--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was 20, I was drinking. When I was…" description: "\"When I was 20, I was drinking. When I was 30, I was drinking more, and at 40, way too much.\" — Del Shannon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd6/del-shannon-31364_drinking_when-i-was-20-i-was-drinking-when-i-was_971881.jpg" --- # When I was 20, I was drinking. When I was 30, I was… ![“When I was 20, I was drinking. When I was 30, I was drinking more, and at 40, way too much.” quote by Del Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd6/del-shannon-31364_drinking_when-i-was-20-i-was-drinking-when-i-was_971881.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd6/del-shannon-31364_drinking_when-i-was-20-i-was-drinking-when-i-was_971881.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd6/del-shannon-31364_drinking_when-i-was-20-i-was-drinking-when-i-was_971881.jpg) > “When I was 20, I was drinking. When I was 30, I was drinking more, and at 40, way too much.” [Del Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/del-shannon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes increasing alcohol consumption with age, acknowledging a problem. **In simple terms:** Drinking escalated over decades. Key Takeaway Seek healthier coping mechanisms. Themes personal health addiction self‑awareness Mood reflective candid Type personal introspective When to use this quote - career retrospectives - health counseling - support groups Key Concepts substance use life stages Questions to Reflect On - What triggers increased drinking? - How to break the cycle? A Different Perspective May lack context of underlying causes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinking/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) ## Related quotes > [In my extreme youth I did a terrifying diet - drinking 40 cups of liquid a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prunella-scales/in-my-extreme-youth-i-did-a-terrifying-diet-drinking-40-cups-of/) [Prunella Scales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prunella-scales/) > [In 1969, I gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-best/in-1969-i-gave-up-women-and-alcohol-it-was-the-worst-20-minutes-of-my/) [George Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-best/) > [Design is all about relationships. Unfortunately, many designers don’t fully appreciate this. Some of the best design work I’ve ever done was drinking coffee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-burka/design-is-all-about-relationships-unfortunately-many-designers-don-t/) Daniel Burka > [I was so drunk last night I fell down and missed the floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-martin/i-was-so-drunk-last-night-i-fell-down-and-missed-the-floor/) [Dean Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-martin/) > [Drinking champagne after making love is like taking a bath in chilled pearls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anistatia-r-miller/drinking-champagne-after-making-love-is-like-taking-a-bath-in-chilled/) Anistatia R. Miller > [And it´s so different for a lot of people I´ve known. One partner doesn´t love the other enough to stop drinking, or gambling, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alma-katsu/and-it-s-so-different-for-a-lot-of-people-i-ve-known-one-partner/) [Alma Katsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alma-katsu/) > [This is not really currency that circulates. It's like the old joke about expensive vintage wine. Wine prices will go up and once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/this-is-not-really-currency-that-circulates-it-s-like-the-old-joke/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [I guess that's the point of drinking, to take all the feelings and thoughts and morals away until you are just a body doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-shreve/i-guess-that-s-the-point-of-drinking-to-take-all-the-feelings-and/) [Anita Shreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-shreve/) > [I wasn’t like, boo hoo, Bin Laden’s dead, but I wasn’t jumping. America’s a very nationalistic country, and in episodes like that of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-scahill/i-wasn-t-like-boo-hoo-bin-laden-s-dead-but-i-wasn-t-jumping-america-s/) [Jeremy Scahill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-scahill/) > [There is an idea that you can take the spiritual teachings of a religion outside of a religion and practice them; these ideas are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seyyed-hossein-nasr/there-is-an-idea-that-you-can-take-the-spiritual-teachings-of-a/) [Seyyed Hossein Nasr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seyyed-hossein-nasr/) > [I'm drinking away the exam results that don't take me anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-herrick/i-m-drinking-away-the-exam-results-that-don-t-take-me-anywhere/) [Steven Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-herrick/) > [“We were still twirling around the tiny parking lot when the neighbors screamed 'Happy New Year'. Unfortunately we weren't sober enough to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-scott/we-were-still-twirling-around-the-tiny-parking-lot-when-the-neighbors/) [Kaitlin Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-scott/) > [You owe me a drink, you're so ugly I dropped mine when I saw you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-owe-me-a-drink-you-re-so-ugly-i-dropped-mine-when-i-saw-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no sweeter sound than the crumbling of one's fellow man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/there-is-no-sweeter-sound-than-the-crumbling-of-one-s-fellow-man/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [I'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) ## More by Del Shannon > [Hard to guess what people see in each other, fortunately for the continued existence of the human race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/del-shannon/hard-to-guess-what-people-see-in-each-other-fortunately-for-the/) [Del Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/del-shannon/) > [Nobody thinks mystery writers go around killing people, but they always seem to assume singers are singing about themselves, especially if you write melancholy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/del-shannon/nobody-thinks-mystery-writers-go-around-killing-people-but-they/) [Del Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/del-shannon/) > [There were times in my career when I would try to write songs like Bob Dylan... Artists get hooked up in that. