--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'd put a lot of work into playing guitar…" description: "\"I'd put a lot of work into playing guitar and was thinking I was pretty damn good. But Hendrix came along and destroyed everyone.\" — Brian May" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/brian-may-8348_damn_i-d-put-a-lot-of-work-into-playing-guita_3067288.jpg" --- # I'd put a lot of work into playing guitar and was thinking… ![“I'd put a lot of work into playing guitar and was thinking I was pretty damn good. But Hendrix came along and destroyed everyone.” quote by Brian May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/brian-may-8348_damn_i-d-put-a-lot-of-work-into-playing-guita_3067288.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/brian-may-8348_damn_i-d-put-a-lot-of-work-into-playing-guita_3067288.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/brian-may-8348_damn_i-d-put-a-lot-of-work-into-playing-guita_3067288.jpg) > “I'd put a lot of work into playing guitar and was thinking I was pretty damn good. But Hendrix came along and destroyed everyone.” [Brian May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-may/) ## 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 acknowledges personal skill but admits Hendrix's talent eclipsed everyone, highlighting humility and the impact of extraordinary talent. **In simple terms:** Hendrix outshone all others. Key Takeaway Accept that greatness can surpass personal effort. Themes humility talent comparison Mood reflective inspirational Type musical personal When to use this quote - music performance - artist self‑assessment - historical context Key Concepts excellence legacy Questions to Reflect On - What does humility reveal about artistic confidence? - How do we measure true mastery? A Different Perspective The statement may exaggerate for effect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Damn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/damn/) [Damn good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/damn-good/) [Destroyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroyed/) [Good Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-hendrix-5172486/) [Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) [Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hendrix/) [Hendrix Came](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hendrix-came-4742920/) [Playing guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-guitar/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I don't know if anybody will ever be as good as Hendrix again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-rossington/i-don-t-know-if-anybody-will-ever-be-as-good-as-hendrix-again/) [Gary Rossington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-rossington/) > [Jimi Hendrix came from the blues, like me. We understood each other right away because of that. He was a great blues guitarist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/jimi-hendrix-came-from-the-blues-like-me-we-understood-each-other/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [I started out playing guitar because Jimi Hendrix was my hero, so my roots were really based on Jimi Hendrix and his style of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-satriani/i-started-out-playing-guitar-because-jimi-hendrix-was-my-hero-so-my/) [Joe Satriani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-satriani/) > [The only thing I ever really wanted was a Strat .. I started playing guitar after seeing Jimi Hendrix on TV the day he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yngwie-malmsteen/the-only-thing-i-ever-really-wanted-was-a-strat-i-started-playing/) [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yngwie-malmsteen/) > [At first, I didn't think playing guitar was the right thing for me to do. 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I'm a weird kind of animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-may/i-go-through-major-crises-every-few-months-but-then-i-have-great/) [Brian May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-may/) > [Mantovani was a great influence on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-may/mantovani-was-a-great-influence-on-me/) [Brian May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-may/) > [Not for a million - years. I mean, I like the INXS boys, but I found the process very degrading, really. Reality television has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-may/not-for-a-million-years-i-mean-i-like-the-inxs-boys-but-i-found-the/) [Brian May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-may/) > [Everybody thought I was a bit of an eccentric for wanting to be out there looking at the stars, but I still do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-may/everybody-thought-i-was-a-bit-of-an-eccentric-for-wanting-to-be-out/) [Brian May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-may/) > [There are a lot of things in Queen albums that you don't expect; that's why we threw them in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-may/there-are-a-lot-of-things-in-queen-albums-that-you-don-t-expect-that/) [Brian May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-may/) > [I spent 20 years of my life building up Queen, and now I'm spending years of my life trying to get away from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-may/i-spent-20-years-of-my-life-building-up-queen-and-now-i-m-spending/) [Brian May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-may/) > [You want to go in the steam bath to get your vocals sounding well, but you don't want your fingers to get soft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-may/you-want-to-go-in-the-steam-bath-to-get-your-vocals-sounding-well-but/) [Brian May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-may/) > [To my mind Keep Yourself Alive was never really satisfactory. 