---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't know why people thought I was…"
description: "\"I don't know why people thought I was retiring.\" — Billy Joel"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ac/billy-joel-1000_people_i-don-t-know-why-people-thought-i-was-re_1283782.png"
---

#  I don't know why people thought I was retiring.

![“I don't know why people thought I was retiring.” quote by Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ac/billy-joel-1000_people_i-don-t-know-why-people-thought-i-was-re_1283782.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ac/billy-joel-1000_people_i-don-t-know-why-people-thought-i-was-re_1283782.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ac/billy-joel-1000_people_i-don-t-know-why-people-thought-i-was-re_1283782.png)

> “I don't know why people thought I was retiring.”

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

## About This Quote

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

He clarifies that rumors of his retirement were unfounded.

**In simple terms:** He's still active, not retiring.

Key Takeaway

Ignore false rumors.

Themes

career public perception media

Mood

reflective calm

Type

statement clarification

When to use this quote

- concert tours
- album releases
- media interviews

Key Concepts

celebrity rumor management

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do people assume retirement?
- How do you handle public speculation?

A Different Perspective

Fans may misinterpret silence as retirement.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Retirement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retirement/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/)

## Related quotes

> [That's why I've never thought of retiring because I do it all the time whether on the stage or off. I found that in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-borge/that-s-why-i-ve-never-thought-of-retiring-because-i-do-it-all-the/)

[Victor Borge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-borge/)

> [I know many of you thought that I would be retiring today, but if I was ever going to announce my retirement it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-know-many-of-you-thought-that-i-would-be-retiring-today-but-if-i/)

[Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/)

> [The only reason I ever thought about retiring from the front part of the camera as opposed to the back is sometimes you think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/the-only-reason-i-ever-thought-about-retiring-from-the-front-part-of/)

[Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/)

> [I'm gonna die but I haven't thought about retiring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/i-m-gonna-die-but-i-haven-t-thought-about-retiring/)

[Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/)

> [I have seriously thought about retiring, but that was on a good day. On a bad day I've thought about killing myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-lendl/i-have-seriously-thought-about-retiring-but-that-was-on-a-good-day-on/)

[Ivan Lendl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-lendl/)

> [I never thought of retiring. I'm a racer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-kalitta/i-never-thought-of-retiring-i-m-a-racer/)

[Connie Kalitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-kalitta/)

> [When I was younger, I thought about retiring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-tucker/when-i-was-younger-i-thought-about-retiring/)

[Tanya Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanya-tucker/)

> [Well, I didn't grow up with that word 'retirement' as part of my consciousness. I didn't grow up with professionals that retired. I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruby-dee/well-i-didn-t-grow-up-with-that-word-retirement-as-part-of-my/)

[Ruby Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruby-dee/)

> [I love being Dr. Ruth, so I have never thought of retiring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/i-love-being-dr-ruth-so-i-have-never-thought-of-retiring/)

[Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/)

> [I am very much inspired by the great masters of entertainment: Bob Hope, George Burns, Jimmy Durante - who never thought about retiring. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/i-am-very-much-inspired-by-the-great-masters-of-entertainment-bob/)

[Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/)

> [A couple years ago I was going to back off and actually thought about retiring, but it keeps calling me back, and I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-newsted/a-couple-years-ago-i-was-going-to-back-off-and-actually-thought-about/)

[Jason Newsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-newsted/)

> [Sure, I've thought about retiring, but in my mind, if you can't sing the song anymore, change the song and sing a different one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/sure-i-ve-thought-about-retiring-but-in-my-mind-if-you-can-t-sing-the/)

[Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/)

> [For retirement brings repose, and repose allows a kindly judgment of all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sharp-williams/for-retirement-brings-repose-and-repose-allows-a-kindly-judgment-of/)

John Sharp Williams

> [Retirement is having nothing to do and someone always keeping you from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/retirement-is-having-nothing-to-do-and-someone-always-keeping-you/)

[Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/)

> [I have no intention of retiring. Even my blood sugar is better when I'm working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-stritch/i-have-no-intention-of-retiring-even-my-blood-sugar-is-better-when-i/)

