--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I had time and a hammer, I'd track…" description: "\"If I had time and a hammer, I'd track down every bootleg copy and smash it.\" — George Lucas" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/george-lucas-1038_copies_if-i-had-time-and-a-hammer-i-d-track-dow_2754162.png" --- # If I had time and a hammer, I'd track down every bootleg… ![“If I had time and a hammer, I'd track down every bootleg copy and smash it.” quote by George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/george-lucas-1038_copies_if-i-had-time-and-a-hammer-i-d-track-dow_2754162.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/george-lucas-1038_copies_if-i-had-time-and-a-hammer-i-d-track-dow_2754162.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/george-lucas-1038_copies_if-i-had-time-and-a-hammer-i-d-track-dow_2754162.png) > “If I had time and a hammer, I'd track down every bootleg copy and smash it.” [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) ## 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 suggests aggressively eliminating unauthorized reproductions of one's work. **In simple terms:** Destroy illegal copies of creative work. Key Takeaway Protect intellectual property actively. Themes copyright control creativity Mood determined protective Type assertive controversial When to use this quote - film production - music publishing - software development - publishing - art distribution Key Concepts intellectual property law enforcement piracy Questions to Reflect On - Is aggressive enforcement worth the potential backlash? - How can creators balance protection with community goodwill? A Different Perspective Legal action can be costly and may alienate fans. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bootleg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bootleg-569085/) [Bootleg Copy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bootleg-copy-3122075/) [Copies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copies/) [Copy Smash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copy-smash-3122076/) [Hammers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hammers/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-hammer-836361/) [Track](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/track/) [Track Bootleg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/track-bootleg-3122077/) ## Related quotes > [“There are some who say that Time is itself a hammer; that each slow second marks another tap that makes big rocks into little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-stover/there-are-some-who-say-that-time-is-itself-a-hammer-that-each-slow/) [Matthew Stover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-stover/) > [It may be a brief interruption - just a few seconds - but what if someone sitting near you is trying to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/it-may-be-a-brief-interruption-just-a-few-seconds-but-what-if-someone/) [Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/) > [Nothing has really changed. We had bootleg albums in the '60s and today we have Internet file sharing. They just found a better way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-havens/nothing-has-really-changed-we-had-bootleg-albums-in-the-60s-and-today/) [Richie Havens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-havens/) > [“During World War II, rationing in Russia had made vinyl prohibitively expensive, and cheap X-ray film became the bootleg music industry’s substitute. After purchasing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-eichar/during-world-war-ii-rationing-in-russia-had-made-vinyl-prohibitively/) [Donnie Eichar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-eichar/) > [There's a bootleg album that was recorded when I was 14 or 15, a compilation of things live at different clubs. Songs like Girl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-winter/there-s-a-bootleg-album-that-was-recorded-when-i-was-14-or-15-a/) [Edgar Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-winter/) > [These are the days of bootleg love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thurber/these-are-the-days-of-bootleg-love/) [James Thurber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thurber/) > [Only at my barbershop will you see a guy selling bootleg DVDs & handbags while a Katy Perry song plays in the background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahj-mowry/only-at-my-barbershop-will-you-see-a-guy-selling-bootleg-dvds/) [Tahj Mowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahj-mowry/) > [There may be a new album, and there may not. Right now, we're encouraging bootlegging because there have been some great live things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burton-cummings/there-may-be-a-new-album-and-there-may-not-right-now-we-re/) [Burton Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burton-cummings/) > [I wouldn't buy yo' album bootleg from yo' mama, punk. -Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-players-club/i-wouldn-t-buy-yo-album-bootleg-from-yo-mama-punk-tricks/) [The Players Club](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-players-club/) > [When certain bootleg companies started off and they would take maybe ten per cent of whatever they got and help fuel new bands, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-coverdale/when-certain-bootleg-companies-started-off-and-they-would-take-maybe/) [David Coverdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-coverdale/) > [I was a fan of 'Six Feet Under' and was very sad when it ended, so I was not ready to switch my allegiance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-o-hare/i-was-a-fan-of-six-feet-under-and-was-very-sad-when-it-ended-so-i-was/) [Denis O'Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-o-hare/) > [There are 23 bootlegs now. Robert Plant came home with a bootleg video and said 'Tori, you've made it. You're nothing until you've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/there-are-23-bootlegs-now-robert-plant-came-home-with-a-bootleg-video/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [Why buy a bootleg shitty copy of my special when you can get it on AMAZON for only $2.99. Swap meet cant do that!