--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I go on the road now, which is less…" description: "\"When I go on the road now, which is less than before, but still more than I'd like to, I think of myself primarily as a singer. Not a songwriter, not a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/don-mclean-6904_celebrity_when-i-go-on-the-road-now-which-is-less_1935120.png" --- # When I go on the road now, which is less than before, but… ![“When I go on the road now, which is less than before, but still more than I'd like to, I think of myself primarily as a singer. Not a songwriter, not a celebrity, just a man who likes to sing.” quote by Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/don-mclean-6904_celebrity_when-i-go-on-the-road-now-which-is-less_1935120.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/don-mclean-6904_celebrity_when-i-go-on-the-road-now-which-is-less_1935120.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/don-mclean-6904_celebrity_when-i-go-on-the-road-now-which-is-less_1935120.png) > “When I go on the road now, which is less than before, but still more than I'd like to, I think of myself primarily as a singer. Not a songwriter, not a celebrity, just a man who likes to sing.” [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He identifies himself chiefly as a singer, not a songwriter or fame‑seeker, emphasizing personal passion over public image. **In simple terms:** He sees himself as a singer, not a star. Key Takeaway Focus on the joy of singing. Themes identity humility artistry Mood reflective humble Type personal artistic When to use this quote - performing live - personal reflection - career choices - public perception Key Concepts self‑definition authenticity Questions to Reflect On - What does singing mean to you beyond fame? - How does humility shape your artistic path? A Different Perspective May limit opportunities for broader creative control or recognition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Celebrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/celebrity/) [Goes on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goes-on/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Likes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/likes/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Primarily Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/primarily-singer-3050935/) [Road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/road/) [Road Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/road-like-1456148/) [Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singer/) [Singer Songwriter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singer-songwriter-358469/) [Singers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singers/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Songwriter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songwriter/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [The worst thing for a singer/songwriter is to run out of songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kiwanuka/the-worst-thing-for-a-singer-songwriter-is-to-run-out-of-songs/) [Michael Kiwanuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kiwanuka/) > [I really want to be just a singer-songwriter. That's who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-simpson/i-really-want-to-be-just-a-singer-songwriter-that-s-who-i-am/) [Jessica Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-simpson/) > [I'm a very emotional singer and songwriter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lp/i-m-a-very-emotional-singer-and-songwriter/) [LP](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lp/) > [If anything, I want to be seen as a singer-songwriter rather than a pop artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lykke-li/if-anything-i-want-to-be-seen-as-a-singer-songwriter-rather-than-a/) [Lykke Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lykke-li/) > [The singer-songwriter has always played music that was stylistically rooted in the '30s and the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. But the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/the-singer-songwriter-has-always-played-music-that-was-stylistically/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [I am at my core a singer/songwriter a la James Taylor or a la Billy Joel. It's not that I don't want to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mcknight/i-am-at-my-core-a-singer-songwriter-a-la-james-taylor-or-a-la-billy/) [Brian McKnight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mcknight/) > [I think being a singer-songwriter... your job is to tell a story that other people can't really tell themselves. And I really hope that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-aplin/i-think-being-a-singer-songwriter-your-job-is-to-tell-a-story-that/) [Gabrielle Aplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-aplin/) > [Taking a song and bringing it to life in a professional recording studio can be an intimidating process at first; I know it certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colbie-caillat/taking-a-song-and-bringing-it-to-life-in-a-professional-recording/) [Colbie Caillat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colbie-caillat/) > [I could have become a mime or a juggler, but I became a singer-songwriter instead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vonda-shepard/i-could-have-become-a-mime-or-a-juggler-but-i-became-a-singer/) [Vonda Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vonda-shepard/) > [My sister's job does not involve music, but she is an amazing singer and songwriter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigrid/my-sister-s-job-does-not-involve-music-but-she-is-an-amazing-singer/) [Sigrid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigrid/) > [I'm still trying to make it. I'm still trying to get this over and do it and hopefully leave some kind of a