--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cause I'd rather stay here With all the…" description: "\"“Cause I'd rather stay here With all the madmen Than perish with the sadmen roaming free And I'd rather play here With all the madmen For I'm quite con..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/david-bowie-508_mental-illness_cause-i-d-rather-stay-here-with-all-the_1829129.jpg" --- # Cause I'd rather stay here With all the madmen Than perish… ![“Cause I'd rather stay here With all the madmen Than perish with the sadmen roaming free And I'd rather play here With all the madmen For I'm quite content they're all as sane As me. - All the Madmen” quote by David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/david-bowie-508_mental-illness_cause-i-d-rather-stay-here-with-all-the_1829129.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/david-bowie-508_mental-illness_cause-i-d-rather-stay-here-with-all-the_1829129.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/david-bowie-508_mental-illness_cause-i-d-rather-stay-here-with-all-the_1829129.jpg) > ““Cause I'd rather stay here With all the madmen Than perish with the sadmen roaming free And I'd rather play here With all the madmen For I'm quite content they're all as sane As me. - All the Madmen ”” [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. Embracing the chaotic, unconventional crowd can feel safer than confronting melancholy solitude. **In simple terms:** Choosing madness over sadness offers comfort. Key Takeaway Find belonging among those who share your perspective. Themes individualism conformity mental health community Mood reflective defiant Type lyilosophical lyspirational When to use this quote - nightlife - creative work - social gatherings - mental health support Key Concepts existentialism social identity coping mechanisms Questions to Reflect On - Do you seek safety in shared eccentricity? - How does this choice affect your mental health? A Different Perspective May isolate you from deeper emotional growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Madmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madmen/) [Mental illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-illness/) ## Related quotes > [I'd rather stay here with all the madmen than perish with the sadmen roaming free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-d-rather-stay-here-with-all-the-madmen-than-perish-with-the-sadmen/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“Chasing 'happy' as a final destination is a trap. Becoming happier is a journey we can all start today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-marshall/chasing-happy-as-a-final-destination-is-a-trap-becoming-happier-is-a/) Billy Marshall > [“Nothing will give you emotional laryngitis like living in close proximity to someone who refuses to listen. Having emotions but no voice chokes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/nothing-will-give-you-emotional-laryngitis-like-living-in-close/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [“If you value your mental health, turn off all useless notifications - let's start with me, turn off all social media notifications from me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-you-value-your-mental-health-turn-off-all-useless-notifications/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Exercise your mind and practice levity; such mental calisthenics help you avoid standing at the doorsteps of atrophy, and perhaps, lunacy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-o-gumban/exercise-your-mind-and-practice-levity-such-mental-calisthenics-help/) Geoff O. Gumban > [“What is Happiness? Happiness is a myth. It doesn't exist. What we call happiness is merely a temporary sensation of excitement that we receive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/what-is-happiness-happiness-is-a-myth-it-doesn-t-exist-what-we-call/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [If a man comes to the door of poetry untouched by the madness of the Muses, believing that technique alone will make him a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/if-a-man-comes-to-the-door-of-poetry-untouched-by-the-madness-of-the/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [The sane man knows that he has a touch of the beast, a touch of the devil, a touch of the saint, a touch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-sane-man-knows-that-he-has-a-touch-of-the-beast-a-touch-of-the/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Folk-lore means that the soul is sane, but that the universe is wild and full of marvels. Realism means that the world is dull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/folk-lore-means-that-the-soul-is-sane-but-that-the-universe-is-wild/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [We are in the dark places of the earth," said Madman. "Where all the ancient and most dangerous secrets are kept. There are Old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-r-green/we-are-in-the-dark-places-of-the-earth-said-madman-where-all-the/) [Simon R. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-r-green/) > [When a madman appears thoroughly sane, indeed, it is high time to put him in a straight jacket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/when-a-madman-appears-thoroughly-sane-indeed-it-is-high-time-to-put/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [When you live entirely among madmen, it is difficult to know how sane you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aickman/when-you-live-entirely-among-madmen-it-is-difficult-to-know-how-sane/) [Robert Aickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aickman/) > [If I am mad, then who on the face of the earth is sane? If you are sane, then there is no madman in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saib-tabrizi/if-i-am-mad-then-who-on-the-face-of-the-earth-is-sane-if-you-are-sane/) [Saib Tabrizi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saib-tabrizi/) > [The sane would do no good if they made themselves mad to help madmen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sane-would-do-no-good-if-they-made-themselves-mad-to-help-madmen/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is less