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-iglesias/why-buy-a-bootleg-shitty-copy-of-my-special-when-you-can-get-it-on/) [Gabriel Iglesias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-iglesias/) > [Queen were the first western band I got hooked on. I got a bootleg - there was hardly any legal buying of CDs in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-melua/queen-were-the-first-western-band-i-got-hooked-on-i-got-a-bootleg/) [Katie Melua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-melua/) > [A furious Peeta hammers Haymitch with the atrocity he could become party to, but I can feel Haymitch watching me. This is the moment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/a-furious-peeta-hammers-haymitch-with-the-atrocity-he-could-become/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) ## More by George Lucas > [The story being told in 'Star Wars' is a classic one. Every few hundred years, the story is retold because we have a tendency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/the-story-being-told-in-star-wars-is-a-classic-one-every-few-hundred/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [I'm very proud of all the movies I made. I am very happy with everything I've done. I like to watch my movies. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/i-m-very-proud-of-all-the-movies-i-made-i-am-very-happy-with/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [If this were a fantasy world, there would be ten of me and we would each be doing what we wanted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/if-this-were-a-fantasy-world-there-would-be-ten-of-me-and-we-would/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [All democracies turn into dictatorships - but not by coup. The people give their democracy to a dictator, whether it's Julius Caesar or Napoleon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/all-democracies-turn-into-dictatorships-but-not-by-coup-the-people/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [ I thought it \[Star Wars\] was too wacky for the general public. Right or wrong this is my movie, this is my decision, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/i-thought-it-star-wars-was-too-wacky-for-the-general-public-right-or/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [A special effect is a tool, a means of telling a story. A special effect without a story is a pretty boring thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/a-special-effect-is-a-tool-a-means-of-telling-a-story-a-special/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [It wasn't long after I began writing Star Wars that I realized the story was more than a single film could hold. As the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/it-wasn-t-long-after-i-began-writing-star-wars-that-i-realized-the/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [If you look at 'Blade Runner,' it's been cut sixteen ways from Sunday, and there are all kinds of different versions of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/if-you-look-at-blade-runner-it-s-been-cut-sixteen-ways-from-sunday/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [“Dreams are extremely important. You can’t do it unless you imagine it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/dreams-are-extremely-important-you-can-t-do-it-unless-you-imagine-it/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [Never tell me the odds!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/never-tell-me-the-odds/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [There's nothing worse than the frustration of having somebody who you feel doesn't get what you're doing, trying to turn it into something else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/there-s-nothing-worse-than-the-frustration-of-having-somebody-who-you/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [If you really love films, and you really want to get the full impact, there's a huge difference between watching something on a small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/if-you-really-love-films-and-you-really-want-to-get-the-full-impact/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [I've never been that much of a money guy. I'm more of a film guy, and most of the money I've made is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/i-ve-never-been-that-much-of-a-money-guy-i-m-more-of-a-film-guy-and/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [I made lots of movies while in school while everybody else was running around saying, "Oh, I wish I could make a movie. