--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had to get rich so I could afford to…" description: "\"I had to get rich so I could afford to sing like I was poor again.\" — Dolly Parton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/255/dolly-parton-366_afford_i-had-to-get-rich-so-i-could-afford-to-s_3058344.jpg" --- # I had to get rich so I could afford to sing like I was… ![“I had to get rich so I could afford to sing like I was poor again.” quote by Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/255/dolly-parton-366_afford_i-had-to-get-rich-so-i-could-afford-to-s_3058344.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/255/dolly-parton-366_afford_i-had-to-get-rich-so-i-could-afford-to-s_3058344.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/255/dolly-parton-366_afford_i-had-to-get-rich-so-i-could-afford-to-s_3058344.jpg) > “I had to get rich so I could afford to sing like I was poor again.” [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. To afford artistic freedom, one must first achieve financial security, even if it feels like returning to modest roots. **In simple terms:** Get rich to sing like poor again. Key Takeaway Secure finances to enable creative freedom. Themes financial independence artistic freedom humility Mood hopeful determined Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - music industry - entrepreneurship - personal budgeting Key Concepts economics of art career strategy Questions to Reflect On - How to balance wealth and humility? - What defines “poor” in artistic terms? A Different Perspective Wealth can compromise authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) ## Related quotes > [I had to get rich so I could sing like I was poor again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-had-to-get-rich-so-i-could-sing-like-i-was-poor-again/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [“The rich can afford to be progressive. Poor people have reason to be afraid of the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-rich-can-afford-to-be-progressive-poor-people-have-reason-to-be/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [You have to be very rich to afford Labour, with 66 tax rises since they came in power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-redwood/you-have-to-be-very-rich-to-afford-labour-with-66-tax-rises-since/) [John Redwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-redwood/) > [Travelling abroad was once a luxury only the very rich could afford.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartley-brewer/travelling-abroad-was-once-a-luxury-only-the-very-rich-could-afford/) [Julia Hartley-Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartley-brewer/) > [“Poverty's simplicity has an inexpensive beauty rooted in it, which the rich can never afford to buy”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munia-khan/poverty-s-simplicity-has-an-inexpensive-beauty-rooted-in-it-which-the/) [Munia Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munia-khan/) > [We're not so poor that we have to spend our wilderness or so rich that we can afford to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newton-b-drury/we-re-not-so-poor-that-we-have-to-spend-our-wilderness-or-so-rich/) Newton B. Drury > [“The poor, I am told, are kind to each other but that is because they have nothing to lose,' he said. 'The rich cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-c-kasasian/the-poor-i-am-told-are-kind-to-each-other-but-that-is-because-they/) [M.R.C. Kasasian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-c-kasasian/) > [“Don't be fooled. It's good to be rich and to have money, but know that money is not everything the way people hyped it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/don-t-be-fooled-it-s-good-to-be-rich-and-to-have-money-but-know-that/) De philosopher DJ Kyos > [Why are you not smarter? It's only the rich who can't afford to be smart. They're compromised. They got locked years ago into privilege.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/why-are-you-not-smarter-it-s-only-the-rich-who-can-t-afford-to-be/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [“Only when we get sufficiently rich can we afford the relative luxury of caring about the environment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjorn-lomborg/only-when-we-get-sufficiently-rich-can-we-afford-the-relative-luxury/) [Bjorn Lomborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjorn-lomborg/) > [The United State has a net worth against which our debt is a joke ... we wrote in 2008 the United States is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/the-united-state-has-a-net-worth-against-which-our-debt-is-a-joke-we/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [Holidays are a luxury the rich cannot afford.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeromy-shingongo/holidays-are-a-luxury-the-rich-cannot-afford/) [Jeromy Shingongo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeromy-shingongo/) > [Kindness is the most expensive thing that even rich can not afford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/kindness-is-the-most-expensive-thing-that-even-rich-can-not-afford/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [I like Bill Blass very much, but I'm not so rich that I can afford to buy his clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-marsh/i-like-bill-blass-very-much-but-i-m-not-so-rich-that-i-can-afford-to/) [Jean Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-marsh/) > [It's one of the ironies of investing. The rich can afford to take risks, but they don't need to. The poor need to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-clements/it-s-one-of-the-ironies-of-investing-the-rich-can-afford-to-take/) [Jonathan Clements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-clements/) ## More by Dolly Parton > [Got those moods a swinging, tears a slinging, nothing fits me, when it hits me, ranting, raving, misbehaving, PMS blues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/got-those-moods-a-swinging-tears-a-slinging-nothing-fits-me-when-it/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [A great smile is a wonderful asset, but a good heart is pure gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/a-great-smile-is-a-wonderful-asset-but-a-good-heart-is-pure-gold/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [I know my hair is out of the '60's, my clothes are '50's and the shoes I wear are from the '40's. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-know-my-hair-is-out-of-the-60-s-my-clothes-are-50-s-and-the-shoes-i/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [It's great at this stage in my life to still be in the running, that people appreciate you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/it-s-great-at-this-stage-in-my-life-to-still-be-in-the-running-that/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [No matter how beautiful a woman might be, you're always threatened by certain... You're always threatened by](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/no-matter-how-beautiful-a-woman-might-be-you-re-always-threatened-by/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [Music is my personal addiction. So much of everything I've done has only been to open more doors for the music itself. It all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/music-is-my-personal-addiction-so-much-of-everything-i-ve-done-has/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [If you don't like the road youre walking, start paving another one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/if-you-don-t-like-the-road-youre-walking-start-paving-another-one/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [After you reach a certain age, they think you’re over. Well, I will never be over. I’ll be making records if