--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I look for what I'm going to listen…" description: "\"When I look for what I'm going to listen to I go backwards. I'm always going the other way you see. Most people are trying to figure out 'how do I get ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e56/eric-clapton-3136_backwards_when-i-look-for-what-i-m-going-to-listen_1768946.jpg" --- # When I look for what I'm going to listen to I go… ![“When I look for what I'm going to listen to I go backwards. I'm always going the other way you see. Most people are trying to figure out 'how do I get in the fast lane going that way?'. I'm going in the other direction. I wanna find the oldest thing to do.” quote by Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e56/eric-clapton-3136_backwards_when-i-look-for-what-i-m-going-to-listen_1768946.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e56/eric-clapton-3136_backwards_when-i-look-for-what-i-m-going-to-listen_1768946.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e56/eric-clapton-3136_backwards_when-i-look-for-what-i-m-going-to-listen_1768946.jpg) > “When I look for what I'm going to listen to I go backwards. I'm always going the other way you see. Most people are trying to figure out 'how do I get in the fast lane going that way?'. I'm going in the other direction. I wanna find the oldest thing to do.” [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) ## 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 prefers seeking inspiration by exploring past works rather than chasing current trends, valuing timeless depth over speed. **In simple terms:** Look to the past for lasting insight, not just the newest hype. Key Takeaway Seek wisdom in older sources. Themes creativity tradition individualism Mood reflective nostalgic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - songwriting - music production - personal growth - cultural research Key Concepts retroism cultural memory artistic authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How does revisiting history shape your present choices? - What value do you find in older versus newer ideas? A Different Perspective May overlook modern innovations that could enhance creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direction/) [Fast lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fast-lane/) [Guitar player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar-player/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Things to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-to-do/) ## Related quotes > [I sometimes forget that life is fragile. The fact that I have more time to dream my dreams and take my ease is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luci-swindoll/i-sometimes-forget-that-life-is-fragile-the-fact-that-i-have-more/) [Luci Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luci-swindoll/) > [Voices surround us, always telling us to move faster. It may be our boss, our pastor, our parents, our wives, our husbands, our politicians,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/voices-surround-us-always-telling-us-to-move-faster-it-may-be-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't live in the fast lane I live on the off ramp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-shero/i-don-t-live-in-the-fast-lane-i-live-on-the-off-ramp/) [Fred Shero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-shero/) > [Because I'm a performer I can justify and sometimes sell the things about me that offend and shock the conventional world. I need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-ashley/because-i-m-a-performer-i-can-justify-and-sometimes-sell-the-things/) [Elizabeth Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-ashley/) > [The disciple of Jesus is not the deluxe or heavy-duty model of the Christian-especially padded, textured, streamlined, and empowered for the fast lane on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-disciple-of-jesus-is-not-the-deluxe-or-heavy-duty-model-of-the/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [Forget about the fast lane. If you really want to fly, just harness your power to your passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/forget-about-the-fast-lane-if-you-really-want-to-fly-just-harness/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [When you’re engaged in what you love to do, it’s like driving in the fast lane. Time flies by and more roads open up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker/when-you-re-engaged-in-what-you-love-to-do-it-s-like-driving-in-the/) [T. Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker/) > [Nobody's going to win all the time. On the highway of life you can't always be in the fast lane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/nobody-s-going-to-win-all-the-time-on-the-highway-of-life-you-can-t/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I like playing the contrasting roles. It what inspires me to act. If I look back on my career I am happy that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-facinelli/i-like-playing-the-contrasting-roles-it-what-inspires-me-to-act-if-i/) [Peter Facinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-facinelli/) > [The trouble with the fast lane is that all the movement is horizontal. And I like to go vertical sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-trouble-with-the-fast-lane-is-that-all-the-movement-is-horizontal/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Life's not fair, is it? Some of us drink champagne in the fast lane, and some of us eat our sandwiches by the loose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-wood/life-s-not-fair-is-it-some-of-us-drink-champagne-in-the-fast-lane-and/) [Victoria Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-wood/) > [I love the fast lane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-gabor/i-love-the-fast-lane/) [Eva Gabor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-gabor/) > [Healing does not take place in the fast lane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angeles-arrien/healing-does-not-take-place-in-the-fast-lane/) [Angeles Arrien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angeles-arrien/) > [This is the fast lane, folks...and some of us like it here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/this-is-the-fast-lane-folks-and-some-of-us-like-it-here/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [The trouble with life in the fast lane is that you get to the other end in an awful hurry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jensen/the-trouble-with-life-in-the-fast-lane-is-that-you-get-to-the-other/) John Jensen ## More by Eric Clapton > [My identity shifted when I got into # recovery . That's who I am now, and it actually gives me greater pleasure to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/my-identity-shifted-when-i-got-into-recovery-that-s-who-i-am-now-and/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [I did play a lot of fingerstyle when I first started playing. I could never really find the right combination of flatpick or fingerpick,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/i-did-play-a-lot-of-fingerstyle-when-i-first-started-playing-i-could/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [I listened to King Oliver and I listened to Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, Archie Shepp... I listened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/i-listened-to-king-oliver-and-i-listened-to-louis-armstrong-jelly/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [Yeah, I wanted to know where they got it from, what it was all about, you know, and it seemed to strike something