mark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-forbert/i-m-still-trying-to-make-it-i-m-still-trying-to-get-this-over-and-do/) [Steve Forbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-forbert/) > [The way I work, I'm not a confessional singer-songwriter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/the-way-i-work-i-m-not-a-confessional-singer-songwriter/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [If somebody says 'singer-songwriter' to me, the first person I think of is James Taylor. There are plenty of modern singer-songwriters, but there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-levi/if-somebody-says-singer-songwriter-to-me-the-first-person-i-think-of/) [Zachary Levi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-levi/) > [I don't think I was ever designed to be a ubiquitous worldwide star. I'm a singer-songwriter writing quite personal songs. You're not supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-blunt/i-don-t-think-i-was-ever-designed-to-be-a-ubiquitous-worldwide-star-i/) [James Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-blunt/) > [I was always a wannabe 'singer-songwriter' but nothing was happening. I was trying for albums. I was too afraid to quit my job for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anupam-roy/i-was-always-a-wannabe-singer-songwriter-but-nothing-was-happening-i/) [Anupam Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anupam-roy/) ## More by Don McLean > [My parents were not musical, and they were not effervescent people; everything was very quiet. The music that I played was loud; it used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/my-parents-were-not-musical-and-they-were-not-effervescent-people/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [I am what I do, and that's partly why I don't want to give up singing. But when I can't sing well, I will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/i-am-what-i-do-and-that-s-partly-why-i-don-t-want-to-give-up-singing/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [The society that produced The Who, The Stones, Dylan, Paul McCartney and later on people, like myself, is over. The materialistic society that produces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/the-society-that-produced-the-who-the-stones-dylan-paul-mccartney-and/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [And if she asks you why you can tell her that I told you That I'm tired of Castles in the Air I've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/and-if-she-asks-you-why-you-can-tell-her-that-i-told-you-that-i-m/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [I saw satan laughing with delight The day the music died.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/i-saw-satan-laughing-with-delight-the-day-the-music-died/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [I mean, I've been given a terrific life by the audiences who stuck with me all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/i-mean-i-ve-been-given-a-terrific-life-by-the-audiences-who-stuck/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [You're going to be buying your ticket with your heartache, you're gonna be payin' the man with your dues. You're gonna be living alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/you-re-going-to-be-buying-your-ticket-with-your-heartache-you-re/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [Starry, starry night, flaming flowers that brightly blaze, swirling clouds in violet haze reflect Vincent's eyes of china blue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/starry-starry-night-flaming-flowers-that-brightly-blaze-swirling/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [Faces come and faces go in circular rotation.But something yearns within to grow beyond infatuation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/faces-come-and-faces-go-in-circular-rotation-but-something-yearns/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [Every thread of creation is held in position by still other strands of things living. In an earthly tapestry hung from the skyline of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/every-thread-of-creation-is-held-in-position-by-still-other-strands/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [Herman Melville was supposed to be an accountant. Van Gogh was meant to be an art dealer. I was meant to take the train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/herman-melville-was-supposed-to-be-an-accountant-van-gogh-was-meant/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [American Pie speaks to the loss that we feel. That's why that song has found the niche that it has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/american-pie-speaks-to-the-loss-that-we-feel-that-s-why-that-song-has/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [And when no hope was left inside on that starry, starry night, you took your life as lovers often do. But I could have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/and-when-no-hope-was-left-inside-on-that-starry-starry-night-you-took/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [The horrible thing about Death of princess Diana - the sacrificial lamb, which she was. And I believe, in a sense, John Kennedy, Jr.