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/del-shannon/there-were-times-in-my-career-when-i-would-try-to-write-songs-like/) [Del Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/del-shannon/) > [Here she comes that little town flirt, you're falling for her and you're gonna get hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/del-shannon/here-she-comes-that-little-town-flirt-you-re-falling-for-her-and-you/) [Del Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/del-shannon/) > [It's curious how many people are ready to believe that the highest prices guarantee the best value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/del-shannon/it-s-curious-how-many-people-are-ready-to-believe-that-the-highest/) [Del Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/del-shannon/) > [If it's a whole show of my own, I'll do more of what I think Del Shannon is. But for shows like Disneyland, I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/del-shannon/if-it-s-a-whole-show-of-my-own-i-ll-do-more-of-what-i-think-del/) [Del Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/del-shannon/) > [Nobody keeps a cat. They condescend to live with you is all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/del-shannon/nobody-keeps-a-cat-they-condescend-to-live-with-you-is-all/) [Del Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/del-shannon/) > [I saw I could rhyme words. It came simply to me. But I wrote some pretty horrible songs that I still have on tape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/del-shannon/i-saw-i-could-rhyme-words-it-came-simply-to-me-but-i-wrote-some/) [Del Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/del-shannon/) > [I do me, and me is my hits. I'm out there really to satisfy the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/del-shannon/i-do-me-and-me-is-my-hits-i-m-out-there-really-to-satisfy-the-people/) [Del Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/del-shannon/) > [I usually write when I'm in a great place. When I'm depressed, I don't usually write. So I take all of when I'm depressed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/del-shannon/i-usually-write-when-i-m-in-a-great-place-when-i-m-depressed-i-don-t/) [Del Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/del-shannon/) > [I wonder why why why why why why, she ran away?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/del-shannon/i-wonder-why-why-why-why-why-why-she-ran-away/) [Del Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/del-shannon/) > [I laughed at Willie Nelson, wondering why he spends all his life on that tour bus. And I look at myself, and I'm sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/del-shannon/i-laughed-at-willie-nelson-wondering-why-he-spends-all-his-life-on/) [Del Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/del-shannon/) > [I love to perform. But I don't like the traveling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/del-shannon/i-love-to-perform-but-i-don-t-like-the-traveling/) [Del Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/del-shannon/) > [I was an outcast growing up with a bunch of Christian people. My father didn't go to church, and that was not good news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/del-shannon/i-was-an-outcast-growing-up-with-a-bunch-of-christian-people-my/) [Del Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/del-shannon/) > [I eat ice cream. It's better than booze.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/del-shannon/i-eat-ice-cream-it-s-better-than-booze/) [Del Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/del-shannon/) [Explore all 16 Del Shannon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/del-shannon/) ## More Drinking quotes > [I'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [There is no sweeter sound than the crumbling of one's fellow man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/there-is-no-sweeter-sound-than-the-crumbling-of-one-s-fellow-man/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [You owe me a drink, you're so ugly I dropped mine when I saw you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-owe-me-a-drink-you-re-so-ugly-i-dropped-mine-when-i-saw-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We were still twirling around the tiny parking lot when the neighbors screamed 'Happy New Year'. Unfortunately we weren't sober enough to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-scott/we-were-still-twirling-around-the-tiny-parking-lot-when-the-neighbors/) [Kaitlin Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-scott/) > [I'm drinking away the exam results that don't take me anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-herrick/i-m-drinking-away-the-exam-results-that-don-t-take-me-anywhere/) [Steven Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-herrick/) > [There is an idea that you can take the spiritual teachings of a religion outside of a religion and practice them; these ideas are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seyyed-hossein-nasr/there-is-an-idea-that-you-can-take-the-spiritual-teachings-of-a/) [Seyyed Hossein Nasr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seyyed-hossein-nasr/) > [I wasn’t like, boo hoo, Bin Laden’s dead, but I wasn’t jumping. America’s a very nationalistic country, and in episodes like that of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-scahill/i-wasn-t-like-boo-hoo-bin-laden-s-dead-but-i-wasn-t-jumping-america-s/) [Jeremy Scahill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-scahill/) > [I guess that's the point of drinking, to take all the feelings and thoughts and morals away until you are just a body doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-shreve/i-guess-that-s-the-point-of-drinking-to-take-all-the-feelings-and/) [Anita Shreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-shreve/) > [This is not really currency that circulates. It's like the old joke about expensive vintage wine. Wine prices will go up and once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/this-is-not-really-currency-that-circulates-it-s-like-the-old-joke/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [And it´s so different for a lot of people I´ve known. One partner doesn´t love the other enough to stop drinking, or gambling, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alma-katsu/and-it-s-so-different-for-a-lot-of-people-i-ve-known-one-partner/) [Alma Katsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alma-katsu/) > [Drinking champagne after making love is like taking a bath in chilled pearls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anistatia-r-miller/drinking-champagne-after-making-love-is-like-taking-a-bath-in-chilled/) Anistatia R. Miller > [I was so drunk last night I fell down and missed the floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-martin/i-was-so-drunk-last-night-i-fell-down-and-missed-the-floor/) [Dean Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-martin/) > [Design is all about relationships. Unfortunately, many designers don’t fully appreciate this. Some of the best design work I’ve ever done was drinking coffee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-burka/design-is-all-about-relationships-unfortunately-many-designers-don-t/) Daniel Burka > [In 1969, I gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-best/in-1969-i-gave-up-women-and-alcohol-it-was-the-worst-20-minutes-of-my/) [George Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-best/) > [I like to change liquor stores frequently because the clerks got to know your habits if you went in night and day and bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-like-to-change-liquor-stores-frequently-because-the-clerks-got-to/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) [Browse all 2,711 Drinking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinking/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was 20, I was drinking. 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