---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never wished to be a 'rock star.' I…"
description: "\"I never wished to be a 'rock star.' I just wanted to be a working musician. My dreams didn't even go past a session player or a working musician. It wa..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ec/john-5-6023_dreams_i-never-wished-to-be-a-rock-star-i-just_2906090.jpg"
---

#  I never wished to be a 'rock star.' I just wanted to be a…

![“I never wished to be a 'rock star.' I just wanted to be a working musician. My dreams didn't even go past a session player or a working musician. It was too far beyond my dreams.” quote by John 5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ec/john-5-6023_dreams_i-never-wished-to-be-a-rock-star-i-just_2906090.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ec/john-5-6023_dreams_i-never-wished-to-be-a-rock-star-i-just_2906090.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ec/john-5-6023_dreams_i-never-wished-to-be-a-rock-star-i-just_2906090.jpg)

> “I never wished to be a 'rock star.' I just wanted to be a working musician. My dreams didn't even go past a session player or a working musician. It was too far beyond my dreams.”

[John 5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-5/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He desired a modest, steady musical career rather than fame.

**In simple terms:** Wanted a realistic musician life.

Key Takeaway

Focus on sustainable goals.

Themes

career humility realism

Mood

reflective grounded

Type

personal career

When to use this quote

- studio work
- live gigs
- teaching music

Key Concepts

music industry personal ambition

Questions to Reflect On

- What defines success for you?
- How to balance ambition and contentment?

A Different Perspective

May underestimate the value of ambition.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Dreams Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams-didn-1259608/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musician Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician-dreams-4159906/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Rock star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-star/) [Too far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-far/) [Wanted Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-working-1878558/) [Wished Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wished-rock-4159907/)

## Related quotes

> [The old dreams were good dreams; they didn't work out but I'm glad I had them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-james-waller/the-old-dreams-were-good-dreams-they-didn-t-work-out-but-i-m-glad-i/)

[Robert James Waller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-james-waller/)

> [It was hard to follow my dreams... I didn't let anything stop me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randa-markos/it-was-hard-to-follow-my-dreams-i-didn-t-let-anything-stop-me/)

[Randa Markos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randa-markos/)

> [So, I think that Marilyn, what she gave the world, and in many ways Kennedy too, was that they had dreams and they didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-kirkland/so-i-think-that-marilyn-what-she-gave-the-world-and-in-many-ways/)

[Sally Kirkland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-kirkland/)

> [I had dreams of catching the ball for the final out in the World Series and being mobbed by my teammates. Well, I guess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-yount/i-had-dreams-of-catching-the-ball-for-the-final-out-in-the-world/)

[Robin Yount](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-yount/)

> [...and her dreams that didn't happen, that couldn't have happened because she'd pinned them on somebody too broken and unattainable to love her back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janette-rallison/and-her-dreams-that-didn-t-happen-that-couldn-t-have-happened-because/)

[Janette Rallison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janette-rallison/)

> [“But still we rode; rode that ferry for the lies and the dreams we didn't want to die because we were kids, and kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-l-naeole/but-still-we-rode-rode-that-ferry-for-the-lies-and-the-dreams-we-didn/)

[S.L. Naeole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-l-naeole/)

> [“Dreams are important to me because they are so irrational. I’m attracted to things which seem to fit together but don’t in fact make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/dreams-are-important-to-me-because-they-are-so-irrational-i-m/)

[Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/)

> [“Dreams didn't mean anything ? But...what if dreams were all I had ?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-c-stephens/dreams-didn-t-mean-anything-but-what-if-dreams-were-all-i-had/)

[S.C. Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-c-stephens/)

> [I had dreams, but I didn't have the sense that they would necessarily work out. They seemed very far-fetched.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-had-dreams-but-i-didn-t-have-the-sense-that-they-would-necessarily/)

[Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/)

> [I was never very good with either my hands or feet. It always seemed to me they'd just been stuck on as an afterthought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rasnic-tem/i-was-never-very-good-with-either-my-hands-or-feet-it-always-seemed/)

[Steve Rasnic Tem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rasnic-tem/)

> [“I made a sorry face in response to such strong insistence, but I couldn’t believe him. Fantasies were exactly that―fantasies. Whimsy. Wishes. Mere castles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/i-made-a-sorry-face-in-response-to-such-strong-insistence-but-i/)

[Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/)

> [All I wanted to do was be a working actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-sears/all-i-wanted-to-do-was-be-a-working-actor/)

[Teddy Sears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-sears/)

> [My goal was just to work regularly. I didn't ever expect to be rich or famous. I wanted to be a working character actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/my-goal-was-just-to-work-regularly-i-didn-t-ever-expect-to-be-rich-or/)

[Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/)

> [I just wanted to be a working character actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horse/i-just-wanted-to-be-a-working-character-actor/)

[Michael Horse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horse/)

> [I wanted to keep working because work was essentially fantastic - you got to be around people, you got to be in a family,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mendelsohn/i-wanted-to-keep-working-because-work-was-essentially-fantastic-you/)