I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/after-you-reach-a-certain-age-they-think-you-re-over-well-i-will/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [ I think \[music and acting\], they are connected, all that stuff. It's your emotional self, is pretty much how you do it, I think,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-think-music-and-acting-they-are-connected-all-that-stuff-it-s-your/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [Understanding isn't learned from punishment and anger. An iron has no gentle touch, and love ain't learned from hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/understanding-isn-t-learned-from-punishment-and-anger-an-iron-has-no/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [You'll pay the highest price on back roads and in back seats and in a cheap highway motel. But what's a few more strangers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/you-ll-pay-the-highest-price-on-back-roads-and-in-back-seats-and-in-a/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [I went to bed hungry many nights as a child. It was a Dream that dressed me up when I was ragged, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-went-to-bed-hungry-many-nights-as-a-child-it-was-a-dream-that/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [I know it's corny - but I love 'Jingle Bells!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-know-it-s-corny-but-i-love-jingle-bells/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [I figure if I keep my health, I have no intention of retiring. I love to work. I want to be like Bob Hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-figure-if-i-keep-my-health-i-have-no-intention-of-retiring-i-love/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [There are some people who physically are not beautiful. But the way they are, the way they treat people, they become beautiful, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/there-are-some-people-who-physically-are-not-beautiful-but-the-way/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) [Explore all 638 Dolly Parton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) ## More Afford quotes > [We can't afford any president to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/we-can-t-afford-any-president-to-fail/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [Just because you can afford it doesn't mean you should buy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/just-because-you-can-afford-it-doesn-t-mean-you-should-buy-it/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [I am not a Ph.D. in economics or a doctorate in literature that I can afford to take my singing lightly. Even if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-kher/i-am-not-a-ph-d-in-economics-or-a-doctorate-in-literature-that-i-can/) [Kailash Kher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-kher/) > [Now I'm having to live with sales of around 50,000 per album - but I'm pretty content with my place in the general scheme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-knopfler/now-i-m-having-to-live-with-sales-of-around-50-000-per-album-but-i-m/) [David Knopfler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-knopfler/) > [I was lucky because I got so successful so early, and when you get successful early, then you can afford to be a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-von-furstenberg/i-was-lucky-because-i-got-so-successful-so-early-and-when-you-get/) [Diane von Furstenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-von-furstenberg/) > [I have crooked toes from wearing boots that didn't fit me because that's all I could afford as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lomu/i-have-crooked-toes-from-wearing-boots-that-didn-t-fit-me-because/) [Jonah Lomu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lomu/) > [The most common reason new mothers return to work sooner than they'd like to is because they can't afford to go without their salaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-von-tobel/the-most-common-reason-new-mothers-return-to-work-sooner-than-they-d/) [Alexa Von Tobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-von-tobel/) > [This fatigue can not afford to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israa-ali/this-fatigue-can-not-afford-to-do/) [ISRAA ALI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israa-ali/) > [A good player is a good player, it's just that we cannot afford signings that do not work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-dyche/a-good-player-is-a-good-player-it-s-just-that-we-cannot-afford/) [Sean Dyche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-dyche/) > [I'm not the most talented writer in the world. I know that. But I also know that I'm disciplined, that I work my butt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-b-coe/i-m-not-the-most-talented-writer-in-the-world-i-know-that-but-i-also/) [David B. Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-b-coe/) > [Unfortunately, some people go to a restaurant, and they aren't really there to enjoy themselves. They're there because they think they deserve to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dinicol/unfortunately-some-people-go-to-a-restaurant-and-they-aren-t-really/) Joe Dinicol > [Nobody has so many friends that he can afford to lose one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/nobody-has-so-many-friends-that-he-can-afford-to-lose-one/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [My earliest memories were when my mom would put me in the plays that she was in because she couldn't afford a babysitter... she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-applegate/my-earliest-memories-were-when-my-mom-would-put-me-in-the-plays-that/) [Christina Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-applegate/) > [In Washington journalists can afford to live almost as well as people who work for a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-washington-journalists-can-afford-to-live-almost-as-well-as-people/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I'm a little bit tough because I can't afford to get my heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-glanville/i-m-a-little-bit-tough-because-i-can-t-afford-to-get-my-heart-broken/) [Brandi Glanville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-glanville/) Browse all 784 Afford quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I had to get rich so I could afford to sing like I was poor again.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dolly Parton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-had-to-get-rich-so-i-could-afford-to-sing-like-i-was-poor-again/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afford" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-had-to-get-rich-so-i-could-afford-to-sing-like-i-was-poor-again/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/255/dolly-parton-366_afford_i-had-to-get-rich-so-i-could-afford-to-s_3058344.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/255/dolly-parton-366_afford_i-had-to-get-rich-so-i-could-afford-to-s_3058344.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/255/dolly-parton-366_afford_i-had-to-get-rich-so-i-could-afford-to-s_3058344.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I had to get rich so I could afford to sing like I was poor again.” — Dolly Parton", "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": "Dolly Parton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I had to get rich so...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-had-to-get-rich-so-i-could-afford-to-sing-like-i-was-poor-again/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-had-to-get-rich-so-i-could-afford-to-sing-like-i-was-poor-again/#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 } } ] } ```