--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think I was ever particularly…" description: "\"I don't think I was ever particularly mean. I can certainly think of some idiotic exchanges I've had. I was accused of destroying pop music, like Wagne..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/elvis-costello-1931_accused_i-don-t-think-i-was-ever-particularly-me_1718046.jpg" --- # I don't think I was ever particularly mean. I can… ![“I don't think I was ever particularly mean. I can certainly think of some idiotic exchanges I've had. I was accused of destroying pop music, like Wagner destroyed opera - a guy in Germany started ranting that at me.” quote by Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/elvis-costello-1931_accused_i-don-t-think-i-was-ever-particularly-me_1718046.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/elvis-costello-1931_accused_i-don-t-think-i-was-ever-particularly-me_1718046.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/elvis-costello-1931_accused_i-don-t-think-i-was-ever-particularly-me_1718046.jpg) > “I don't think I was ever particularly mean. I can certainly think of some idiotic exchanges I've had. I was accused of destroying pop music, like Wagner destroyed opera - a guy in Germany started ranting that at me.” [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker admits to not being intentionally harsh, but acknowledges past foolish interactions and a criticism comparing his impact on pop music to Wagner's on opera. **In simple terms:** He isn’t deliberately mean, but has had some silly disputes and faced harsh criticism. Key Takeaway Recognize past mistakes and accept criticism constructively. Themes self-awareness criticism music industry Mood reflective defensive thoughtful Type personal critical defensive When to use this quote - band interviews - media reviews - personal reflection - public backlash Key Concepts humility public perception artistic impact Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate constructive feedback from hostile attacks? - What can you learn from being compared to historical figures? A Different Perspective Criticism may be exaggerated and ignore artistic intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accused/) [Certainly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainly/) [Destroyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroyed/) [Destroying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroying/) [Ever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ever/) [Exchanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exchanges/) [Germany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/germany/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Idiotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiotic/) [Idiotic Exchanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiotic-exchanges-1311347/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Like Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-wagner-1311348/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Opera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opera/) [Particularly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particularly/) [Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pop/) [Pop music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pop-music/) [Pops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pops/) [Ranting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ranting/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started/) [Started Ranting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-ranting-1311346/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Ve Accused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ve-accused-1185394/) [Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wagner/) ## Related quotes > [Around 2013-14, I started ranting on Twitter about the communal dysfunction that society was getting into. And I would have fights with trolls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anubhav-sinha/around-2013-14-i-started-ranting-on-twitter-about-the-communal/) [Anubhav Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anubhav-sinha/) > [Please write music like Wagner, only louder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/please-write-music-like-wagner-only-louder/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [When you think about a composer you know like Wagner or Pier Boulez or something like that most of the issues a composer is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-spooky/when-you-think-about-a-composer-you-know-like-wagner-or-pier-boulez/) [DJ Spooky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-spooky/) > [The score is doing a lot of work. It's like Wagner. It's like a yak carrying people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nico-muhly/the-score-is-doing-a-lot-of-work-it-s-like-wagner-it-s-like-a-yak/) [Nico Muhly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nico-muhly/) > [They see me all the time at Bayreuth and think I only like Wagner's music, and it's not true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joachim-sauer/they-see-me-all-the-time-at-bayreuth-and-think-i-only-like-wagner-s/) [Joachim Sauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joachim-sauer/) > [I like Wagner's music much better than anybody's. It's so loud that one can talk the whole time without people hearing you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-marley/i-like-wagner-s-music-much-better-than-anybody-s-it-s-so-loud-that/) [Bob Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-marley/) > [I like Wagner's music better than anybody's. It is so loud that one can talk the whole time without other people hearing what one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-like-wagner-s-music-better-than-anybody-s-it-is-so-loud-that-one/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Shakespeare is just some bloke who keeps ranting "what light trough yonder window breaks" its the moon for god sakes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-rennison/shakespeare-is-just-some-bloke-who-keeps-ranting-what-light-trough/) [Louise Rennison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-rennison/) > [To me, 'rant' was ranting and raving. So to me, it's heightened. emotional flipping out, frothing at the mouth. Where I grew up, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/to-me-rant-was-ranting-and-raving-so-to-me-it-s-heightened-emotional/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [I don't want to be like the angry old guy in the corner who is always ranting and raving about the same things -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/i-don-t-want-to-be-like-the-angry-old-guy-in-the-corner-who-is-always/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [If I'm ranting & raving, that's a GOOD thing, I'm letting off some steam. When I'm pissed off but seem quiet and calm, THAT'S…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/if-i-m-ranting-raving-that-s-a-good-thing-i-m-letting-off-some-steam/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Young girls look at nice guys as something they'll put on their to-do list once they're fat, unattractive and have to many kids that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/young-girls-look-at-nice-guys-as-something-they-ll-put-on-their-to-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This damned ranting about doom. Is that food for the minds of modern people? Do they really expect us to take them seriously?