--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If thou would'st have me sing and play As…" description: "\"If thou would'st have me sing and play As once I play'd and sung, First take this time-worn lute away, And bring one freshly strung.\" — Charles Lamb" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11a/charles-lamb-1144_firsts_if-thou-would-st-have-me-sing-and-play-a_1386807.jpg" --- # If thou would'st have me sing and play As once I play'd… ![“If thou would'st have me sing and play As once I play'd and sung, First take this time-worn lute away, And bring one freshly strung.” quote by Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11a/charles-lamb-1144_firsts_if-thou-would-st-have-me-sing-and-play-a_1386807.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11a/charles-lamb-1144_firsts_if-thou-would-st-have-me-sing-and-play-a_1386807.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11a/charles-lamb-1144_firsts_if-thou-would-st-have-me-sing-and-play-a_1386807.jpg) > “If thou would'st have me sing and play As once I play'd and sung, First take this time-worn lute away, And bring one freshly strung.” [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A request to replace old tools with new ones for better performance. **In simple terms:** Replace old with new for better results. Key Takeaway Upgrade your tools. Themes renewal improvement craftsmanship Mood reflective inspirational Type advice motivation When to use this quote - musicians - craftsmen - teachers - technicians - artists Key Concepts instrumentation quality efficiency Questions to Reflect On - What old habit are you clinging to? - How can a fresh start improve your work? A Different Perspective New tools may still require skill to use effectively. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Freshly Strung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freshly-strung-4821110/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Lute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lute-588073/) [Lute Away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lute-away-4821108/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Sung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-sung-4821109/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Worn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worn/) [Worn Lute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worn-lute-4821107/) ## Related quotes > [I give thee all,-I can no more, Though poor the off'ring be; My heart and lute are all the store That I can bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/i-give-thee-all-i-can-no-more-though-poor-the-off-ring-be-my-heart/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I think Englishmen or Northern Europeans in general are more naturally attracted to the lute than to the guitar, which always seems Spanish exotic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-bream/i-think-englishmen-or-northern-europeans-in-general-are-more/) [Julian Bream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-bream/) > [I suppose that when I started to play the lute it was fairly esoteric.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-bream/i-suppose-that-when-i-started-to-play-the-lute-it-was-fairly-esoteric/) [Julian Bream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-bream/) > [“S called a lute," said Caleb, through a mouthful of walrus. "Whut?" "IT'S CALLED A LUTE, HAMISH!" "Aye, I used to loot!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/s-called-a-lute-said-caleb-through-a-mouthful-of-walrus-whut-it-s/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Musicians had been assholes since the day the lute was invented.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/musicians-had-been-assholes-since-the-day-the-lute-was-invented/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [Who, of men, can tell That flowers would bloom, or that green fruit would swell To melting pulp, that fish would have bright mail,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/who-of-men-can-tell-that-flowers-would-bloom-or-that-green-fruit/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [Anybody who thinks the lute just came out of a vacuum doesn't know the history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhiannon-giddens/anybody-who-thinks-the-lute-just-came-out-of-a-vacuum-doesn-t-know/) [Rhiannon Giddens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhiannon-giddens/) > [“There was nothing special about the dried apple, but in my opinion if you have a secret compartment in your lute case and don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/there-was-nothing-special-about-the-dried-apple-but-in-my-opinion-if/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Maintain a state of balance between physical acts and inner serenity,like a lute whose strings are finely tuned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/maintain-a-state-of-balance-between-physical-acts-and-inner-serenity/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [As the strings of a lute are apart though they quiver the same music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-the-strings-of-a-lute-are-apart-though-they-quiver-the-same-music/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“My lute, be still, for I have done.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-thomas-wyatt/my-lute-be-still-for-i-have-done/) [Sir Thomas Wyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-thomas-wyatt/) > [You can have a silence full of words. A lute retains, in its bowl, the notes it has played. The viol, in its strings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/you-can-have-a-silence-full-of-words-a-lute-retains-in-its-bowl-the/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [Longing alone is singer to the lute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/longing-alone-is-singer-to-the-lute/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [I like to play the lute full-bloodedly, with passion, as well as with delicacy and, I hope, refinement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-bream/i-like-to-play-the-lute-full-bloodedly-with-passion-as-well-as-with/) [Julian Bream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-bream/) > [“I...flipped open the lid, thinking my lute might enjoy the feel of a little sun on its strings. If you aren't a