harm to be suffered in being mad among madmen than in being sane all by oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/there-is-less-harm-to-be-suffered-in-being-mad-among-madmen-than-in/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) ## 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 Madmen quotes > [Either Jesus is the Son of God ; or a madman or worse. But His being just a great teacher? He's not left that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/either-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-or-a-madman-or-worse-but-his-being/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [They used to be seen as insane or unthinkable acts of madmen. But if they take place they'll be called 'war' too. And there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/they-used-to-be-seen-as-insane-or-unthinkable-acts-of-madmen-but-if/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [Oh yes! The one man in the world who never believes he's mad is the madman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/oh-yes-the-one-man-in-the-world-who-never-believes-he-s-mad-is-the/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [We're certain there are people that can't stand what America stands for... We're certain there are madmen in this world, and there's terror, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-re-certain-there-are-people-that-can-t-stand-what-america-stands/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [If a madman were to come into this room with a stick in his hand, no doubt we should pity the state of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-a-madman-were-to-come-into-this-room-with-a-stick-in-his-hand-no/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [I hold a beast, an angel, and a madman in me, and my enquiry is as to their working, and my problem is their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-thomas/i-hold-a-beast-an-angel-and-a-madman-in-me-and-my-enquiry-is-as-to/) [Dylan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-thomas/) > [Someone like myself, who claimed to be a real madman, living and organized with a Pythagorean precision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salvador-dali/someone-like-myself-who-claimed-to-be-a-real-madman-living-and/) [Salvador Dali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salvador-dali/) > [I’ve told you before, I love like a madman,” he said. “Immoderate, jealous, possessive...I’m absolutely intolerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/i-ve-told-you-before-i-love-like-a-madman-he-said-immoderate-jealous/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [The fellow is either a madman or a poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/the-fellow-is-either-a-madman-or-a-poet/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [It is not difficult to destroy Islam. Islam is the pumped up ego of a megalomaniac psychopath. Muhammad was a narcissist madman. Just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-sina/it-is-not-difficult-to-destroy-islam-islam-is-the-pumped-up-ego-of-a/) [Ali Sina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-sina/) > [I could easily blast so much keef night and day I become a bouhali; a real-gone crazy, a holy untouchable madman unto whom everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brion-gysin/i-could-easily-blast-so-much-keef-night-and-day-i-become-a-bouhali-a/) [Brion Gysin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brion-gysin/) > [He who hides his madman, dies voiceless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-michaux/he-who-hides-his-madman-dies-voiceless/) [Henri Michaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-michaux/) > [People think they know me from my songs. But my repertoire of songs is so wide-ranging that you'd have to be a madman to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/people-think-they-know-me-from-my-songs-but-my-repertoire-of-songs-is/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Ambition is a drug that makes its addicts potential madmen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/ambition-is-a-drug-that-makes-its-addicts-potential-madmen/) [Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/) > [If it so happened that I had once written a best-seller, this was a pure accident, due to inattention and naivete, and I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-it-so-happened-that-i-had-once-written-a-best-seller-this-was-a/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) [Browse all 318 Madmen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madmen/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Cause I'd rather stay here With all the madmen Than perish with the sadmen roaming free And I'd rather play here With all the madmen For I'm quite content they're all as sane As me. - All the Madmen ”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Bowie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/cause-i-d-rather-stay-here-with-all-the-madmen-than-perish-with-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Madmen" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/cause-i-d-rather-stay-here-with-all-the-madmen-than-perish-with-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/david-bowie-508_mental-illness_cause-i-d-rather-stay-here-with-all-the_1829129.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/david-bowie-508_mental-illness_cause-i-d-rather-stay-here-with-all-the_1829129.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e6/david-bowie-508_mental-illness_cause-i-d-rather-stay-here-with-all-the_1829129.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Cause I'd rather stay here With all the madmen Than perish with the sadmen roaming free And I'd rather play…” — David Bowie", "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": "David Bowie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Cause I'd rather stay here With...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/cause-i-d-rather-stay-here-with-all-the-madmen-than-perish-with-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/cause-i-d-rather-stay-here-with-all-the-madmen-than-perish-with-the/#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 } } ] } ```