--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was like treading water all through…" description: "\"It was like treading water all through the '60s, and when 1970 kicked in, I thought \"We're here. Right.\" God, this is exciting. I'm going to go for it ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/david-bowie-508_exciting_it-was-like-treading-water-all-through-t_337503.jpg" --- # It was like treading water all through the '60s, and when… ![“It was like treading water all through the '60s, and when 1970 kicked in, I thought "We're here. Right." God, this is exciting. I'm going to go for it now. I really felt it was my time. Then Marc Bolan did it first. That really pissed me off.” quote by David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/david-bowie-508_exciting_it-was-like-treading-water-all-through-t_337503.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/david-bowie-508_exciting_it-was-like-treading-water-all-through-t_337503.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/david-bowie-508_exciting_it-was-like-treading-water-all-through-t_337503.jpg) > “It was like treading water all through the '60s, and when 1970 kicked in, I thought "We're here. Right." God, this is exciting. I'm going to go for it now. I really felt it was my time. Then Marc Bolan did it first. That really pissed me off.” [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. Describes feeling of momentum in the 1970s, then frustration at being outpaced by peers. **In simple terms:** I felt the era’s excitement, then disappointment. Key Takeaway Channel frustration into original creation. Themes ambition disappointment creative drive Mood reflective inspirational Type musical personal When to use this quote - songwriting - performance - collaboration - public speaking Key Concepts cultural zeitgeist musical evolution personal identity Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay true to your vision? - What lessons arise from feeling left behind? A Different Perspective Comparisons can stifle originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Treading water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treading-water/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [Marc Bolan had inspired so many people to pick up a guitar and join a band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-visconti/marc-bolan-had-inspired-so-many-people-to-pick-up-a-guitar-and-join-a/) [Tony Visconti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-visconti/) > [I learned how to scream from Marc Bolan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/i-learned-how-to-scream-from-marc-bolan/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [You don't plan 'La la la's.' They just pop out. Bowie and Marc Bolan littered many of their songs with 'La la's.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kerr/you-don-t-plan-la-la-la-s-they-just-pop-out-bowie-and-marc-bolan/) [Jim Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kerr/) > [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/) > [“As the sun rose I could see Etna, a truncated cone with a plume of smoke over it like the quill of a pen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-newby/as-the-sun-rose-i-could-see-etna-a-truncated-cone-with-a-plume-of/) [Eric Newby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-newby/) > [“in the end she had not wanted a life spent treading water in his story. She still did not—and yet she regarded herself in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kij-johnson/in-the-end-she-had-not-wanted-a-life-spent-treading-water-in-his/) [Kij Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kij-johnson/) > [One of the first things President Trump did to stimulate the economy was to remove harmful regulations that left our small banks, energy companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kirk/one-of-the-first-things-president-trump-did-to-stimulate-the-economy/) [Charlie Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kirk/) > [Any mother with half a skull knows that when Daddy's little boy becomes Mommy's little boy, the kid is so wet he's treading water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/any-mother-with-half-a-skull-knows-that-when-daddy-s-little-boy/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [When I first signed schoolboy forms for United, as a midfield player, I felt for a while that I was just treading water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hughes/when-i-first-signed-schoolboy-forms-for-united-as-a-midfield-player-i/) [Mark Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hughes/) > [One of the reasons for putting yourself on the line, is that life is not simply treading water... I always felt that once you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-button/one-of-the-reasons-for-putting-yourself-on-the-line-is-that-life-is/) [Dick Button](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-button/) > [“Indonesia is just treading water when we are supposed to be bringing about change”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joesoef-isak/indonesia-is-just-treading-water-when-we-are-supposed-to-be-bringing/) Joesoef Isak > [“ Sean was watching me, though. And Sean wiped the bryozoa residue from his hand across my stomach. This was the third time a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/sean-was-watching-me-though-and-sean-wiped-the-bryozoa-residue-from/) [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) > [“By any numerical measure, humanity is becoming rapidly less poor. But between half and two-thirds of people in the West have been treading water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-luce/by-any-numerical-measure-humanity-is-becoming-rapidly-less-poor-but/) [Edward Luce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-luce/) > [“I was treading water, trying neither to drown nor to swim to safety, just staying in place, because here was the truth - even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/i-was-treading-water-trying-neither-to-drown-nor-to-swim-to-safety/) [André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/) > [“my arms around his shoulders. I try to grab a hold of my bearings and