--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why'd you have to say that there's always…" description: "\"Why'd you have to say that there's always someone who can do it better than I can And don't you think that I know that walkin' on water won't make me a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/elvis-costello-1931_can-do_why-d-you-have-to-say-that-there-s-alway_3052028.jpg" --- # Why'd you have to say that there's always someone who can… ![“Why'd you have to say that there's always someone who can do it better than I can And don't you think that I know that walkin' on water won't make me a miracle man” quote by Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/elvis-costello-1931_can-do_why-d-you-have-to-say-that-there-s-alway_3052028.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/elvis-costello-1931_can-do_why-d-you-have-to-say-that-there-s-alway_3052028.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/elvis-costello-1931_can-do_why-d-you-have-to-say-that-there-s-alway_3052028.jpg) > “Why'd you have to say that there's always someone who can do it better than I can And don't you think that I know that walkin' on water won't make me a miracle man” [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 expresses frustration at being compared to others and doubts the value of extraordinary feats that don't make one extraordinary. **In simple terms:** Comparisons and impossible feats can undermine self-worth. Key Takeaway Focus on personal progress, not others' standards. Themes self-doubt comparison achievement Mood reflective motivational Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - career development - creative pursuits - personal relationships Key Concepts psychology self-esteem Questions to Reflect On - What personal standards truly matter to you? - How can you define success on your own terms? A Different Perspective Idealizing others can distort realistic goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-don-450408/) [Can do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Make Miracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-miracle-623445/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Miracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle/) [Miracle Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle-man-1319521/) [Miracles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracles/) [Philosophical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophical/) [Say Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-better/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Walkin Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walkin-water-4112395/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [“Ya think you's walkin' on water, but turns out you just got piss in your shoes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/ya-think-you-s-walkin-on-water-but-turns-out-you-just-got-piss-in/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [The secret to walkin´ on water is knowing where the rocks are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bootsy-collins/the-secret-to-walkin-on-water-is-knowing-where-the-rocks-are/) [Bootsy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bootsy-collins/) > [I don't believe in miracles, but if the need is great, a girl might make her own miracle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-berry/i-don-t-believe-in-miracles-but-if-the-need-is-great-a-girl-might-2/) [Julie Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-berry/) > [An individual can make a difference, but a team can make a miracle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-pederson/an-individual-can-make-a-difference-but-a-team-can-make-a-miracle/) [Doug Pederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-pederson/) > [You cannot make a miracle like love happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-myss/you-cannot-make-a-miracle-like-love-happen/) [Caroline Myss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-myss/) > [My earliest poems sing of the absolute necessity of allowing love to invade and pervade one's life. That can make the miracle happen in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-broughton/my-earliest-poems-sing-of-the-absolute-necessity-of-allowing-love-to/) [James Broughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-broughton/) > [“I don't believe in miracles, but if the need is great, a girl might make her own miracle. Even if that means enlisting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-berry/i-don-t-believe-in-miracles-but-if-the-need-is-great-a-girl-might/) [Julie Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-berry/) > [I have to be very humble. I know that anything I do is through God. Through me, God can make a miracle. The most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mercado/i-have-to-be-very-humble-i-know-that-anything-i-do-is-through-god/) [Walter Mercado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mercado/) > [It is a true miracle when a man finally sees himself as his only opposition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/it-is-a-true-miracle-when-a-man-finally-sees-himself-as-his-only/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Everything was a miracle until we solved it. ... the first man who ever saw a flying fish probably thought he was witnessing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/everything-was-a-miracle-until-we-solved-it-the-first-man-who-ever/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Man is the miracle in nature. God Is the One Miracle to man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-ingelow/man-is-the-miracle-in-nature-god-is-the-one-miracle-to-man/) [Jean Ingelow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-ingelow/) > [The miracle of man is not how far he has sunk but how magnificently he has risen. We are known among the stars by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ardrey/the-miracle-of-man-is-not-how-far-he-has-sunk-but-how-magnificently/) [Robert Ardrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ardrey/) > [ I hate using this term \[miracle\]. I'm a man of science. I'm a doctor. I don't use this word. But he said, it's a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/i-hate-using-this-term-miracle-i-m-a-man-of-science-i-m-a-doctor-i/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [The real miracle is a man who can walk with God every day ... When a person walks with God, he finds joy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-klemp/the-real-miracle-is-a-man-who-can-walk-with-god-every-day-when-a/) [Harold Klemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-klemp/) > [I don't think I was a miracle man. Neither were Lou Holtz or Frank Leahy. We all found ways to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/i-don-t-think-i-was-a-miracle-man-neither-were-lou-holtz-or-frank/) [Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) ## 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 Can do quotes > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Anybody can be Prince Charming one day a year, with the dinner and the flowers and all that. But you know what impresses me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-howard/anybody-can-be-prince-charming-one-day-a-year-with-the-dinner-and-the/) [Ryan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-howard/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [It's nice when you've done enough movies that you can do your own anthology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/it-s-nice-when-you-ve-done-enough-movies-that-you-can-do-your-own/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [If people don't have their own vision, all they can do is 'sign-up' for someone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/if-people-don-t-have-their-own-vision-all-they-can-do-is-sign-up-for/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [The one thing that flies in the face of all human history and experience, is that the government can do a superior job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-one-thing-that-flies-in-the-face-of-all-human-history-and/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agate/a-professional-is-a-man-who-can-do-his-job-when-he-doesn-t-feel-like/) [James Agate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agate/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [I'm not an educated man. I only know what I'm told, and I'm not told that much; I have no frame of reference for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-not-an-educated-man-i-only-know-what-i-m-told-and-i-m-not-told/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) [Browse all 5,673 Can do quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Why'd you have to say that there's always someone who can do it better than I can And don't you think that I know that walkin' on water won't make me a miracle man", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elvis Costello" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/why-d-you-have-to-say-that-there-s-always-someone-who-can-do-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Can do" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/why-d-you-have-to-say-that-there-s-always-someone-who-can-do-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/elvis-costello-1931_can-do_why-d-you-have-to-say-that-there-s-alway_3052028.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/elvis-costello-1931_can-do_why-d-you-have-to-say-that-there-s-alway_3052028.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/elvis-costello-1931_can-do_why-d-you-have-to-say-that-there-s-alway_3052028.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Why'd you have to say that there's always someone who can do it better than I can And don't you think that I…” — 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": "Why'd you have to say that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/why-d-you-have-to-say-that-there-s-always-someone-who-can-do-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/why-d-you-have-to-say-that-there-s-always-someone-who-can-do-it/#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 } } ] } ```