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They were right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-may/i-m-into-paradoxes-i-wanted-to-make-an-album-about-them-but-the-group/) [Brian May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-may/) > [The Wedding March has a bit of a death march in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-may/the-wedding-march-has-a-bit-of-a-death-march-in-it/) [Brian May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-may/) > [Every time I listen to Jeff Beck my whole view of guitar changes radically. He's way, way out, doing things you never expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-may/every-time-i-listen-to-jeff-beck-my-whole-view-of-guitar-changes/) [Brian May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-may/) > [When I'm gone, people will no doubt remember me for Queen, but I would much rather be remembered for attempting to change the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-may/when-i-m-gone-people-will-no-doubt-remember-me-for-queen-but-i-would/) [Brian May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-may/) > [There are times when I've been feeling something and played a solo that I've never been able to repeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-may/there-are-times-when-i-ve-been-feeling-something-and-played-a-solo/) [Brian May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-may/) > [We wouldn't have put it out with the name Queen on it if we didn't think it was musically up to scratch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-may/we-wouldn-t-have-put-it-out-with-the-name-queen-on-it-if-we-didn-t/) [Brian May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-may/) [Explore all 81 Brian May quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-may/) ## More Damn quotes > [“It was about damn time something happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/it-was-about-damn-time-something-happened/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm damn well gonna do it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geri-halliwell/i-don-t-know-what-i-m-doing-but-i-m-damn-well-gonna-do-it/) [Geri Halliwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geri-halliwell/) > [Damn inflation, full speed ahead,' Greenspan has said in both action and word. I think an investor should believe him and invest accordingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gross/damn-inflation-full-speed-ahead-greenspan-has-said-in-both-action-and/) [Bill Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gross/) > [“Damn it, it wasn’t quite fresh enough!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft-2/damn-it-it-wasn-t-quite-fresh-enough/) [H.P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft-2/) > [If he wants to blow his head off, let him. I don't give a damn about Jim Bakker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-hahn/if-he-wants-to-blow-his-head-off-let-him-i-don-t-give-a-damn-about/) [Jessica Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-hahn/) > [“I’ve been looking for you my whole damn life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/i-ve-been-looking-for-you-my-whole-damn-life/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Damn it! This chick runs with vampires!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/damn-it-this-chick-runs-with-vampires/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [Hardest emotion? They're all pretty damn hard; I don't know really if there's one specifically, but I do think, I don't know what's happening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-gyllenhaal/hardest-emotion-they-re-all-pretty-damn-hard-i-don-t-know-really-if/) [Jake Gyllenhaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-gyllenhaal/) > [“Joe!” he groaned, attempting to speak clearly. “Joe! Good ol’ Joe!” “Captain, you’re drunk!” Lofflin said, stating the obvious while trying to keep his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/joe-he-groaned-attempting-to-speak-clearly-joe-good-ol-joe-captain/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [I don't care a damn for your loyal service when you think I am right; when I really want it most is when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-monash/i-don-t-care-a-damn-for-your-loyal-service-when-you-think-i-am-right/) [John Monash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-monash/) > [For now, I'm supposing that all movements are equal, which they're not, except in this respect: that none of them gives a damn about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfrid-sheed/for-now-i-m-supposing-that-all-movements-are-equal-which-they-re-not/) [Wilfrid Sheed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfrid-sheed/) > [I tended not to give a damn about anything in life because I didn't think life gave a damn about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-tended-not-to-give-a-damn-about-anything-in-life-because-i-didn-t/) [Johnny Paycheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/) > [Since I came to the White House, I got two hearing aids, a colon operation, skin cancer, a prostate operation, and I was shot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/since-i-came-to-the-white-house-i-got-two-hearing-aids-a-colon/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [She's all I want and more I mean damn. 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