--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've never had any real concern about…" description: "\"I've never had any real concern about posterity. I hope some people will be sorry when I'm not here, but I'm not playing for that.\" — Elvis Costello" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/elvis-costello-1931_concern_i-ve-never-had-any-real-concern-about-po_2404311.jpg" --- # I've never had any real concern about posterity. I hope… ![“I've never had any real concern about posterity. I hope some people will be sorry when I'm not here, but I'm not playing for that.” quote by Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/elvis-costello-1931_concern_i-ve-never-had-any-real-concern-about-po_2404311.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/elvis-costello-1931_concern_i-ve-never-had-any-real-concern-about-po_2404311.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/elvis-costello-1931_concern_i-ve-never-had-any-real-concern-about-po_2404311.jpg) > “I've never had any real concern about posterity. I hope some people will be sorry when I'm not here, but I'm not playing for that.” [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 artist expresses indifference to legacy, focusing on present actions rather than future judgment. **In simple terms:** Live for today, not for posterity. Key Takeaway Prioritize present fulfillment over future reputation. Themes individualism legacy present-focus Mood contemplative defiant Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - career decisions - creative work - personal goals - public image Key Concepts existentialism self‑expression Questions to Reflect On - How does your work affect future generations? - Do you value immediate satisfaction over lasting influence? A Different Perspective May neglect long‑term impact of actions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [The true conservative is the man who has a real concern for injustices and takes thought against the day of reckoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/the-true-conservative-is-the-man-who-has-a-real-concern-for/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [The PFOA, PFOS is is a real concern and people need to be concerned about it and the water systems need to be concerned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-r-wheeler/the-pfoa-pfos-is-is-a-real-concern-and-people-need-to-be-concerned/) [Andrew R. Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-r-wheeler/) > [It is a very real concern and my view is that everything changed on September 11th and the procedure, the policies that were in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pataki/it-is-a-very-real-concern-and-my-view-is-that-everything-changed-on/) [George Pataki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pataki/) > [It's a real concern of mine every day. What can we do? How much can we do? How quickly can we address all these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-skoll/it-s-a-real-concern-of-mine-every-day-what-can-we-do-how-much-can-we/) [Jeffrey Skoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-skoll/) > [I must admit, the constant invasion of privacy was becoming a real concern. I've been asked for autographs while I've been doing laps in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-astley/i-must-admit-the-constant-invasion-of-privacy-was-becoming-a-real-2/) [Rick Astley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-astley/) > [It gives me real concern to observe ... that you should think it necessary to distinguish between my personal and public character, and confine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-gives-me-real-concern-to-observe-that-you-should-think-it/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [This is my real concern: to give each film a unique individuality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bass/this-is-my-real-concern-to-give-each-film-a-unique-individuality/) [Saul Bass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bass/) > [Everyone in the United States is so intense about maintaining a separation between Church and State when the real concern should be about keeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/everyone-in-the-united-states-is-so-intense-about-maintaining-a/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [I must admit, the constant invasion of privacy was becoming a real concern. Ive been asked for autographs while Ive been doing laps in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-astley/i-must-admit-the-constant-invasion-of-privacy-was-becoming-a-real/) [Rick Astley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-astley/) > [In many parts of Minnesota outside of the big metro areas, and the college towns, and the regional centers like Duluth or Rochester, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-smith/in-many-parts-of-minnesota-outside-of-the-big-metro-areas-and-the/) [Tina Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-smith/) > [The real concern for the Russians is that they're going to get closed out, that there's gong to be a new 'Iron Curtain'... for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/the-real-concern-for-the-russians-is-that-they-re-going-to-get-closed/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [My real concern is what happens if China becomes the next Cambridge Analytica, what happens if North Korea becomes the next Cambridge Analytica?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-wylie/my-real-concern-is-what-happens-if-china-becomes-the-next-cambridge/) [Christopher Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-wylie/) > [“This is the only real concern of the artist, to recreate out of the disorder of life that order which is art.