--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The colored folks been singing it and…" description: "\"The colored folks been singing it and playing it just like I'm doin' now, man, for more years than I know. I got it from them.\" — Elvis Presley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/458/elvis-presley-1269_folks_the-colored-folks-been-singing-it-and-pl_2308971.jpg" --- # The colored folks been singing it and playing it just like… ![“The colored folks been singing it and playing it just like I'm doin' now, man, for more years than I know. I got it from them.” quote by Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/458/elvis-presley-1269_folks_the-colored-folks-been-singing-it-and-pl_2308971.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/458/elvis-presley-1269_folks_the-colored-folks-been-singing-it-and-pl_2308971.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/458/elvis-presley-1269_folks_the-colored-folks-been-singing-it-and-pl_2308971.jpg) > “The colored folks been singing it and playing it just like I'm doin' now, man, for more years than I know. I got it from them.” [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledge cultural roots; recognize influence of predecessors in creative expression. **In simple terms:** Your art builds on others’ contributions. Key Takeaway Honor and learn from those who came before. Themes heritage creativity influence Mood reflective appreciative Type cultural inspirational When to use this quote - music composition - performance - cultural festivals Key Concepts cultural transmission artistic lineage Questions to Reflect On - Whose legacy inspires your work? - How can you blend tradition with innovation? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on past styles can hinder originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Colored Folks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colored-folks-1982614/) [Folks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folks/) [Folks Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folks-singing-4072439/) [Just Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-like/) [Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing/) [Singing Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing-playing-614930/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I don't really remember my folks singing to us, but they read to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-chapin-carpenter/i-don-t-really-remember-my-folks-singing-to-us-but-they-read-to-us/) [Mary Chapin Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-chapin-carpenter/) > [“College students, couples, people covered with eagle tattoos, boat captains, white-haired folks—we were all singing, waiting especially for the chorus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jenkins/college-students-couples-people-covered-with-eagle-tattoos-boat/) [Peter Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jenkins/) > [“Us colored folks is too envious of one ’nother. Dat’s how come us don’t git no further than us do. Us talks about de…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/us-colored-folks-is-too-envious-of-one-nother-dat-s-how-come-us-don-t/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [“Cry about the simple hell people give other people- without even thinking. Cry about the hell white people give colored folks, without even stopping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/cry-about-the-simple-hell-people-give-other-people-without-even/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [A fantasy of mine is being pulled up onstage by one of my favorite bands and singing or playing an instrument with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-posey/a-fantasy-of-mine-is-being-pulled-up-onstage-by-one-of-my-favorite/) [Tyler Posey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-posey/) > [It was fun playing a horrible, snotty kid in 'Harry Potter', and then playing Prince Charming where I was also singing and playing guitar,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/it-was-fun-playing-a-horrible-snotty-kid-in-harry-potter-and-then/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [Playing live was always definitely a lot more fun. You picture it: working alone in the studio eight or 10 hours a day with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-scholz/playing-live-was-always-definitely-a-lot-more-fun-you-picture-it/) [Tom Scholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-scholz/) > [Singing and playing live can be difficult. Like, in the studio, I would record either the music track first or the vocal first. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thundercat/singing-and-playing-live-can-be-difficult-like-in-the-studio-i-would/) [Thundercat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thundercat/) > [What I always expect to deliver to my audience is a very entertaining evening of singing and playing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-miller/what-i-always-expect-to-deliver-to-my-audience-is-a-very-entertaining/) [Steve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-miller/) > [I've been singing and playing the guitar ever since I can remember.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-campbell/i-ve-been-singing-and-playing-the-guitar-ever-since-i-can-remember/) [Glen Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-campbell/) > [If you write a song, and you go into a restaurant, and there's a guy with a piano singing and he's playing piano, singing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-harris/if-you-write-a-song-and-you-go-into-a-restaurant-and-there-s-a-guy/) [Jesse Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-harris/) > [Singing and playing have always gone hand-in-hand with me. I love 'em both equally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-anselmo/singing-and-playing-have-always-gone-hand-in-hand-with-me-i-love-em/) [Phil Anselmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-anselmo/) > [But without the experience of actually singing or playing these things yourself, you don't have the same kind of involvement or understanding of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/but-without-the-experience-of-actually-singing-or-playing-these/) [Michael Tilson Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tilson-thomas/) > [I came from being a singer going into jazz. And that's one of the things that polio did for me is it took away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-haden/i-came-from-being-a-singer-going-into-jazz-and-that-s-one-of-the/) [Charlie Haden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-haden/) > [I don't have a family that