--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I could have made it as a singer, but I…" description: "\"I could have made it as a singer, but I went with acting - surrendered to it, in a way.\" — Harry Dean Stanton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/425/harry-dean-stanton-4043_acting_i-could-have-made-it-as-a-singer-but-i-w_823157.jpg" --- # I could have made it as a singer, but I went with acting… ![“I could have made it as a singer, but I went with acting - surrendered to it, in a way.” quote by Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/425/harry-dean-stanton-4043_acting_i-could-have-made-it-as-a-singer-but-i-w_823157.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/425/harry-dean-stanton-4043_acting_i-could-have-made-it-as-a-singer-but-i-w_823157.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/425/harry-dean-stanton-4043_acting_i-could-have-made-it-as-a-singer-but-i-w_823157.jpg) > “I could have made it as a singer, but I went with acting - surrendered to it, in a way.” [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He chose acting over singing, accepting the path that felt right for him despite other talents **In simple terms:** He followed his passion for acting instead of singing Key Takeaway Embrace the path that truly resonates with you Themes career choices self‑acceptance artistic fulfillment Mood reflective thoughtful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - audition decisions - career planning - creative pursuits Key Concepts identity trade‑offs personal destiny Questions to Reflect On - What does “surrendering” mean to you? - How do you recognize the right creative path? A Different Perspective Choosing one talent may limit other possibilities ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Surrendered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-surrendered-490689/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singer/) [Surrendered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrendered/) [Surrendered Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrendered-way-490690/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Went Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/went-acting/) ## Related quotes > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [I went to acting school for like a year and ended up doing voiceovers and stuff. I could have done a lot more with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mic-geronimo/i-went-to-acting-school-for-like-a-year-and-ended-up-doing-voiceovers/) [Mic Geronimo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mic-geronimo/) > [In many ways, Nog is a lot like me, like the way he goes after Starfleet with such tenacity, much the same way I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aron-eisenberg/in-many-ways-nog-is-a-lot-like-me-like-the-way-he-goes-after/) [Aron Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aron-eisenberg/) > [I never really saw my dad as entertained as when he was just completely blown away by somebody on the television screen or at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-basinger/i-never-really-saw-my-dad-as-entertained-as-when-he-was-just/) [Kim Basinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-basinger/) > [My background is a small town with no movie theater. So... I always pictured myself onstage. I went to acting school and learned all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franka-potente/my-background-is-a-small-town-with-no-movie-theater-so-i-always/) [Franka Potente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franka-potente/) > [I never went into acting to be able to scare everybody. If I'd wanted to frighten people, I could have joined the C.I.A.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/i-never-went-into-acting-to-be-able-to-scare-everybody-if-i-d-wanted/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) > [I didn't go to film school, I went to acting school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-s-dutton/i-didn-t-go-to-film-school-i-went-to-acting-school/) [Charles S. Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-s-dutton/) > [I never went to acting school. I started in the circus, music hall, I was in a group, did kids' bits. I've always had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-graves/i-never-went-to-acting-school-i-started-in-the-circus-music-hall-i/) [Rupert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-graves/) > [I never went to school. I never went to acting school because I was so scared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-andress/i-never-went-to-school-i-never-went-to-acting-school-because-i-was-so/) [Ursula Andress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-andress/) > [I've suffered from an identity crisis my entire life. It's why I went into acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-rhys/i-ve-suffered-from-an-identity-crisis-my-entire-life-it-s-why-i-went/) [Matthew Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-rhys/) > [I went into acting because I had to make a good living. I had a child now and I had to support him any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-soul/i-went-into-acting-because-i-had-to-make-a-good-living-i-had-a-child/) [David Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-soul/) > [I had spent my childhood making up adventures in my head. Then I realized when I went to acting school that there were adventures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-marchand/i-had-spent-my-childhood-making-up-adventures-in-my-head-then-i/) [Nancy Marchand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-marchand/) > [I used to do puppet theatre and also mime and musical theatre in Florida for competitions and festivals, which was great. I was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-snipes/i-used-to-do-puppet-theatre-and-also-mime-and-musical-theatre-in/) [Wesley Snipes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-snipes/) > [“ 'I went to one acting coach when I first started who told me that