--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I used to be a mean maniac. Someone once…" description: "\"I used to be a mean maniac. Someone once threw a firecracker at a show and I jumped off the side of the stage and whacked 'em on the side of the head.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/dick-dale-4450_ems_i-used-to-be-a-mean-maniac-someone-once_145514.jpg" --- # I used to be a mean maniac. Someone once threw a… ![“I used to be a mean maniac. Someone once threw a firecracker at a show and I jumped off the side of the stage and whacked 'em on the side of the head.” quote by Dick Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/dick-dale-4450_ems_i-used-to-be-a-mean-maniac-someone-once_145514.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/dick-dale-4450_ems_i-used-to-be-a-mean-maniac-someone-once_145514.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/dick-dale-4450_ems_i-used-to-be-a-mean-maniac-someone-once_145514.jpg) > “I used to be a mean maniac. Someone once threw a firecracker at a show and I jumped off the side of the stage and whacked 'em on the side of the head.” [Dick Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-dale/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A reckless, aggressive behavior pattern driven by impulsive reactions to provocation. **In simple terms:** Impulsive aggression leads to harmful actions. Key Takeaway Control impulses before acting. Themes impulsivity aggression selfcontrol Mood frustrated intense Type warning advice When to use this quote - conflict - performance - public incidents Key Concepts psychology behavioral Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your aggressive responses? - How can you channel that energy constructively? A Different Perspective Such actions often cause lasting consequences beyond the moment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Firecracker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firecracker/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) ## Related quotes > [May you eat an unfamiliar dessert in a strange land at least once every three years. May you wake up... and start dancing while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/may-you-eat-an-unfamiliar-dessert-in-a-strange-land-at-least-once/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [People weren't firecrackers who burst into the night sky with brilliance and glory, and a moment later faded away to nothing. Our souls had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janette-rallison/people-weren-t-firecrackers-who-burst-into-the-night-sky-with/) [Janette Rallison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janette-rallison/) > [The problem is, you can't tell people these things. They'll think you're crazy. And I say to myself: What can I do with this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-arlt/the-problem-is-you-can-t-tell-people-these-things-they-ll-think-you/) Roberto Arlt > [“Mommy's got a firecracker inside her," was the way my father explained it with his wide indulgent grin, but firecrackers, I learned, were not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-harkness/mommy-s-got-a-firecracker-inside-her-was-the-way-my-father-explained/) [Deborah Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-harkness/) > [The guns of the big events rumble through our pages, but the tiny firecrackers are constantly hissing and popping there as well; it appears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-gill/the-guns-of-the-big-events-rumble-through-our-pages-but-the-tiny/) [Brendan Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-gill/) > [But, she knew, you didn’t have to marry your soulmate, and you didn’t even have to marry an Interesting. You didn’t always need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/but-she-knew-you-didn-t-have-to-marry-your-soulmate-and-you-didn-t/) [Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/) > [I'm like one of those firecrackers that goes off in your pocket occasionally. I'm not really struggling with it as much as the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-plant/i-m-like-one-of-those-firecrackers-that-goes-off-in-your-pocket/) [Robert Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-plant/) > [but there was nothing I could do to dim the supernovae exploding inside my brain, an endless chain of intra cranial firecrackers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/but-there-was-nothing-i-could-do-to-dim-the-supernovae-exploding/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I'm attracted to a lot of hot guys. If Chris Hemsworth were here, I'd light him up like a firecracker with how fast I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/i-m-attracted-to-a-lot-of-hot-guys-if-chris-hemsworth-were-here-i-d/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Fourth of July. My birthday is July first, and my best friend's birthday is July fifth, so it's always been a favorite holiday. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilarie-burton/fourth-of-july-my-birthday-is-july-first-and-my-best-friend-s/) [Hilarie Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilarie-burton/) > [You’ve claimed me, little firecracker. You kicked a pair of two hundred pound men’s asses. I will never get over that. You kicked my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-evans/you-ve-claimed-me-little-firecracker-you-kicked-a-pair-of-two-hundred/) [Katy Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-evans/) > [My dog does have his failings, of course. He's afraid of firecrackers and hides in the clothes closet whenever we run the vacuum cleaner,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-a-kowalski/my-dog-does-have-his-failings-of-course-he-s-afraid-of-firecrackers/) [Gary A. Kowalski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-a-kowalski/) > [I don't know," I said. "What else did you do for your first eighteen years?" "Like I said," he said as I unlocked the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-don-t-know-i-said-what-else-did-you-do-for-your-first-eighteen/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > ['Firecracker' was such a fun song to write and to perform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-turner/firecracker-was-such-a-fun-song-to-write-and-to-perform/) [Josh Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-turner/) > [“You're too sane for a lunatic girl like me. You live in reality, while I tango in the jungle of my imagination making love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-lee/you-re-too-sane-for-a-lunatic-girl-like-me-you-live-in-reality-while/) [Melody Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-lee/) ## More by Dick Dale > [Surf music is actually just the sound of the waves played on a guitar: that wet, splashy sound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-dale/surf-music-is-actually-just-the-sound-of-the-waves-played-on-a-guitar/) [Dick Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-dale/) > [I live like in the days of Daniel Boone, hauling water by hand. I used to have two Rolls-Royces. Now I got one. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-dale/i-live-like-in-the-days-of-daniel-boone-hauling-water-by-hand-i-used/) [Dick Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-dale/) > [I'd rather be a Jack-of-all-trades than master of one. If I became an icon, where my whole life was music, I would probably have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-dale/i-d-rather-be-a-jack-of-all-trades-than-master-of-one-if-i-became-an/) [Dick Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-dale/) > [Every time I went into the studio some engineer tried to impress me with how they're going to capture my sound with all kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-dale/every-time-i-went-into-the-studio-some-engineer-tried-to-impress-me/) [Dick Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-dale/) > [Surfers were the ones who named all my songs. They'd yell out the names, and we just kept 'em.