grew up singing and playing all the time. I didn't really have anything to judge my abilities against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-hunt/i-don-t-have-a-family-that-grew-up-singing-and-playing-all-the-time-i/) [Van Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-hunt/) ## More by Elvis Presley > [Life has taught me one big lesson, always keep the girlies guessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/life-has-taught-me-one-big-lesson-always-keep-the-girlies-guessing/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [I wouldn't call girls a hobby. It's a pastime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/i-wouldn-t-call-girls-a-hobby-it-s-a-pastime/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [The greatest voice of all time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/the-greatest-voice-of-all-time/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [Wise men say only fools rush in. But I can't help falling in love with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/wise-men-say-only-fools-rush-in-but-i-can-t-help-falling-in-love-with/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [I'm lonely like Adam and you're evil like Eve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/i-m-lonely-like-adam-and-you-re-evil-like-eve/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [My philosophy of life is simple: I need someone to love, something to wait and do something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/my-philosophy-of-life-is-simple-i-need-someone-to-love-something-to/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [Teenagers are my life and my triumph. I'd be nowhere without them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/teenagers-are-my-life-and-my-triumph-i-d-be-nowhere-without-them/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [People ask me where I got my singing style. I didn't copy my style from anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/people-ask-me-where-i-got-my-singing-style-i-didn-t-copy-my-style/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [How can you lose something you never had, I tell myself when I'm feeling sad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/how-can-you-lose-something-you-never-had-i-tell-myself-when-i-m/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [Tomorrow will be too late, it's now or never...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/tomorrow-will-be-too-late-it-s-now-or-never/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine. Ain't nowhere else in the world where you can go from driving a truck to cadillac…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/ambition-is-a-dream-with-a-v8-engine-ain-t-nowhere-else-in-the-world/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [The image is one thing and the human being is another...it's very hard to live up to an image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/the-image-is-one-thing-and-the-human-being-is-another-it-s-very-hard/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [I want to entertain people. That's my whole life. To my last breath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/i-want-to-entertain-people-that-s-my-whole-life-to-my-last-breath/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [She touched my hand what a chill I got, her lips are like a volcano that's hot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/she-touched-my-hand-what-a-chill-i-got-her-lips-are-like-a-volcano/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [Since I was two years old, all I knew was gospel music. That music became such a part of my life it was as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/since-i-was-two-years-old-all-i-knew-was-gospel-music-that-music/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) [Explore all 263 Elvis Presley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) ## More Folks quotes > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Some of the folks on both sides might be sincere, but it does seem as if it is only the opposition that cares about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/some-of-the-folks-on-both-sides-might-be-sincere-but-it-does-seem-as/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [This cold weather has set all the young Folks to providing Bedfellows. I have signed two or three Licences every Day \[as a Fairfax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/this-cold-weather-has-set-all-the-young-folks-to-providing-bedfellows/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [Sometimes you have to stop telling folks about themselves and leave it up to them to figure out where they went wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-lobbins/sometimes-you-have-to-stop-telling-folks-about-themselves-and-leave/) [Danielle Lobbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-lobbins/) > [The Urban Literate Southern California Sub-Group of the Early Atomic Period has not yet produced a distinct body of folk music of its own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hinton/the-urban-literate-southern-california-sub-group-of-the-early-atomic/) [Sam Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-hinton/) > [Only two to three per cent of an audience is interested in words and pays attention to lyrics; most of the rest of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/only-two-to-three-per-cent-of-an-audience-is-interested-in-words-and/) [Al Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stewart/) > [Tis e'er the wont of simple folk to prize the deed and o'erlook the motive, and of learned folk to discount the deed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barth/tis-e-er-the-wont-of-simple-folk-to-prize-the-deed-and-o-erlook-the/) [John Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barth/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I was very engaged by the folk music movement.Bob Dylan; Joan Baez; Peter, Paul and Mary. And then I sort of discovered world music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-was-very-engaged-by-the-folk-music-movement-bob-dylan-joan-baez/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [I want folks to take horror seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-g-tremblay/i-want-folks-to-take-horror-seriously/) [Paul G. Tremblay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-g-tremblay/) [Browse all 2,417 Folks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folks/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The colored folks been singing it and playing it just like I'm doin' now, man, for more years than I know. 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