--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only reason we wore sunglasses…" description: "\"The only reason we wore sunglasses onstage was because we couldn't stand the sight of the audience.\" — John Cale" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/017/john-cale-17807_audience_the-only-reason-we-wore-sunglasses-onsta_2105707.jpg" --- # The only reason we wore sunglasses onstage was because we… ![“The only reason we wore sunglasses onstage was because we couldn't stand the sight of the audience.” quote by John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/017/john-cale-17807_audience_the-only-reason-we-wore-sunglasses-onsta_2105707.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/017/john-cale-17807_audience_the-only-reason-we-wore-sunglasses-onsta_2105707.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/017/john-cale-17807_audience_the-only-reason-we-wore-sunglasses-onsta_2105707.jpg) > “The only reason we wore sunglasses onstage was because we couldn't stand the sight of the audience.” [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wearing sunglasses on stage was a practical way to avoid uncomfortable eye contact with the audience. **In simple terms:** Sunglasses helped avoid staring at the crowd. Key Takeaway Find practical comfort solutions. Themes stagecraft audience interaction performance anxiety visuals Mood defensive practical Type performance psychological When to use this quote - live concerts - theatre productions - public speaking - fashion choices Key Concepts Self‑protection Visual barrier Comfort tactics Questions to Reflect On - Why do you feel uneasy looking at audiences? - Could other methods reduce anxiety? A Different Perspective May create distance with fans. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Couldn Stand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couldn-stand/) [Onstage Couldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/onstage-couldn-4227929/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Sight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sight/) [Sight Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sight-audience-4227928/) [Sunglasses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunglasses/) [Sunglasses Onstage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunglasses-onstage-4227927/) [Wore Sunglasses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wore-sunglasses-2272997/) ## Related quotes > [I met Jack Nicholson when I was about 10 at a party of my uncles, and it wasnt so much that I knew his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilia-fox/i-met-jack-nicholson-when-i-was-about-10-at-a-party-of-my-uncles-and/) [Emilia Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilia-fox/) > [I would wear sunglasses all the time if it wasn't looked down upon in certain situations. I always thought I'd be someone who wore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lp/i-would-wear-sunglasses-all-the-time-if-it-wasn-t-looked-down-upon-in/) [LP](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lp/) > [I met Jack Nicholson when I was about 10 at a party of my uncle's, and it wasn't so much that I knew his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilia-fox/i-met-jack-nicholson-when-i-was-about-10-at-a-party-of-my-uncle-s-and/) [Emilia Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilia-fox/) > [When I was a teenager, my dad used to call me 'Hollywood' because I wore sunglasses all the time, even at night. Cue song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-weatherly/when-i-was-a-teenager-my-dad-used-to-call-me-hollywood-because-i-wore/) [Michael Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-weatherly/) > [It was in San Diego and I was onstage and couldn't remember how to play the guitar properly. I was in terrible pain and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-partridge/it-was-in-san-diego-and-i-was-onstage-and-couldn-t-remember-how-to/) [Andy Partridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-partridge/) > [“They both wore sunglasses for the first five or so steps, like they were following some obscure fed protocol on how to enter a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-carson/they-both-wore-sunglasses-for-the-first-five-or-so-steps-like-they/) [Jeff Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-carson/) > [“Then I wanted to sick up the gluey pie I'd had before the start of the evening, But I couldn't stand the sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/then-i-wanted-to-sick-up-the-gluey-pie-i-d-had-before-the-start-of/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [I know throughout my childhood, there were many times I couldn't stand being a 'Jr.' I wouldn't want anybody else to go through that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-prinze-jr/i-know-throughout-my-childhood-there-were-many-times-i-couldn-t-stand/) [Freddie Prinze, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-prinze-jr/) > [“She lived here for a while until she couldn't stand having strangers stand outside and shout, "Rachel! Rachel, send down your chair" any longer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-c-wrede/she-lived-here-for-a-while-until-she-couldn-t-stand-having-strangers/) [patricia c. wrede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-c-wrede/) > [I worked for promoters that I couldn't stand and they couldn't stand me. But they knew if they put my name out there, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rocky-johnson/i-worked-for-promoters-that-i-couldn-t-stand-and-they-couldn-t-stand/) [Rocky Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rocky-johnson/) > [I cut you out because I couldn't stand being a passing fancy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-cut-you-out-because-i-couldn-t-stand-being-a-passing-fancy/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [Sobering up was responsible for breaking up my marriage. That's what it couldn't stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-taylor/sobering-up-was-responsible-for-breaking-up-my-marriage-that-s-what/) [James Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-taylor/) > [“That's when I realized that part of me would probably always be lost in the past. That just seemed to be my personality: I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-harbison/that-s-when-i-realized-that-part-of-me-would-probably-always-be-lost/) [Beth Harbison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-harbison/) > [I'd just play 'til my hands fell off. My parents would yell at me to stop because they couldn't stand the noise any more!