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/the-horrible-thing-about-death-of-princess-diana-the-sacrificial-lamb/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [Not a word was spoken. The church bells all were broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/not-a-word-was-spoken-the-church-bells-all-were-broken/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) [Explore all 96 Don McLean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) ## More Celebrity quotes > [“I'm always looking for evidence to support my conjecture that celebrity in Hollywood is sort of like a Joel Peter Witkin photograph: It looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cintra-wilson/i-m-always-looking-for-evidence-to-support-my-conjecture-that/) [Cintra Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cintra-wilson/) > [“Take care of your costume and your confidence will take care of itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/take-care-of-your-costume-and-your-confidence-will-take-care-of-itself/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I gave up some of my celebrity to be with my children for 14 years, but it's been fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-rabbitt/i-gave-up-some-of-my-celebrity-to-be-with-my-children-for-14-years/) [Eddie Rabbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-rabbitt/) > [Unfortunately, celebrity is a powerful thing. It can influence people, but if it can influence people in a good way, then that's a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-furnish/unfortunately-celebrity-is-a-powerful-thing-it-can-influence-people/) [David Furnish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-furnish/) > [There's only one me. I'm obsessed with pop culture and celebrity. I used to be an actor, I used to be a journalist and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/there-s-only-one-me-i-m-obsessed-with-pop-culture-and-celebrity-i/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [To become a celebrity is to become a brand name. There is Ivory Soap, Rice Krispies, and Philip Roth. Ivory is the soap that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/to-become-a-celebrity-is-to-become-a-brand-name-there-is-ivory-soap/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [I don't like the word celebrity. If I become a good actress and be in movies where I'm expected to be a good actress,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-reilly/i-don-t-like-the-word-celebrity-if-i-become-a-good-actress-and-be-in/) [Kelly Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-reilly/) > [I loved 'Celebrity Fit Club,' working out six days a week, running a mile and a half three times a week, and doing 1,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralphie-may/i-loved-celebrity-fit-club-working-out-six-days-a-week-running-a-mile/) [Ralphie May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralphie-may/) > [Royalty is completely different than celebrity. Royalty has a magic all its own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-treacy/royalty-is-completely-different-than-celebrity-royalty-has-a-magic/) [Philip Treacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-treacy/) > [I suppose people also have to be a little more careful or circumspect if they're going to leverage their celebrity to promote their political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/i-suppose-people-also-have-to-be-a-little-more-careful-or-circumspect/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [I surprised the hell out of myself when I got MVP for the 2018 All Star Legends Celebrity game. I had no idea I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-miz/i-surprised-the-hell-out-of-myself-when-i-got-mvp-for-the-2018-all/) [The Miz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-miz/) > [I grew up in celebrity world, so I know what famous people are like, and I've never looked up to them in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-allen/i-grew-up-in-celebrity-world-so-i-know-what-famous-people-are-like/) [Lily Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-allen/) > [Well, I knew I wanted to be an actor, and I didn't necessarily need or want to be famous or a celebrity actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-fischer/well-i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-and-i-didn-t-necessarily-need-or/) [Jenna Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-fischer/) > [People are people. All that celebrity tagging doesn't bother me at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-price/people-are-people-all-that-celebrity-tagging-doesn-t-bother-me-at-all/) [Katie Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-price/) > [There's a line between being an artist and being a celebrity. Whether you're a famous photographer or artist, or you're an actor or director,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-heard/there-s-a-line-between-being-an-artist-and-being-a-celebrity-whether/) [Amber Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-heard/) [Browse all 1,675 Celebrity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/celebrity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I go on the road now, which is less than before, but still more than I'd like to, I think of myself primarily as a singer. Not a songwriter, not a celebrity, just a man who likes to sing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Don McLean" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/when-i-go-on-the-road-now-which-is-less-than-before-but-still-more/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Celebrity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/when-i-go-on-the-road-now-which-is-less-than-before-but-still-more/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/don-mclean-6904_celebrity_when-i-go-on-the-road-now-which-is-less_1935120.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/don-mclean-6904_celebrity_when-i-go-on-the-road-now-which-is-less_1935120.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74f/don-mclean-6904_celebrity_when-i-go-on-the-road-now-which-is-less_1935120.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I go on the road now, which is less than before, but still more than I'd like to, I think of myself…” — Don McLean", "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": "Don McLean", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I go on the road...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/when-i-go-on-the-road-now-which-is-less-than-before-but-still-more/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/when-i-go-on-the-road-now-which-is-less-than-before-but-still-more/#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 } } ] } ```