acting is reacting to the stimuli we are presented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-rice/i-went-to-one-acting-coach-when-i-first-started-who-told-me-that/) [Christopher Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-rice/) > [I knew, starting in 10th grade, I wanted to be in theater and an actor. I went to acting school in Siberia, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrey-zvyagintsev/i-knew-starting-in-10th-grade-i-wanted-to-be-in-theater-and-an-actor/) [Andrey Zvyagintsev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrey-zvyagintsev/) ## More by Harry Dean Stanton > [Fame in itself is, you know... It involves a whole discussion on just that word, 'fame.' It's a power; it's another degree of power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/fame-in-itself-is-you-know-it-involves-a-whole-discussion-on-just/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I watch television. Game shows - I hate the hosts and the people on them, and I love the questions and the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-watch-television-game-shows-i-hate-the-hosts-and-the-people-on-them/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I was singing the blues when I was six. Kind of sad, eh?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-was-singing-the-blues-when-i-was-six-kind-of-sad-eh/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I never liked being ordered around - which, of course, was an overreaction. I eventually found out that I didn't mind being ordered around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-never-liked-being-ordered-around-which-of-course-was-an/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I've never been ambitious about recording](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-ve-never-been-ambitious-about-recording/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I know little stories that happen to people around me, and I can repeat that in a way that has some color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-know-little-stories-that-happen-to-people-around-me-and-i-can/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I worked with the best directors - Martin Scorsese, John Huston, David Lynch, Alfred Hitchcock. Alfred Hitchcock was great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-worked-with-the-best-directors-martin-scorsese-john-huston-david/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [The first film I ever remember - I think my mother took me to it - was called 'She Married Her Boss' with Melvyn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/the-first-film-i-ever-remember-i-think-my-mother-took-me-to-it-was/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [The band I've played with for 10 or 12 years now, we've been all over, but we mostly play in LA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/the-band-i-ve-played-with-for-10-or-12-years-now-we-ve-been-all-over/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [When man began to think he was a separate person with a separate soul, it created a violent situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/when-man-began-to-think-he-was-a-separate-person-with-a-separate-soul/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I was the classic killer. I always played an angry man. I think it was because I used to really be like that -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-was-the-classic-killer-i-always-played-an-angry-man-i-think-it-was/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I like to watch 'Paris, Texas,' but I have no desire to see it. I did it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-like-to-watch-paris-texas-but-i-have-no-desire-to-see-it-i-did-it/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I would've preferred to blossom earlier in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-would-ve-preferred-to-blossom-earlier-in-life/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I do the same series of five exercises 21 times each day - an ancient Tibetan practice that stimulates your chakras.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-do-the-same-series-of-five-exercises-21-times-each-day-an-ancient/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [I've never seen a Western that was really truthful. Most are just morality plays. Good guys and bad guys - and the good guys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-ve-never-seen-a-western-that-was-really-truthful-most-are-just/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) [Explore all 116 Harry Dean Stanton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I could have made it as a singer, but I went with acting - surrendered to it, in a way.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harry Dean Stanton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-could-have-made-it-as-a-singer-but-i-went-with-acting-surrendered/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-could-have-made-it-as-a-singer-but-i-went-with-acting-surrendered/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/425/harry-dean-stanton-4043_acting_i-could-have-made-it-as-a-singer-but-i-w_823157.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/425/harry-dean-stanton-4043_acting_i-could-have-made-it-as-a-singer-but-i-w_823157.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/425/harry-dean-stanton-4043_acting_i-could-have-made-it-as-a-singer-but-i-w_823157.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I could have made it as a singer, but I went with acting - surrendered to it, in a way.” — Harry Dean Stanton", "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": "Harry Dean Stanton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I could have made it as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-could-have-made-it-as-a-singer-but-i-went-with-acting-surrendered/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-could-have-made-it-as-a-singer-but-i-went-with-acting-surrendered/#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 } } ] } ```