--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Actually, my ambition at eight or nine…" description: "\"Actually, my ambition at eight or nine years old was to be one of Little Richard's sax players, and that's when I got my first saxophone, a Selmer. It ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/david-bowie-508_ambition_actually-my-ambition-at-eight-or-nine-ye_2069915.jpg" --- # Actually, my ambition at eight or nine years old was to be… ![“Actually, my ambition at eight or nine years old was to be one of Little Richard's sax players, and that's when I got my first saxophone, a Selmer. It was a strange Bakelite material - that creamy plastic with all the gold keys on it. I had to get a job as a butcher's delivery boy to start paying…” quote by David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/david-bowie-508_ambition_actually-my-ambition-at-eight-or-nine-ye_2069915.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/david-bowie-508_ambition_actually-my-ambition-at-eight-or-nine-ye_2069915.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7c/david-bowie-508_ambition_actually-my-ambition-at-eight-or-nine-ye_2069915.jpg) > “Actually, my ambition at eight or nine years old was to be one of Little Richard's sax players, and that's when I got my first saxophone, a Selmer. It was a strange Bakelite material - that creamy plastic with all the gold keys on it. I had to get a job as a butcher's delivery boy to start paying for it.” [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early ambition and hard work, even in humble jobs, can fund and inspire artistic dreams. **In simple terms:** Hard work and early passion can fund artistic dreams. Key Takeaway Work hard, chase early passions. Themes ambition hard work artistic pursuit resourcefulness Mood reflective determined Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - learning an instrument - funding education - balancing work and art Key Concepts career development musical inspiration socio‑economic mobility Questions to Reflect On - What sacrifices are you willing to make for your art? - How can you balance work and creative growth? A Different Perspective May romanticize struggle, ignoring systemic barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Delivery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delivery/) [Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) [Got Saxophone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got-saxophone-569073/) [My ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-ambition/) [Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/player/) [Sax Players](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sax-players-642766/) [Saxophone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saxophone/) [Saxophone Selmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saxophone-selmer-3991461/) [Selmer Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selmer-strange-3991462/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange/) ## Related quotes > [When I got this saxophone, it became a religion. There wasn't TV, there wasn't much money, and there was just a real dedication… I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-getz/when-i-got-this-saxophone-it-became-a-religion-there-wasn-t-tv-there/) [Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/) > [I wanted an electric train for Christmas but I got the saxophone instead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-clemons/i-wanted-an-electric-train-for-christmas-but-i-got-the-saxophone/) [Clarence Clemons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-clemons/) > [Any saxophone player will have those influences come through in their music in a very different way. I can listen to the same 10…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-g/any-saxophone-player-will-have-those-influences-come-through-in-their/) [Kenny G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-g/) > [As far as other instrumentalists, I used to love mellow sax players like Paul Desmond. I love piano.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boz-scaggs/as-far-as-other-instrumentalists-i-used-to-love-mellow-sax-players/) [Boz Scaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boz-scaggs/) > [I got one of the best sax players in the business - Arno Hecht. He plays with the Uptown Horns and all the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dion-dimucci/i-got-one-of-the-best-sax-players-in-the-business-arno-hecht-he-plays/) [Dion DiMucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dion-dimucci/) > [Now that I am much older, I have had a number of sax players tell me I was responsible for them playing sax. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-clemons/now-that-i-am-much-older-i-have-had-a-number-of-sax-players-tell-me-i/) [Clarence Clemons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-clemons/) > [And I saw the sax line-up that he had behind him and I thought, I'm going to learn the saxophone. When I grow up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/and-i-saw-the-sax-line-up-that-he-had-behind-him-and-i-thought-i-m/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [As falls the dew on quenchless sands, blood only serves to wash ambition's hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/as-falls-the-dew-on-quenchless-sands-blood-only-serves-to-wash/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [As to methods, there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/as-to-methods-there-may-be-a-million-and-then-some-but-principles-are/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [My ambitions have ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/behdad-sami/my-ambitions-have-ambitions/) [Behdad Sami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/behdad-sami/) > [I came to New York to be a fine artist - that was my ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-came-to-new-york-to-be-a-fine-artist-that-was-my-ambition/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [For all may have, If they dare to try, a glorious life, or grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/for-all-may-have-if-they-dare-to-try-a-glorious-life-or-grave/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [When I was doing Shakespeare and I had spent a lot of time and effort in trying to become a great Shakespearean actress. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/when-i-was-doing-shakespeare-and-i-had-spent-a-lot-of-time-and-effort/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [My ambition when I was four years old was to be married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyanka-chopra/my-ambition-when-i-was-four-years-old-was-to-be-married/) [Priyanka Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyanka-chopra/) > [My ambition is to one day shed my wardrobe and figure out how to look like Gilles Bensimon - or a famous stylist -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-finch/my-ambition-is-to-one-day-shed-my-wardrobe-and-figure-out-how-to-look/) [Charles Finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-finch/) ## More by David Bowie > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [No more free steps to heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/no-more-free-steps-to-heaven/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I'm not sure whether it is me changing my mind, or whether I lie a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-not-sure-whether-it-is-me-changing-my-mind-or-whether-i-lie-a-lot/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I do some kind of work, whether writing or painting or recording, on a daily basis. And it's so essential that when I'm involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-do-some-kind-of-work-whether-writing-or-painting-or-recording-on-a/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [To not be modest about it, you'll find that with only a couple of exceptions, most of the musicians that I've worked with have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/to-not-be-modest-about-it-you-ll-find-that-with-only-a-couple-of/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I went mainstream in a major way with the song "Let's Dance." And what I found I had done was put a box around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-went-mainstream-in-a-major-way-with-the-song-let-s-dance-and-what-i/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“Keep your 'lectric eye on me babe Put your ray gun to my head Press your space face close to mine, love Freak out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/keep-your-lectric-eye-on-me-babe-put-your-ray-gun-to-my-head-press/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I'm in awe of the universe, but I don't necessarily believe there's an intelligence or agent behind it. I do have a passion for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-in-awe-of-the-universe-but-i-don-t-necessarily-believe-there-s-an/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [TV has eaten up everything else, and Warhol films are all that are left, which is fabulous. Pork could become the next I Love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/tv-has-eaten-up-everything-else-and-warhol-films-are-all-that-are/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“My brain hurt like a warehouse It had no room to spare I had to cram so many things to store everything in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/my-brain-hurt-like-a-warehouse-it-had-no-room-to-spare-i-had-to-cram/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I suppose for me as an artist it wasn't always just about expressing my work; I really wanted, more than anything else, to contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-suppose-for-me-as-an-artist-it-wasn-t-always-just-about-expressing/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [... And these children that you spit on as they try to change their worlds are immune to your consultations. They're quite aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/and-these-children-that-you-spit-on-as-they-try-to-change-their/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I think the first song I ever wrote ... was called "Can't Help Thinking About Me." That's an illuminating little piece, isn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-think-the-first-song-i-ever-wrote-was-called-can-t-help-thinking/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I've come to the realizations that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing half the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-ve-come-to-the-realizations-that-i-have-absolutely-no-idea-what-i-m/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I never really felt like a rock singer or a rock star or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-never-really-felt-like-a-rock-singer-or-a-rock-star-or-whatever/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) [Explore all 508 David Bowie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Actually, my ambition at eight or nine years old was to be one of Little Richard's sax players, and that's when I got my first saxophone, a Selmer. 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