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-castillo/i-d-just-play-til-my-hands-fell-off-my-parents-would-yell-at-me-to/) [Randy Castillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-castillo/) > [“I couldn't stand the idea of a woman having to have a single pure life and a man being able to have a double…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-couldn-t-stand-the-idea-of-a-woman-having-to-have-a-single-pure/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) ## More by John Cale > [I never use the word, it's loaded. What love means to me is need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/i-never-use-the-word-it-s-loaded-what-love-means-to-me-is-need/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [Even if you're improvising, the fact that beforehand you know certain things will work helps you make those improvisations successful. It really helps to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/even-if-you-re-improvising-the-fact-that-beforehand-you-know-certain/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [If you're all loaded up on love, you haven't got anywhere else to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/if-you-re-all-loaded-up-on-love-you-haven-t-got-anywhere-else-to-go/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [I am a ham. I've no business being rock 'n' roll. I've said it over and over again that I'm a classical composer, dishevelling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/i-am-a-ham-i-ve-no-business-being-rock-n-roll-i-ve-said-it-over-and/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [We'd hold a chord for three hours if we could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/we-d-hold-a-chord-for-three-hours-if-we-could/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [I want to get lean and mean, keep it minimalist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/i-want-to-get-lean-and-mean-keep-it-minimalist/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [I learn from thinking about the future, what hasn't been done yet. That's kind of my constant obsession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/i-learn-from-thinking-about-the-future-what-hasn-t-been-done-yet-that/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [I like what the future holds. I don't like thinking about the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/i-like-what-the-future-holds-i-don-t-like-thinking-about-the-past/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [I like it here in New York. I like the idea of having to keep eyes in the back of your head all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/i-like-it-here-in-new-york-i-like-the-idea-of-having-to-keep-eyes-in/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [Time plays a role in almost every decision. And some decisions define your attitude about time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/time-plays-a-role-in-almost-every-decision-and-some-decisions-define/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [We gave up on the idea of trying to make the record a good representation of the live performance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/we-gave-up-on-the-idea-of-trying-to-make-the-record-a-good/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [The avant-garde makes more sense to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/the-avant-garde-makes-more-sense-to-me/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [“Books crawl down from the shelves; Read themselves through you; Read themselves at you. - Library of Force ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/books-crawl-down-from-the-shelves-read-themselves-through-you-read/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [I missed out on my teenage years. I led a sheltered life. I was practicing scales instead of going out there and playing football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/i-missed-out-on-my-teenage-years-i-led-a-sheltered-life-i-was/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [I'm impatient. I get twitchy. When I get that feeling I just go out and make something happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/i-m-impatient-i-get-twitchy-when-i-get-that-feeling-i-just-go-out-and/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) [Explore all 36 John Cale quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only reason we wore sunglasses onstage was because we couldn't stand the sight of the audience.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Cale" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/the-only-reason-we-wore-sunglasses-onstage-was-because-we-couldn-t/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Audience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/the-only-reason-we-wore-sunglasses-onstage-was-because-we-couldn-t/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/017/john-cale-17807_audience_the-only-reason-we-wore-sunglasses-onsta_2105707.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/017/john-cale-17807_audience_the-only-reason-we-wore-sunglasses-onsta_2105707.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/017/john-cale-17807_audience_the-only-reason-we-wore-sunglasses-onsta_2105707.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only reason we wore sunglasses onstage was because we couldn't stand the sight of the audience.” — John Cale", "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 Cale", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only reason we wore sunglasses...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/the-only-reason-we-wore-sunglasses-onstage-was-because-we-couldn-t/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/the-only-reason-we-wore-sunglasses-onstage-was-because-we-couldn-t/#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 } } ] } ```