[Ben Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mendelsohn/)

## More by John 5

> [I think there are so, so, so, so many things you have to be... to do this... you know, to keep going in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-5/i-think-there-are-so-so-so-so-many-things-you-have-to-be-to-do-this/)

[John 5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-5/)

> [Jimi Hendrix is one of the main influences on why I wanted to play guitar. He really shook me. I think it was his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-5/jimi-hendrix-is-one-of-the-main-influences-on-why-i-wanted-to-play/)

[John 5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-5/)

> [I'm always working and recording. It's just what makes me happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-5/i-m-always-working-and-recording-it-s-just-what-makes-me-happy/)

[John 5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-5/)

> [I was such a sponge with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-5/i-was-such-a-sponge-with-music/)

[John 5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-5/)

> [There's not many crazy guitar instrumentalists out there that put on a crazy monster show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-5/there-s-not-many-crazy-guitar-instrumentalists-out-there-that-put-on/)

[John 5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-5/)

> [When I was younger, I had a horrible flight. Horrible. It was well before I was 10 years old. So I always thought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-5/when-i-was-younger-i-had-a-horrible-flight-horrible-it-was-well/)

[John 5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-5/)

> [Ever since I was a kid, I've been a Fender connoisseur. And to have my name associated with greatness like that, it's amazing. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-5/ever-since-i-was-a-kid-i-ve-been-a-fender-connoisseur-and-to-have-my/)

[John 5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-5/)

> [I always play so many different styles that I don't think anything I do surprises anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-5/i-always-play-so-many-different-styles-that-i-don-t-think-anything-i/)

[John 5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-5/)

> [I love doing it. It's great. I love doing the sessions, 'cause you're kind of like in a different band every day. I used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-5/i-love-doing-it-it-s-great-i-love-doing-the-sessions-cause-you-re/)

[John 5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-5/)

> [How it's been with me, it doesn't really matter what kind of music it is as long as it's good and catchy and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-5/how-it-s-been-with-me-it-doesn-t-really-matter-what-kind-of-music-it/)

[John 5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-5/)

> [You can go pretty much anywhere in the world, and people know 'Beat It.' When I was growing up, you heard it everywhere. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-5/you-can-go-pretty-much-anywhere-in-the-world-and-people-know-beat-it/)

[John 5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-5/)

> [I know singers; I've worked with some of the greatest singers in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-5/i-know-singers-i-ve-worked-with-some-of-the-greatest-singers-in-the/)

[John 5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-5/)

> [All my life, I've really enjoyed music: making music, playing it, and recording it. It's such a relief and a joy to do what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-5/all-my-life-i-ve-really-enjoyed-music-making-music-playing-it-and/)

[John 5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-5/)

> [I love Loretta Lynn, and I love Roy Clark and Johnny Cash, everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-5/i-love-loretta-lynn-and-i-love-roy-clark-and-johnny-cash-everybody/)

[John 5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-5/)

> [I always look for inspiration. If I find something that's inspiring, I'm so excited because it is very hard to find something inspiring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-5/i-always-look-for-inspiration-if-i-find-something-that-s-inspiring-i/)

[John 5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-5/)

[Explore all 100 John 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-5/)

## More Dreams quotes

> [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/)

[Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/)

> [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/)

[Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/)

> [“Now you’re wet. You’re so wet you’re leaking down your ass. You’re soaking my pillow. I don’t think I’m ever washing it. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-stoker/now-you-re-wet-you-re-so-wet-you-re-leaking-down-your-ass-you-re/)

[Susan Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-stoker/)

> [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/)

[Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/)

> [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/)

[Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/)

> [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/)

[Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/)

> [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/)

[John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/)

> [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/)

[Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/)

> [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/)

[Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/)

> [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/)

[Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/)

> [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/)

[Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/)

> [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/)

[Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/)

> [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/)

[Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/)

> [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/)

[Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/)

> [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 40,599 Dreams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I never wished to be a 'rock star.' I just wanted to be a working musician. My dreams didn't even go past a session player or a working musician. It was too far beyond my dreams.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John 5"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-5/i-never-wished-to-be-a-rock-star-i-just-wanted-to-be-a-working/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Dreams"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-5/i-never-wished-to-be-a-rock-star-i-just-wanted-to-be-a-working/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ec/john-5-6023_dreams_i-never-wished-to-be-a-rock-star-i-just_2906090.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ec/john-5-6023_dreams_i-never-wished-to-be-a-rock-star-i-just_2906090.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ec/john-5-6023_dreams_i-never-wished-to-be-a-rock-star-i-just_2906090.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I never wished to be a 'rock star.' I just wanted to be a working musician. My dreams didn't even go past a…” — John 5",
                "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": "John 5",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-5/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I never wished to be a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-5/i-never-wished-to-be-a-rock-star-i-just-wanted-to-be-a-working/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-5/i-never-wished-to-be-a-rock-star-i-just-wanted-to-be-a-working/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