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-dale/surfers-were-the-ones-who-named-all-my-songs-they-d-yell-out-the/) [Dick Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-dale/) > [...I enjoyed it (Dr.Ducks Ax Wax) .. in fact I'm all out...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-dale/i-enjoyed-it-dr-ducks-ax-wax-in-fact-i-m-all-out/) [Dick Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-dale/) > [I always wanted a guitar. I always wanted to be a cowboy singer because I also listened to Hank Williams, and he would always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-dale/i-always-wanted-a-guitar-i-always-wanted-to-be-a-cowboy-singer/) [Dick Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-dale/) > [I make my guitar scream with pain or pleasure or sensuality. It makes people move their feet and shake their bodies. That's what music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-dale/i-make-my-guitar-scream-with-pain-or-pleasure-or-sensuality-it-makes/) [Dick Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-dale/) > [I've never followed a list in my life, and that's probably what has created so much nervous energy in my body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-dale/i-ve-never-followed-a-list-in-my-life-and-that-s-probably-what-has/) [Dick Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-dale/) > [Jimi was a good guy 'til he got into drugs. That's the way it is. I just tell it like it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-dale/jimi-was-a-good-guy-til-he-got-into-drugs-that-s-the-way-it-is-i-just/) [Dick Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-dale/) > [The kids called me King of the Surf Guitar. I surfed sunup to sundown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-dale/the-kids-called-me-king-of-the-surf-guitar-i-surfed-sunup-to-sundown/) [Dick Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-dale/) > [I enjoy living like a hermit, but I cannot live like a hermit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-dale/i-enjoy-living-like-a-hermit-but-i-cannot-live-like-a-hermit/) [Dick Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-dale/) > [That's what my music does for me. It makes people happy. When I play, I thank the Lord I've never seen someone walk away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-dale/that-s-what-my-music-does-for-me-it-makes-people-happy-when-i-play-i/) [Dick Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-dale/) > [Nothing could capture the sound of Dick Dale - he was too loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-dale/nothing-could-capture-the-sound-of-dick-dale-he-was-too-loud/) [Dick Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-dale/) > [Kids don't see me as an oldies person when I go out on stage. They see me as an energy force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-dale/kids-don-t-see-me-as-an-oldies-person-when-i-go-out-on-stage-they-see/) [Dick Dale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-dale/) [Explore all 110 Dick Dale quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-dale/) ## More Ems quotes > [Who wants a stylus. You have to get em and put em away, and you lose em. Yuck. Nobody wants a stylus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/who-wants-a-stylus-you-have-to-get-em-and-put-em-away-and-you-lose-em/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I don't write my own publicity materials, I just read 'em and give 'em the OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/i-don-t-write-my-own-publicity-materials-i-just-read-em-and-give-em/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [Some things in this world just ain't meant to be, not in the times we want 'em to, and the heart has to hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/some-things-in-this-world-just-ain-t-meant-to-be-not-in-the-times-we/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [My answer is bring 'em on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-answer-is-bring-em-on/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I've always said about 50% of what happens at a concert has to do with the audience. If you play for a dead audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/i-ve-always-said-about-50-of-what-happens-at-a-concert-has-to-do-with/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [My mother knew how to read music and everything. But I just kinda learned off of records. And so, I was listening to records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/my-mother-knew-how-to-read-music-and-everything-but-i-just-kinda/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [Those Aussie rugby fans are a bunch of sore losers. I hate 'em all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-wilkinson/those-aussie-rugby-fans-are-a-bunch-of-sore-losers-i-hate-em-all/) [Jonny Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonny-wilkinson/) > [This world o' God's is brighter Than we ever dream or know; Its burdens growin' lighter- An' it's Love that makes 'em so! An'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lebby-stanton/this-world-o-god-s-is-brighter-than-we-ever-dream-or-know-its-burdens/) [Frank Lebby Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lebby-stanton/) > [If you really serious ’bout helpin’ somebody, crawl down in the ditch with ’em, bandage up their wounds, and stick with ’em until they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denver-moore/if-you-really-serious-bout-helpin-somebody-crawl-down-in-the-ditch/) [Denver Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denver-moore/) > [All I kin git out o' the Wickersham position on prohibition is that the distinguished jurist seems to feel that if we'd let 'em…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kin-hubbard/all-i-kin-git-out-o-the-wickersham-position-on-prohibition-is-that/) [Kin Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kin-hubbard/) > [Everyone thinks I'm a wimp and even my own band hates me. Oh, well. I guess I'll just flip 'em the bird!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-francis/everyone-thinks-i-m-a-wimp-and-even-my-own-band-hates-me-oh-well-i/) [Black Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-francis/) > [Guys are OK... shake their hand... Women are special. You can hug 'em.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bon-scott/guys-are-ok-shake-their-hand-women-are-special-you-can-hug-em/) [Bon Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bon-scott/) > [I am single, I don't drink. It's kind of hard to get a woman buzzed when you don't drink. You'll be like, "Yeah, I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/i-am-single-i-don-t-drink-it-s-kind-of-hard-to-get-a-woman-buzzed/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [Our immigration law sucks, and we need to redo the whole thing, comprehensive immigration reform. And what that's gonna be is anybody who wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/our-immigration-law-sucks-and-we-need-to-redo-the-whole-thing/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [My eyebrows make a more profound impact on other people than they do on me. I just let 'em grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gallagher/my-eyebrows-make-a-more-profound-impact-on-other-people-than-they-do/) [Peter Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gallagher/) Browse all 1,054 Ems quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I used to be a mean maniac. 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