musician, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-flipped-open-the-lid-thinking-my-lute-might-enjoy-the-feel-of-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) ## More by Charles Lamb > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [In the indications of female poverty there can be no disguise. No woman dresses below herself from caprice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/in-the-indications-of-female-poverty-there-can-be-no-disguise-no/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [To sigh, yet feel no pain; To weep, yet scarce know why; To sport an hour with Beauty's chain, Then throw it idly by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/to-sigh-yet-feel-no-pain-to-weep-yet-scarce-know-why-to-sport-an-hour/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [“I love to lose myself in other men's minds. When I am not walking, I am reading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/i-love-to-lose-myself-in-other-men-s-minds-when-i-am-not-walking-i-am/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [While childhood, and while dreams, producing childhood, shall be left, imagination shall not have spread her holy wings totally to fly the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/while-childhood-and-while-dreams-producing-childhood-shall-be-left/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Man, while he loves, is never quite depraved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/man-while-he-loves-is-never-quite-depraved/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Summer, as my friend Coleridge waggishly writes, has set in with its usual severity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/summer-as-my-friend-coleridge-waggishly-writes-has-set-in-with-its/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Here cometh April again, and as far as I can see the world hath more fools in it than ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/here-cometh-april-again-and-as-far-as-i-can-see-the-world-hath-more/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [A presentation copy...is a copy of a book whoch does not sell, sent you by the author, with his foolish autograph at the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/a-presentation-copy-is-a-copy-of-a-book-whoch-does-not-sell-sent-you/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I counsel thee, shut not thy heart, nor thy library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/i-counsel-thee-shut-not-thy-heart-nor-thy-library/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Nothing to me is more distasteful than that entire complacency and satisfaction which beam in the countenances of a new married couple; in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/nothing-to-me-is-more-distasteful-than-that-entire-complacency-and/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [My theory is to enjoy life, but the practice is against it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/my-theory-is-to-enjoy-life-but-the-practice-is-against-it/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [All, all are gone, the old familiar faces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/all-all-are-gone-the-old-familiar-faces/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Those evening bells! those evening bells! How many a tale their music tells Of youth and home, and that sweet time When last I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/those-evening-bells-those-evening-bells-how-many-a-tale-their-music/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Beholding heaven, and feeling hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/beholding-heaven-and-feeling-hell/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) [Explore all 283 Charles Lamb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) ## More Firsts quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-on-slumdog-millionaire-we-have/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) > [You sort of can't talk about the post production unless you talk about what comes first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-greengrass/you-sort-of-can-t-talk-about-the-post-production-unless-you-talk/) [Paul Greengrass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-greengrass/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [When I first started, my message was about joy, but I didn't really have the vocabulary and life experience to fully deliver it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/when-i-first-started-my-message-was-about-joy-but-i-didn-t-really/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [Meanwhile someone is shining my head to get it dry to attach my top-hat to my head with toupee tape. I get into microphone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/meanwhile-someone-is-shining-my-head-to-get-it-dry-to-attach-my-top/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) [Browse all 32,432 Firsts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If thou would'st have me sing and play As once I play'd and sung, First take this time-worn lute away, And bring one freshly strung.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Lamb" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/if-thou-would-st-have-me-sing-and-play-as-once-i-play-d-and-sung/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Firsts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/if-thou-would-st-have-me-sing-and-play-as-once-i-play-d-and-sung/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11a/charles-lamb-1144_firsts_if-thou-would-st-have-me-sing-and-play-a_1386807.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11a/charles-lamb-1144_firsts_if-thou-would-st-have-me-sing-and-play-a_1386807.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11a/charles-lamb-1144_firsts_if-thou-would-st-have-me-sing-and-play-a_1386807.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If thou would'st have me sing and play As once I play'd and sung, First take this time-worn lute away, And…” — Charles Lamb", "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": "Charles Lamb", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If thou would'st have me sing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/if-thou-would-st-have-me-sing-and-play-as-once-i-play-d-and-sung/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/if-thou-would-st-have-me-sing-and-play-as-once-i-play-d-and-sung/#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 } } ] } ```