--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Then I came up with this crazy idea just…" description: "\"Then I came up with this crazy idea just to walk out on the stage with no band at all and just start singing whatever came to mind. I actually fought t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af8/bobby-mcferrin-12039_band_then-i-came-up-with-this-crazy-idea-just_1981207.jpg" --- # Then I came up with this crazy idea just to walk out on… ![“Then I came up with this crazy idea just to walk out on the stage with no band at all and just start singing whatever came to mind. I actually fought the idea for a while because it seemed almost too radical, but it became obvious what I was supposed to be doing.” quote by Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af8/bobby-mcferrin-12039_band_then-i-came-up-with-this-crazy-idea-just_1981207.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af8/bobby-mcferrin-12039_band_then-i-came-up-with-this-crazy-idea-just_1981207.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af8/bobby-mcferrin-12039_band_then-i-came-up-with-this-crazy-idea-just_1981207.jpg) > “Then I came up with this crazy idea just to walk out on the stage with no band at all and just start singing whatever came to mind. I actually fought the idea for a while because it seemed almost too radical, but it became obvious what I was supposed to be doing.” [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spontaneous, unaccompanied performance can reveal authentic artistic expression despite fear of radical ideas. **In simple terms:** Going solo can unlock true creativity. Key Takeaway Trust your instinct and act. Themes creativity authenticity risk‑taking Mood courageous experimental Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - live performance - public speaking - improvisational theater - songwriting Key Concepts improvisation self‑expression Questions to Reflect On - What would happen if you performed without a safety net? - How do you balance risk and audience comfort? A Different Perspective Audience expectations may resist unconventional formats. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crazy ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crazy-ideas/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Radical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical/) [Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) ## Related quotes > [If you can't be persuasive to get people to believe your crazy idea, you can just go ahead and build it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mckelvey/if-you-can-t-be-persuasive-to-get-people-to-believe-your-crazy-idea/) [Jim McKelvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mckelvey/) > [This is really a crazy idea, you know. It probably won't work, but that will be interesting, too. You have to motivate yourself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/this-is-really-a-crazy-idea-you-know-it-probably-won-t-work-but-that/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [Believe me, nothing is more beautiful than to carry out crazy ideas. I'd like my whole life to be one single crazy idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/believe-me-nothing-is-more-beautiful-than-to-carry-out-crazy-ideas-i/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I don't do things that are comedic. This is such a crazy idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/i-don-t-do-things-that-are-comedic-this-is-such-a-crazy-idea/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [The challenge is that the day before something is truly a breakthrough, it's a crazy idea. And crazy ideas are very risky to attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-diamandis/the-challenge-is-that-the-day-before-something-is-truly-a/) [Peter Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-diamandis/) > [If some crazy idea stays in my head for long enough, then there's no fighting it. I just say, Okay, let's go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/if-some-crazy-idea-stays-in-my-head-for-long-enough-then-there-s-no/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [It was a crazy idea. But, as usual, that’s all Percy had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/it-was-a-crazy-idea-but-as-usual-that-s-all-percy-had/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [What I proposed was a computer that would be easy to use, mix text and graphics, and sell for about $1,000. Steve Jobs said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jef-raskin/what-i-proposed-was-a-computer-that-would-be-easy-to-use-mix-text-and/) [Jef Raskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jef-raskin/) > [Occasionally, there arises a writing situation where you see an alternative to what you are doing, a mad, wild gamble of a way for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/occasionally-there-arises-a-writing-situation-where-you-see-an/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [The day before something is a breakthrough, it’s a crazy idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-diamandis/the-day-before-something-is-a-breakthrough-it-s-a-crazy-idea/) [Peter Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-diamandis/) > [Where did we ever get the crazy idea that in order to make children do better, first we have to make them feel worse?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-nelsen/where-did-we-ever-get-the-crazy-idea-that-in-order-to-make-children/) [Jane Nelsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-nelsen/) > [We all feel that if we have a crazy idea that might get laughed at, there's nothing wrong with seeing if there's a crazy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/we-all-feel-that-if-we-have-a-crazy-idea-that-might-get-laughed-at/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Sometimes you have crazy ideas that sound crazy to everybody, but I'm sure everybody has had a crazy idea before. When you pull it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabolous/sometimes-you-have-crazy-ideas-that-sound-crazy-to-everybody-but-i-m/) Fabolous > [It's just that I'm fifteen, and I have this crazy idea I might actually have a life in front of me. I don't see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/it-s-just-that-i-m-fifteen-and-i-have-this-crazy-idea-i-might/) [Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/) > [From our music in general, we've always fought the idea that we had to fit into a box or fit into a certain category.