---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not the side-effects of the cocaine…"
description: "\"“It's not the side-effects of the cocaine - I'm thinking that it must be love. It's too late to be grateful, It's too late to be hateful, It's too late..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/david-bowie-508_cocaine_it-s-not-the-side-effects-of-the-cocaine_1087472.jpg"
---

#  It's not the side-effects of the cocaine - I'm thinking…

![“It's not the side-effects of the cocaine - I'm thinking that it must be love. It's too late to be grateful, It's too late to be hateful, It's too late to be late again, The European canon is here. - Station to Station” quote by David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/david-bowie-508_cocaine_it-s-not-the-side-effects-of-the-cocaine_1087472.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/david-bowie-508_cocaine_it-s-not-the-side-effects-of-the-cocaine_1087472.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95d/david-bowie-508_cocaine_it-s-not-the-side-effects-of-the-cocaine_1087472.jpg)

> ““It's not the side-effects of the cocaine - I'm thinking that it must be love. It's too late to be grateful, It's too late to be hateful, It's too late to be late again, The European canon is here. - Station to Station ””

[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.

The speaker reflects on love versus addiction, feeling it's too late for gratitude or hate, and acknowledges cultural influence.

**In simple terms:** Love feels like an addiction, and time feels wasted.

Key Takeaway

Recognize love before it feels too late.

Themes

love regret culture

Mood

melancholic reflective

Type

lyetic cultural

When to use this quote

- personal reflection
- relationships
- cultural commentary

Key Concepts

addiction emotional conflict timing

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you differentiate love from dependency?
- What does “too late” mean for you?

A Different Perspective

Love may be misread as a drug, leading to missed opportunities.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Cocaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cocaine/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/)

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> [“When you are falling in love it is always already too late: dēute, as the poets say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/when-you-are-falling-in-love-it-is-always-already-too-late-d-ute-as/)

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> [“No, when we speaking about love, is never too late. - Lorenzo”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lise-friendman-letters-to-juliet/no-when-we-speaking-about-love-is-never-too-late-lorenzo/)

Lise Friendman-Letters to Juliet

> [The worst heartbreak, is realizing you love someone when its already too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-worst-heartbreak-is-realizing-you-love-someone-when-its-already/)

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> [Our most common mistake whEn it comes to love is realizing that we actually do love someone when it's too late and tryin' to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannea/our-most-common-mistake-when-it-comes-to-love-is-realizing-that-we/)

[Shannea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannea/)

> [Love is never too late, if its true love, if its pure love,it would find the right TIME ^\_^](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-never-too-late-if-its-true-love-if-its-pure-love-it-would/)

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> [If you love someone show it before its to late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-love-someone-show-it-before-its-to-late/)

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> [“It is true love because when he is late for dinner and I know he must be either having an affair or lying dead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-viorst/it-is-true-love-because-when-he-is-late-for-dinner-and-i-know-he-must/)

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> [Be brave enough and say I Love You before is too late!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laylablack/be-brave-enough-and-say-i-love-you-before-is-too-late/)

Laylablack

> [If I can, I want to say that word for you again 'I love you' But, it was too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-can-i-want-to-say-that-word-for-you-again-i-love-you-but-it-was/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [- I don't want you to love me. - Too late, mi chava.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/i-don-t-want-you-to-love-me-too-late-mi-chava/)

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## 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/)

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> [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/)

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> [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/)

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> [“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/)

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