choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/my-choice-is-what-i-choose-to-do-and-if-i-m-causing-no-harm-it/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [When you have everything, you have everything to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/when-you-have-everything-you-have-everything-to-lose/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [To go through this life and see it through - what it really is - and not be insane or addicted, is a minor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/to-go-through-this-life-and-see-it-through-what-it-really-is-and-not/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [I've never made a record that didn't sound better than what was in my head - that's sort of my rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/i-ve-never-made-a-record-that-didn-t-sound-better-than-what-was-in-my/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [I grew up listening to spiritual music, Blind Willie Johnson and folk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/i-grew-up-listening-to-spiritual-music-blind-willie-johnson-and-folk/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [Every moral has a story, every story has and end. Every battle has its glory, and its consequence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/every-moral-has-a-story-every-story-has-and-end-every-battle-has-its/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [I really feel there's no limitation on what this band can do in the studio or on the stage. That's an empowering feeling -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/i-really-feel-there-s-no-limitation-on-what-this-band-can-do-in-the/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) [Explore all 135 Ben Harper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) ## More Blame quotes > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. Me girlfriend sort of blames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/me-mum-used-to-always-have-the-radio-on-even-now-she-has-it-on-in/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [I like to praise and reward loudly, to blame quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-the-great/i-like-to-praise-and-reward-loudly-to-blame-quietly/) [Catherine the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-the-great/) > [Some of the things that I said I hated to say, but blame yourself mother fucker you made it this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedi-mind-tricks/some-of-the-things-that-i-said-i-hated-to-say-but-blame-yourself/) [Jedi Mind Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedi-mind-tricks/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In places where government priorities and market imperatives create a world so capricious that to help a neighbor is to risk your ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/in-places-where-government-priorities-and-market-imperatives-create-a/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [“Stop Blaming Others For Your Own Actions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-g-roldan/stop-blaming-others-for-your-own-actions/) [Alexis G. Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't blame anyone .. I did this to myself .. It's my fault .. Everything is my FAULT ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nurnizz95/i-don-t-blame-anyone-i-did-this-to-myself-it-s-my-fault-everything-is/) [Nurnizz95](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nurnizz95/) > [“They would congratulate themselves every morning on keeping their integrity, and blame themselves each night for that missed opportunity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-would-congratulate-themselves-every-morning-on-keeping-their/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. So I try to choose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-aronofsky/i-try-to-live-my-life-where-i-end-up-at-a-point-where-i-have-no/) [Darren Aronofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-aronofsky/) > [How come you don't feel that magic in the air? I guess I knew you'll never be there. 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If you want to blame us for making Donald Trump president because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/listen-the-guy-was-not-created-by-coverage-from-msnbc-and-cnn-if-you/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) [Browse all 3,779 Blame quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The very thing that drives you, can drive you insane Got a head full of thought crimes and a number with no name Got an eleventh hour Jesus and a mouth full of blame A casket lined with silver dollars and a number with no name.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Harper" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/the-very-thing-that-drives-you-can-drive-you-insane-got-a-head-full/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blame" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/the-very-thing-that-drives-you-can-drive-you-insane-got-a-head-full/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/ben-harper-3257_blame_the-very-thing-that-drives-you-can-drive_65007.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/ben-harper-3257_blame_the-very-thing-that-drives-you-can-drive_65007.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/62c/ben-harper-3257_blame_the-very-thing-that-drives-you-can-drive_65007.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The very thing that drives you, can drive you insane Got a head full of thought crimes and a number with no…” — Ben Harper", "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": "Ben Harper", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The very thing that drives you,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/the-very-thing-that-drives-you-can-drive-you-insane-got-a-head-full/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/the-very-thing-that-drives-you-can-drive-you-insane-got-a-head-full/#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 } } ] } ```