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/this-is-the-only-real-concern-of-the-artist-to-recreate-out-of-the/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [We are not out to boast that there is so much percentage of growth per year. Our real concern is how it affects the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/we-are-not-out-to-boast-that-there-is-so-much-percentage-of-growth/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [Society takes what it wants. The artist himself does not count, because there is no actual existence for the work of art. The work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/society-takes-what-it-wants-the-artist-himself-does-not-count-because/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) ## 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 Concern quotes > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [It is not my intention to explain Turkey, its culture and its problems. My literature has a universal concern: I want to bring people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/it-is-not-my-intention-to-explain-turkey-its-culture-and-its-problems/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [I'm a vegetarian - I think there's a strong possibility, had I not become a vegetarian, I would not be working now. I became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-barker/i-m-a-vegetarian-i-think-there-s-a-strong-possibility-had-i-not/) [Bob Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-barker/) > [What really concerns me is for Christians to understand the fundamentals of evangelism in a way that is helpful in the contemporary scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/what-really-concerns-me-is-for-christians-to-understand-the/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I'm not interested in making a diagnostic novel or a concern. I'm 100 percent committed in fiction to the pleasure principle - that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/i-m-not-interested-in-making-a-diagnostic-novel-or-a-concern-i-m-100/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [I am sympathetic to developing countries’ concerns: because of our emissions it’s their crops that will disappear; because of our inaction, it’s their fields…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-am-sympathetic-to-developing-countries-concerns-because-of-our/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [Meanwhile, the trees were just as green as before; the birds sang and the sun shone as clearly now as ever. The familiar surroundings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/meanwhile-the-trees-were-just-as-green-as-before-the-birds-sang-and/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [It concerns me when people frame the conversation about equal pay about the entertainment business. I don't want the wage gap issue to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-arquette/it-concerns-me-when-people-frame-the-conversation-about-equal-pay/) [Patricia Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-arquette/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [More compassionate mind, more sense of concern for other's well-being, is source of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/more-compassionate-mind-more-sense-of-concern-for-other-s-well-being/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [When I was in my teens I had a series of intensely religious experiences. They deepened my sense of God as the creator of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/when-i-was-in-my-teens-i-had-a-series-of-intensely-religious/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [If you are trying to live a life in accordance with the Bible, the concept and call to justice are inescapable. We do justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-trying-to-live-a-life-in-accordance-with-the-bible-the/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [ I just have to deal with it \[injuries\] if and when problems happen. It's obviously a concern and I've been very careful with my… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-james/i-just-have-to-deal-with-it-injuries-if-and-when-problems-happen-it-s/) [Greg James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-james/) > [Much has been said and continues to be said of what little concern the Turks had for the Acropolis treasures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-mercouri/much-has-been-said-and-continues-to-be-said-of-what-little-concern/) [Melina Mercouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-mercouri/) Browse all 3,297 Concern quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've never had any real concern about posterity. I hope some people will be sorry when I'm not here, but I'm not playing for that.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elvis Costello" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/i-ve-never-had-any-real-concern-about-posterity-i-hope-some-people/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Concern" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/i-ve-never-had-any-real-concern-about-posterity-i-hope-some-people/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/elvis-costello-1931_concern_i-ve-never-had-any-real-concern-about-po_2404311.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/elvis-costello-1931_concern_i-ve-never-had-any-real-concern-about-po_2404311.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/562/elvis-costello-1931_concern_i-ve-never-had-any-real-concern-about-po_2404311.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've never had any real concern about posterity. I hope some people will be sorry when I'm not here, but I'm…” — Elvis Costello", "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": "Elvis Costello", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've never had any real concern...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/i-ve-never-had-any-real-concern-about-posterity-i-hope-some-people/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/i-ve-never-had-any-real-concern-about-posterity-i-hope-some-people/#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 } } ] } ```