in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/yeah-i-wanted-to-know-where-they-got-it-from-what-it-was-all-about/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [Oh yeah, I mean, it wasn't a very good guitar, most good guitars have got thrust rods in the necks that you can adjust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/oh-yeah-i-mean-it-wasn-t-a-very-good-guitar-most-good-guitars-have/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [The Yardbirds came in to the Crawdaddy Club a week after the Stones finished their Sunday night residency. They had done it for almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/the-yardbirds-came-in-to-the-crawdaddy-club-a-week-after-the-stones/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [I mean, it didn't matter to me that there were people, it didn't matter that I was shy Just the sound was so captivating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/i-mean-it-didn-t-matter-to-me-that-there-were-people-it-didn-t-matter/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [Let's make the best of the situation Before I finally go insane. Please don't say we'll never find a way And tell me all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/let-s-make-the-best-of-the-situation-before-i-finally-go-insane/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [All I am certain of right now is that I don't want to go anywhere, and that's not bad for someone who always used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/all-i-am-certain-of-right-now-is-that-i-don-t-want-to-go-anywhere-and/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [The first one was quite cheap, but that was expensive for us. For my folks to buy on the Never Never. It was quite,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/the-first-one-was-quite-cheap-but-that-was-expensive-for-us-for-my/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [It's taken me to be an older guy, an old man, to have an old man's voice. Because I only liked old men's voices.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/it-s-taken-me-to-be-an-older-guy-an-old-man-to-have-an-old-man-s/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [I've always wanted the sound of Muddy Waters' early records - only louder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/i-ve-always-wanted-the-sound-of-muddy-waters-early-records-only-louder/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [You can't mastermind everything. You'll go crazy. Just show up and play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/you-can-t-mastermind-everything-you-ll-go-crazy-just-show-up-and-play/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [Risk is trying to control something you are powerless over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/risk-is-trying-to-control-something-you-are-powerless-over/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [I thought, 'My God, this is like Buddy Guy on acid.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/i-thought-my-god-this-is-like-buddy-guy-on-acid/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) [Explore all 137 Eric Clapton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) ## More Backwards quotes > [I'm just always looking forwards. I spend very little time, looking backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-m-just-always-looking-forwards-i-spend-very-little-time-looking/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [I wear T-shirts and backwards hats and buy my shoes at Payless!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlyn-bristowe/i-wear-t-shirts-and-backwards-hats-and-buy-my-shoes-at-payless/) [Kaitlyn Bristowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlyn-bristowe/) > [A historian is not always a prophet facing backwards, but a journalist is always someone who afterwards knew everything beforehand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/a-historian-is-not-always-a-prophet-facing-backwards-but-a-journalist/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Why don't you just imagine it never happened..??](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/effy-stonem/why-don-t-you-just-imagine-it-never-happened/) [Effy Stonem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/effy-stonem/) > [“It would seem no matter how progressive we get there are always those few who are backwards in their ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solange-nicole/it-would-seem-no-matter-how-progressive-we-get-there-are-always-those/) [Solange nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solange-nicole/) > [In the spiritual life, he who does not advance goes backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/in-the-spiritual-life-he-who-does-not-advance-goes-backwards/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [Now, success is not the result of making money; making money is the result of success - and success is in direct proportion to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/now-success-is-not-the-result-of-making-money-making-money-is-the/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [Can anyone be so foolish as to believe that there are men whose feet are higher than their heads, or places where things may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lactantius/can-anyone-be-so-foolish-as-to-believe-that-there-are-men-whose-feet/) [Lactantius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lactantius/) > [I took a little break - I was coming back to work and the last thing I was going to do was take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/i-took-a-little-break-i-was-coming-back-to-work-and-the-last-thing-i/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) > [Only a fool walks into the future backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/only-a-fool-walks-into-the-future-backwards/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [We have different expectations for different groups of people. We tend to modulate the degree with which we're forgiving or punitive depending on how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/we-have-different-expectations-for-different-groups-of-people-we-tend/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) > [You know what, if you play 'She Looks So Perfect' backwards... you just listen to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-hemmings/you-know-what-if-you-play-she-looks-so-perfect-backwards-you-just/) [Luke Hemmings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-hemmings/) > [Nursing is a progressive art such that to stand still is to go backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/nursing-is-a-progressive-art-such-that-to-stand-still-is-to-go/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [“Just like backing out of the driveway… If the driveway was ten miles long, full of rocks and pits, with lethal radiation hovering above,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-thorman/just-like-backing-out-of-the-driveway-if-the-driveway-was-ten-miles/) [Daniel Thorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-thorman/) > [We're not competitor obsessed, we're customer obsessed. We start with the customer and we work backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/we-re-not-competitor-obsessed-we-re-customer-obsessed-we-start-with/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) Browse all 837 Backwards quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I look for what I'm going to listen to I go backwards. I'm always going the other way you see. Most people are trying to figure out 'how do I get in the fast lane going that way?'. I'm going in the other direction. 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