attempt to open my eyes, and when I do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-ellen-malpas/my-arms-around-his-shoulders-i-try-to-grab-a-hold-of-my-bearings-and/) [Jodi Ellen Malpas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-ellen-malpas/) ## 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 Exciting quotes > [It's like saying French shouldn't be taught because you don't understand it because it's new. Shakespeare is just like learning a new, exciting language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/it-s-like-saying-french-shouldn-t-be-taught-because-you-don-t/) [Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [It's always exciting to be part of films where you matter and add value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raashi-khanna/it-s-always-exciting-to-be-part-of-films-where-you-matter-and-add/) [Raashi Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raashi-khanna/) > [With all the technology we're inventing and what they're coming up with scientifically, people are having longer lifetimes. It's scary, but in the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-murphy/with-all-the-technology-we-re-inventing-and-what-they-re-coming-up/) [Brittany Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-murphy/) > [Life can be difficult sometimes, it gets bumpy. What with family and kids and things not going exactly like you planned. But that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-van-patten/life-can-be-difficult-sometimes-it-gets-bumpy-what-with-family-and/) Joyce Van Patten > [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. But like all important works of nonfiction, it goes further… This book is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/le-ly-hayslip/a-great-read-an-exciting-frightening-account-of-organized-crime-today/) [Le Ly Hayslip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/le-ly-hayslip/) > [My first company, Pure Software, was exciting and innovative in the first few years and bureaucratic and painful in the last few before it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/my-first-company-pure-software-was-exciting-and-innovative-in-the/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [Schools must inquire deeper into their own practices, explore new ways to motivate their learners, make use of learning styles, introduce multiple intelligences, integrate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-fullan/schools-must-inquire-deeper-into-their-own-practices-explore-new-ways/) [Michael Fullan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-fullan/) > [I'm not a fan of endless mystery in storytelling - I like to know where the mythology's going; I like to get there in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kripke/i-m-not-a-fan-of-endless-mystery-in-storytelling-i-like-to-know-where/) [Eric Kripke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kripke/) > [A perfect movie is a different thing, but a funny movie is easy. I was really happy that I got everyone that I got.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/a-perfect-movie-is-a-different-thing-but-a-funny-movie-is-easy-i-was/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [“Life is adventurous and exciting because you never know where you will be in a few minutes or so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/life-is-adventurous-and-exciting-because-you-never-know-where-you/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [Napster has pointed the way for a new direction for music distribution, and we believe it will form the basis of important and exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-diller/napster-has-pointed-the-way-for-a-new-direction-for-music/) [Barry Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-diller/) > [In science, the most exciting expression isn’t ‘Eureka!’ It’s ‘Huh?’](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hawley/in-science-the-most-exciting-expression-isn-t-eureka-it-s-huh/) Michael Hawley > [I still consider it a summer job, though. So, I try to maintain that summer job as long as I can. But it's exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-buffett/i-still-consider-it-a-summer-job-though-so-i-try-to-maintain-that/) [Jimmy Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-buffett/) > [I'm not an artist, and I want to take risks, and when the possibility of failure occurs, it's because the idea is all exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-m-not-an-artist-and-i-want-to-take-risks-and-when-the-possibility/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) Browse all 3,331 Exciting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It was like treading water all through the '60s, and when 1970 kicked in, I thought \"We're here. Right.\" God, this is exciting. I'm going to go for it now. I really felt it was my time. Then Marc Bolan did it first. That really pissed me off.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Bowie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/it-was-like-treading-water-all-through-the-60s-and-when-1970-kicked/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Exciting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/it-was-like-treading-water-all-through-the-60s-and-when-1970-kicked/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/david-bowie-508_exciting_it-was-like-treading-water-all-through-t_337503.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/david-bowie-508_exciting_it-was-like-treading-water-all-through-t_337503.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67a/david-bowie-508_exciting_it-was-like-treading-water-all-through-t_337503.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It was like treading water all through the '60s, and when 1970 kicked in, I thought \"We're here. Right.\"…” — 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": "It was like treading water all...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/it-was-like-treading-water-all-through-the-60s-and-when-1970-kicked/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/it-was-like-treading-water-all-through-the-60s-and-when-1970-kicked/#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 } } ] } ```