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingmar-bergman/this-damned-ranting-about-doom-is-that-food-for-the-minds-of-modern/) [Ingmar Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingmar-bergman/) > [I came on to Twitter in my 50s and I sort of think that was perfect. I am just a ranting old lady really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-burke/i-came-on-to-twitter-in-my-50s-and-i-sort-of-think-that-was-perfect-i/) [Kathy Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-burke/) > [Have you ever listened to so much bullshit that your ears suddenly switches off? It happens to me often where people are ranting for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lleeann/have-you-ever-listened-to-so-much-bullshit-that-your-ears-suddenly/) [Lleeann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lleeann/) ## More by Elvis Costello > [Good manners and bad breath will get you nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/good-manners-and-bad-breath-will-get-you-nowhere/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [History repeats the old conceits, the glib replies, the same defeats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/history-repeats-the-old-conceits-the-glib-replies-the-same-defeats/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [People think it is all about country music, and I know a lot of country music has come out of there, but like Blonde…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/people-think-it-is-all-about-country-music-and-i-know-a-lot-of/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [I get very frustrated by this term 'genre exercise.' I mean, what exactly is that? Genre is not really relevant when you are writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/i-get-very-frustrated-by-this-term-genre-exercise-i-mean-what-exactly/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [Even in a perfect world where everyone was equal. I'd still own the film rights and be working on the sequel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/even-in-a-perfect-world-where-everyone-was-equal-i-d-still-own-the/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [Somebody should clip Sting around the head and tell him to stop using that ridiculous Jamaican accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/somebody-should-clip-sting-around-the-head-and-tell-him-to-stop-using/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [There is something wrong with you if you don't get angry about something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/there-is-something-wrong-with-you-if-you-don-t-get-angry-about/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [“Was it a millionaire who said "imagine no possessions?" A poor little schoolboy who said "we don't need no lessons?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/was-it-a-millionaire-who-said-imagine-no-possessions-a-poor-little/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [Though the passion still flutters and flickers, it never got into our knickers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/though-the-passion-still-flutters-and-flickers-it-never-got-into-our/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [My dad's father was a White Star Line trumpet player in the '20s. It shaped the way that I think about music. My grandfather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/my-dad-s-father-was-a-white-star-line-trumpet-player-in-the-20s-it/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [Life for me is about movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/life-for-me-is-about-movement/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [Maybe I just never learned my harmony part, because what everybody says sounds odd to them sounds perfectly natural to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/maybe-i-just-never-learned-my-harmony-part-because-what-everybody/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [There are a lot of things that you can like at a distance without spending a huge amount of time pondering. It's not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/there-are-a-lot-of-things-that-you-can-like-at-a-distance-without/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [Don't wear your heart on your sleeve when your remarks are off the cuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/don-t-wear-your-heart-on-your-sleeve-when-your-remarks-are-off-the/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [I'm just the mere shadow of my former selfishness. I crave the silhouette of your kiss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/i-m-just-the-mere-shadow-of-my-former-selfishness-i-crave-the/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) [Explore all 197 Elvis Costello quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) ## More Accused quotes > [We resent being faced with facts we'd prefer to ignore as much as being wrongly accused of doing something we haven't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aidan-chambers/we-resent-being-faced-with-facts-we-d-prefer-to-ignore-as-much-as/) [Aidan Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aidan-chambers/) > [Jesus Himself was criticized. He wasn't a glutton and drunkard, but He was accused of being those things. Why? Because He went to parties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/jesus-himself-was-criticized-he-wasn-t-a-glutton-and-drunkard-but-he/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [You're lying through your fangs," Iggy accused. Fang tried to play innocent--but "innocent Fang" is an oxymoron, so it didn't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/you-re-lying-through-your-fangs-iggy-accused-fang-tried-to-play/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [The big story today, Barack Obama was accused of insulting Sarah Palin when he criticized Republican policies by saying, you can put lipstick on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/the-big-story-today-barack-obama-was-accused-of-insulting-sarah-palin/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [I've been accused of humanizing the Nazis, to which I can only say, you can't blame me for that. God did that. Go talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-d-snodgrass/i-ve-been-accused-of-humanizing-the-nazis-to-which-i-can-only-say-you/) [W. D. Snodgrass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-d-snodgrass/) > [Something very unique about Germany is that once you are suspected or accused of having worked for the Stassi, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-schwochow/something-very-unique-about-germany-is-that-once-you-are-suspected-or/) [Christian Schwochow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-schwochow/) > [You can make a very good argument that society would be much worse off if you let 10 rapists and murderers free rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-goldberg/you-can-make-a-very-good-argument-that-society-would-be-much-worse/) [Jonah Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-goldberg/) > [Here, I am looking for a document issued by a public attorney. I don't find. He is accused by the political leaders of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-verges/here-i-am-looking-for-a-document-issued-by-a-public-attorney-i-don-t/) [Jacques Verges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-verges/) > [For although Claudius had been accused of gambling and drunkenness, not only were no worse sins laid to his charge, but he had successfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-although-claudius-had-been-accused-of-gambling-and-drunkenness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A man may be accused of cowardice for fleeing away from all manner of physical dangers but when things supernatural, insubstantial and inexplicable threaten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-hill/a-man-may-be-accused-of-cowardice-for-fleeing-away-from-all-manner-of/) [Susan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-hill/) > [When Hillary Clinton was in the Clinton White House as first lady, the left - the right accused her of being wide eyed radical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-corn/when-hillary-clinton-was-in-the-clinton-white-house-as-first-lady-the/) [David Corn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-corn/) > [I've been accused of trying too hard to rescue people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-edwards/i-ve-been-accused-of-trying-too-hard-to-rescue-people/) [Kim Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-edwards/) > [“Looks sure can be deceiving: not every ‘ugly’ person is a ‘bad’ person (or is guilty of whatever it is that they are accused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/looks-sure-can-be-deceiving-not-every-ugly-person-is-a-bad-person-or/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I have been accused of never saying no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-have-been-accused-of-never-saying-no/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) [Browse all 618 Accused quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accused/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't think I was ever particularly mean. 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