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissy-costanza/from-our-music-in-general-we-ve-always-fought-the-idea-that-we-had-to/) [Chrissy Costanza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrissy-costanza/) ## More by Bobby McFerrin > [The true musician is to bring light into people's hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/the-true-musician-is-to-bring-light-into-people-s-hearts/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [Well, I started conducting kind of by accident. I wanted to give myself a special birthday present for my fortieth birthday, and I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/well-i-started-conducting-kind-of-by-accident-i-wanted-to-give-myself/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [The voice gets to the soul of a person more than any other instrument. Because it's the voice. It sings talks, it cries, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/the-voice-gets-to-the-soul-of-a-person-more-than-any-other-instrument/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [Then I left that school and I went to Cerritos College, which was in southern California; they had one of the best big band…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/then-i-left-that-school-and-i-went-to-cerritos-college-which-was-in/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [I have a lot of albums yet to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/i-have-a-lot-of-albums-yet-to-do/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [The audience is like my instrument. It's not just me up there, it's collaborative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/the-audience-is-like-my-instrument-it-s-not-just-me-up-there-it-s/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [Here's a little song I wrote. You might want to sing it note for note. Don't worry, be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/here-s-a-little-song-i-wrote-you-might-want-to-sing-it-note-for-note/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [When we listen to improvisational jazz, or solo classical violinists, the way they phrase and inflect melodies feels vocal, like they’re talking to us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/when-we-listen-to-improvisational-jazz-or-solo-classical-violinists/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [I do a lot of performing, but don't get a chance to go to the studio and write good music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/i-do-a-lot-of-performing-but-don-t-get-a-chance-to-go-to-the-studio/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [I use the audience as my color palette, my instrument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/i-use-the-audience-as-my-color-palette-my-instrument/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [I prepared five songs, I sang them, and he hired me. I started working about a month later at the piano bar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/i-prepared-five-songs-i-sang-them-and-he-hired-me-i-started-working/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [It's not that I don't love the song. My songs are like my children: some you want around and some you want to send…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/it-s-not-that-i-don-t-love-the-song-my-songs-are-like-my-children/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [My biggest musical influences are probably my parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/my-biggest-musical-influences-are-probably-my-parents/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [I’m not a scholar or a psychologist, so I don’t really think about why. But I do think about what it means to sing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/i-m-not-a-scholar-or-a-psychologist-so-i-don-t-really-think-about-why/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [Remembering that life can be full of surprises is useful in any part of your life. You can try a new way of singing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/remembering-that-life-can-be-full-of-surprises-is-useful-in-any-part/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) [Explore all 56 Bobby McFerrin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) ## More Band quotes > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [There is something to be said though when you have 4 or 5 guys playing with no net, there is a sense of urgency,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-mendoza/there-is-something-to-be-said-though-when-you-have-4-or-5-guys/) [Marco Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-mendoza/) > [My Nirvana experience was much different than the other three guys. For me, it was really new and exciting. I was just a guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-smear/my-nirvana-experience-was-much-different-than-the-other-three-guys/) [Pat Smear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-smear/) > [I think my music has always been a mixture, depending on whom I'm working with - what band, what musicians, what producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matisyahu/i-think-my-music-has-always-been-a-mixture-depending-on-whom-i-m/) [Matisyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matisyahu/) > [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [I've always made sure that I tour with bands that people aren't expecting me to tour with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayer-hawthorne/i-ve-always-made-sure-that-i-tour-with-bands-that-people-aren-t/) [Mayer Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayer-hawthorne/) > [There is more to me than just having been in the Runaways. And even though I'm really, really proud of what the band accomplished,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-fuchs/there-is-more-to-me-than-just-having-been-in-the-runaways-and-even/) [Jackie Fuchs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-fuchs/) > [I like the bad-boy types. Generally the guy I'm attracted to is the guy in the club with all the tattoos and nail polish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-like-the-bad-boy-types-generally-the-guy-i-m-attracted-to-is-the/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [Bass guitar is the engine of the band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/bass-guitar-is-the-engine-of-the-band/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [I just became accustomed to being all the members of the band. That was something that was really exciting to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-collier/i-just-became-accustomed-to-being-all-the-members-of-the-band-that/) [Jacob Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-collier/) > [I guess because we're essentially a two-man band, we're attracting Wham's crowd. But Wham! are more of a businessman's band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/i-guess-because-we-re-essentially-a-two-man-band-we-re-attracting/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [I'm about as privileged as you can get. I'm a white, male, heterosexual front man of a rock band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-reynolds/i-m-about-as-privileged-as-you-can-get-i-m-a-white-male-heterosexual/) [Dan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-reynolds/) > [I'd been playing in bands for something like seven years at this point. And we were always trying to get ahead, trying to rehearse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aerosmith/i-d-been-playing-in-bands-for-something-like-seven-years-at-this/) [Aerosmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aerosmith/) > [Metallica's the only band i've ever been in. I'm not sure that when it ends in five, ten years, I'm going to put an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lars-ulrich/metallica-s-the-only-band-i-ve-ever-been-in-i-m-not-sure-that-when-it/) [Lars Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lars-ulrich/) Browse all 6,497 Band quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Then I came up with this crazy idea just to walk out on the stage with no band at all and just start singing whatever came to mind. 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