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/i-made-lots-of-movies-while-in-school-while-everybody-else-was/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [One of the amazing things about 'Seven Samurai' is that there are a lot of characters. And considering you have so many, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/one-of-the-amazing-things-about-seven-samurai-is-that-there-are-a-lot/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) [Explore all 304 George Lucas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) ## More Copies quotes > [every being is unique.god neva creates carbon copies,he alys creates originals.he is truly a creator.he neva repeats.but man goes on living in imitation.we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-being-is-unique-god-neva-creates-carbon-copies-he-alys-creates/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My songs are like cheap Neil Young copies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-bachman/my-songs-are-like-cheap-neil-young-copies/) [Randy Bachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-bachman/) > [In that part of the book of my memory before the which is little that can be read, there is a rubric, saying, Incipit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/in-that-part-of-the-book-of-my-memory-before-the-which-is-little-that/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [I remember being a kid and seeing the 'National Inquirer' at the grocery store checkout line. When somebody actually picked up a copy, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/i-remember-being-a-kid-and-seeing-the-national-inquirer-at-the/) [Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/) > [The idea is not to copy nature, but to give a feeling of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-oudolf/the-idea-is-not-to-copy-nature-but-to-give-a-feeling-of-nature/) [Piet Oudolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-oudolf/) > [“When copies are free, you need to sell things that cannot be copied. Well, what can’t be copied? Trust, for instance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/when-copies-are-free-you-need-to-sell-things-that-cannot-be-copied/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [Mr Witwould: "Pray, madam, do you pin up your hair with all your letters? I find I must keep copies." Mrs Millamant: "Only with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/mr-witwould-pray-madam-do-you-pin-up-your-hair-with-all-your-letters/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [There have to be at least two copies of a photograph, otherwise it’s not a photograph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ruff/there-have-to-be-at-least-two-copies-of-a-photograph-otherwise-it-s/) [Thomas Ruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ruff/) > [In market research I did at Microsoft Corp. in the early 1990s, I estimated that the 'Wall Street Journal' took in about 75 cents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/in-market-research-i-did-at-microsoft-corp-in-the-early-1990s-i/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [Guys like Todd Bridges never overcame being a child star. You can't have any big failures. I've always felt regular. I played organized ball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bow-wow/guys-like-todd-bridges-never-overcame-being-a-child-star-you-can-t/) [Bow Wow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bow-wow/) > [It was only after I had been out of the art school that I actually copied a small Seurat, and I copied it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-riley/it-was-only-after-i-had-been-out-of-the-art-school-that-i-actually/) [Bridget Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-riley/) > [We call ourselves creators and we just copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/we-call-ourselves-creators-and-we-just-copy/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [People have one of two extreme reactions to my book. They either throw it across the room, or they rush out and buy 10…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/people-have-one-of-two-extreme-reactions-to-my-book-they-either-throw/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) > [A presentation copy...is a copy of a book whoch does not sell, sent you by the author, with his foolish autograph at the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/a-presentation-copy-is-a-copy-of-a-book-whoch-does-not-sell-sent-you/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [We are all born originals, why is it so many of us die copies?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-young/we-are-all-born-originals-why-is-it-so-many-of-us-die-copies/) [Edward Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-young/) [Browse all 971 Copies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I had time and a hammer, I'd track down every bootleg copy and smash it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Lucas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/if-i-had-time-and-a-hammer-i-d-track-down-every-bootleg-copy-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Copies" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/if-i-had-time-and-a-hammer-i-d-track-down-every-bootleg-copy-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/george-lucas-1038_copies_if-i-had-time-and-a-hammer-i-d-track-dow_2754162.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/george-lucas-1038_copies_if-i-had-time-and-a-hammer-i-d-track-dow_2754162.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/george-lucas-1038_copies_if-i-had-time-and-a-hammer-i-d-track-dow_2754162.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If I had time and a hammer, I'd track down every bootleg copy and smash it.” — George Lucas", "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": "George Lucas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If I had time and a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/if-i-had-time-and-a-hammer-i-d-track-down-every-bootleg-copy-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/if-i-had-time-and-a-hammer-i-d-track-down-every-bootleg-copy-and/#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 } } ] } ```