--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was just coming up, I always…" description: "\"When I was just coming up, I always wanted to be able to perform to a large crowd with a symphony.\" — Curtis Mayfield" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/curtis-mayfield-18381_always_when-i-was-just-coming-up-i-always-wante_1744958.jpg" --- # When I was just coming up, I always wanted to be able to… ![“When I was just coming up, I always wanted to be able to perform to a large crowd with a symphony.” quote by Curtis Mayfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/curtis-mayfield-18381_always_when-i-was-just-coming-up-i-always-wante_1744958.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/curtis-mayfield-18381_always_when-i-was-just-coming-up-i-always-wante_1744958.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/curtis-mayfield-18381_always_when-i-was-just-coming-up-i-always-wante_1744958.jpg) > “When I was just coming up, I always wanted to be able to perform to a large crowd with a symphony.” [Curtis Mayfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-mayfield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Aspiration to share art with many people drives ambition and confidence. **In simple terms:** Want to perform for large audiences. Key Takeaway Seek platforms that reach many listeners. Themes art ambition performance Mood inspirational motivational Type creative encouraging When to use this quote - concert planning - public speaking - online streaming - community events Key Concepts Audience reach public speaking musical expression Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to build confidence before a big performance? - How does audience size affect your artistic expression? A Different Perspective Large crowds can be intimidating; focus on connection over size. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [When I perform in front of large audiences, I'm much more comfortable, because I've already performed in front of tiny audiences - which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-keys/when-i-perform-in-front-of-large-audiences-i-m-much-more-comfortable/) [Alicia Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-keys/) > [All one has to do to gather a large crowd in New York is to stand on the curb a few minutes and gaze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/all-one-has-to-do-to-gather-a-large-crowd-in-new-york-is-to-stand-on/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) > [Speaking in front of a large crowd is not pleasant. Once it gets rolling, it's okay. But beforehand, it's murder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/speaking-in-front-of-a-large-crowd-is-not-pleasant-once-it-gets/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [Streaking through a large crowd has always been a secret fantasy of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/streaking-through-a-large-crowd-has-always-been-a-secret-fantasy-of/) [Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/) > [“There was a large crowd around us, and every face in it looked happy. We had little opportunity to talk until we reached the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soseki-natsume/there-was-a-large-crowd-around-us-and-every-face-in-it-looked-happy/) [Sōseki Natsume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soseki-natsume/) > [The best thing is being able to perform in front of people and to express my feelings, whatever they may be at the time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-tucker/the-best-thing-is-being-able-to-perform-in-front-of-people-and-to/) [Tanya Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanya-tucker/) > [“to know is to be able to perform effective action”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-marsden/to-know-is-to-be-able-to-perform-effective-action/) Marcus Marsden > [Singing has always been my big passion and I would love to be able to go to the U.S. and perform more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-jenkins/singing-has-always-been-my-big-passion-and-i-would-love-to-be-able-to/) [Katherine Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-jenkins/) > [Excellence is being able to perform at a high level, over and over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z-2/excellence-is-being-able-to-perform-at-a-high-level-over-and-over/) [Jay Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z-2/) > [At the end of the day, it's a very powerful voice when you're able to perform on any level on any stage and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-goldberg/at-the-end-of-the-day-it-s-a-very-powerful-voice-when-you-re-able-to/) [Bill Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-goldberg/) > [It's so God-given - my talent - because it took so very little time to get it down to where I was able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darci-lynne-farmer/it-s-so-god-given-my-talent-because-it-took-so-very-little-time-to/) [Darci Lynne Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darci-lynne-farmer/) > [I've been able to come back at a high level which is something I'm happy about, not just stand on the pitch but able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-kompany/i-ve-been-able-to-come-back-at-a-high-level-which-is-something-i-m/) [Vincent Kompany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-kompany/) > [You have to have a very well-balanced life to be able to perform very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-ames/you-have-to-have-a-very-well-balanced-life-to-be-able-to-perform-very/) Stephen Ames > [Of course, it's a great joy to be able to perform. And that love affair with an audience, where you give love and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-crocker/of-course-it-s-a-great-joy-to-be-able-to-perform-and-that-love-affair/) Barry Crocker > [I love being able to perform in front of people. I like potentially making a difference in somebody's day or