[Elaine Stritch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-stritch/)

## More by Billy Joel

> [Everybody is different. Some writers can write reams of great books and then J. D. Salinger wrote just a few. Beethoven wrote nine symphonies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/everybody-is-different-some-writers-can-write-reams-of-great-books/)

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

> [Only the good die young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/only-the-good-die-young/)

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

> [In a way, we are magicians. We are alchemists, sorcerers and wizards. We are a very strange bunch. But there is great fun in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/in-a-way-we-are-magicians-we-are-alchemists-sorcerers-and-wizards-we/)

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

> [I don't want some pretty face to tell me pretty lies, all I want is someone to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-don-t-want-some-pretty-face-to-tell-me-pretty-lies-all-i-want-is/)

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

> [I've always said about 50% of what happens at a concert has to do with the audience. If you play for a dead audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-ve-always-said-about-50-of-what-happens-at-a-concert-has-to-do-with/)

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

> [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/)

> [Rock and roll just used to be for kicks, now a days it's politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/rock-and-roll-just-used-to-be-for-kicks-now-a-days-it-s-politics/)

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

> [Don't make music for some vast, unseen audience or market or ratings share or even for something as tangible as money. Though it's crucial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/don-t-make-music-for-some-vast-unseen-audience-or-market-or-ratings/)

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

> [Usually when I'm writing, I try to write fairly quickly. If a song sits around too long, it starts to take on a stink.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/usually-when-i-m-writing-i-try-to-write-fairly-quickly-if-a-song-sits/)

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

> [My daughter sent me on a mission to get as many autographs as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/my-daughter-sent-me-on-a-mission-to-get-as-many-autographs-as-possible/)

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

> [ I was listening to stuff and I realized that I've had a lot of different lives. You know the theory \[that says\] every seven… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-was-listening-to-stuff-and-i-realized-that-i-ve-had-a-lot-of/)

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

> [If you said good-bye to me tonight, There would still be music left to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/if-you-said-good-bye-to-me-tonight-there-would-still-be-music-left-to/)

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

> [If I need a cause for celebration, Or a comfort I can use to ease my mind, I rely on my imagination, And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/if-i-need-a-cause-for-celebration-or-a-comfort-i-can-use-to-ease-my/)

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

> [I'm carrying the weight of all the useless junk and modern man accumulates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-m-carrying-the-weight-of-all-the-useless-junk-and-modern-man/)

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

> [What will it take for you to believe in me, the way that I believe in you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/what-will-it-take-for-you-to-believe-in-me-the-way-that-i-believe-in/)

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

[Explore all 311 Billy Joel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/)

## More People quotes

> [If I am going to be phased out by whatever powers, then I want people to know that it is not because I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/if-i-am-going-to-be-phased-out-by-whatever-powers-then-i-want-people/)

[Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/)

[Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/)

> [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/)

[Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/)

> [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/)

> [I feel like the future is unwritten. So many of the things that we write now haven't been about educating people on the environment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-feel-like-the-future-is-unwritten-so-many-of-the-things-that-we/)

[John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/)

> [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/)

[Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/)

> [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/)

[Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/)

> [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/)

[Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/)

> [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/)

[David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/)

> [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/)

[Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/)

> [Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/pain-is-meant-to-wake-us-up-people-try-to-hide-their-pain-but-they-re/)

[Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/)

[Browse all 211,607 People quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I don't know why people thought I was retiring.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Billy Joel"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-don-t-know-why-people-thought-i-was-retiring/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "People"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-don-t-know-why-people-thought-i-was-retiring/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ac/billy-joel-1000_people_i-don-t-know-why-people-thought-i-was-re_1283782.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ac/billy-joel-1000_people_i-don-t-know-why-people-thought-i-was-re_1283782.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ac/billy-joel-1000_people_i-don-t-know-why-people-thought-i-was-re_1283782.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I don't know why people thought I was retiring.” — Billy Joel",
                "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": "Billy Joel",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I don't know why people thought...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-don-t-know-why-people-thought-i-was-retiring/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-don-t-know-why-people-thought-i-was-retiring/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