somebody's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-underwood/i-love-being-able-to-perform-in-front-of-people-i-like-potentially/) [Carrie Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-underwood/) ## More by Curtis Mayfield > [“Could live with you in solitude and need no one else. Give me your love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-mayfield/could-live-with-you-in-solitude-and-need-no-one-else-give-me-your-love/) [Curtis Mayfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-mayfield/) > [If there's hell below, we're all gonna go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-mayfield/if-there-s-hell-below-we-re-all-gonna-go/) [Curtis Mayfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-mayfield/) > [Our purpose is to educate as well as to entertain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-mayfield/our-purpose-is-to-educate-as-well-as-to-entertain/) [Curtis Mayfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-mayfield/) > [I didn't have to leave my neighborhood to be surrounded by the things that 'Super Fly' is about. It was easier than most scripts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-mayfield/i-didn-t-have-to-leave-my-neighborhood-to-be-surrounded-by-the-things/) [Curtis Mayfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-mayfield/) > [To talk about the '60s almost brings tears to my eyes. What we did. What we all did. We changed the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-mayfield/to-talk-about-the-60s-almost-brings-tears-to-my-eyes-what-we-did-what/) [Curtis Mayfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-mayfield/) > [Move on up towards your destination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-mayfield/move-on-up-towards-your-destination/) [Curtis Mayfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-mayfield/) > [My art and my creativities were totally something that was of my own heart and mind. I could never let anybody dictate to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-mayfield/my-art-and-my-creativities-were-totally-something-that-was-of-my-own/) [Curtis Mayfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-mayfield/) > [His hustle was wrong, his mind was his own, but the man lived alone, oh, Superfly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-mayfield/his-hustle-was-wrong-his-mind-was-his-own-but-the-man-lived-alone-oh/) [Curtis Mayfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-mayfield/) > [I was writing songs from when I was 12. My songs always came from questions that I need answers for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-mayfield/i-was-writing-songs-from-when-i-was-12-my-songs-always-came-from/) [Curtis Mayfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-mayfield/) > [With all respect, I'm sure that we have enough preachers in the world. Through my way of writing, I was capable of being able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-mayfield/with-all-respect-i-m-sure-that-we-have-enough-preachers-in-the-world/) [Curtis Mayfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-mayfield/) > [I was a very observant child. Almost anything could become a song to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-mayfield/i-was-a-very-observant-child-almost-anything-could-become-a-song-to-me/) [Curtis Mayfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-mayfield/) > [As a kid, sometimes you have nobody to turn to. I could always go back to some of the sermons and talk to myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-mayfield/as-a-kid-sometimes-you-have-nobody-to-turn-to-i-could-always-go-back/) [Curtis Mayfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-mayfield/) > [Maybe the words that I say is just another way to pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-mayfield/maybe-the-words-that-i-say-is-just-another-way-to-pray/) [Curtis Mayfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-mayfield/) > [Educated fools; from uneducated schools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-mayfield/educated-fools-from-uneducated-schools/) [Curtis Mayfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-mayfield/) > [Painless preaching is as good a term as any for what we do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-mayfield/painless-preaching-is-as-good-a-term-as-any-for-what-we-do/) [Curtis Mayfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-mayfield/) [Explore all 35 Curtis Mayfield quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-mayfield/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was just coming up, I always wanted to be able to perform to a large crowd with a symphony.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Curtis Mayfield" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-mayfield/when-i-was-just-coming-up-i-always-wanted-to-be-able-to-perform-to-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-mayfield/when-i-was-just-coming-up-i-always-wanted-to-be-able-to-perform-to-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/curtis-mayfield-18381_always_when-i-was-just-coming-up-i-always-wante_1744958.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/curtis-mayfield-18381_always_when-i-was-just-coming-up-i-always-wante_1744958.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/curtis-mayfield-18381_always_when-i-was-just-coming-up-i-always-wante_1744958.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was just coming up, I always wanted to be able to perform to a large crowd with a symphony.” — Curtis Mayfield", "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": "Curtis Mayfield", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-mayfield/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was just coming up,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-mayfield/when-i-was-just-coming-up-i-always-wanted-to-be-able-to-perform-to-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-mayfield/when-i-was-just-coming-up-i-always-wanted-to-be-able-to-perform-to-a/#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 } } ] } ```