--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought what I was good at doing was…" description: "\"I thought what I was good at doing was playing real simple guitar licks, since I'd cut my teeth on what Duane Eddy was doing; licks that were simple bu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6e/john-fogerty-10725_cutting_i-thought-what-i-was-good-at-doing-was-p_1840220.jpg" --- # I thought what I was good at doing was playing real simple… ![“I thought what I was good at doing was playing real simple guitar licks, since I'd cut my teeth on what Duane Eddy was doing; licks that were simple but had staying power.” quote by John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6e/john-fogerty-10725_cutting_i-thought-what-i-was-good-at-doing-was-p_1840220.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6e/john-fogerty-10725_cutting_i-thought-what-i-was-good-at-doing-was-p_1840220.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6e/john-fogerty-10725_cutting_i-thought-what-i-was-good-at-doing-was-p_1840220.jpg) > “I thought what I was good at doing was playing real simple guitar licks, since I'd cut my teeth on what Duane Eddy was doing; licks that were simple but had staying power.” [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He reflects on his early guitar style, valuing simplicity that endures over flashy technique. **In simple terms:** Simple guitar licks can be powerful and lasting. Key Takeaway Embrace simplicity in creative work. Themes music creativity humility Mood nostalgic thoughtful Type musical inspirational When to use this quote - songwriting - guitar practice - performance - teaching Key Concepts musical minimalism craftsmanship Questions to Reflect On - How does simplicity serve your art? - When is complexity needed? A Different Perspective Simplicity may limit artistic growth if over‑relied upon. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cutting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting/) [Doing Licks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-licks-2344208/) [Duane Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duane-eddy-1479719/) [Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) [Guitar Licks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar-licks-495142/) [Licks Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/licks-simple-2344206/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Simple Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple-guitar-2344207/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Stay strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stay-strong/) [Staying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staying/) [Staying power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staying-power/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [Teeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teeth/) ## Related quotes > [I don't know if, in a previous life, I was, like, the embodiment of a guitar, because any time someone plays a guitar with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-david/i-don-t-know-if-in-a-previous-life-i-was-like-the-embodiment-of-a/) [Craig David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-david/) > [I love playing music with Duane Eddy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-stuart/i-love-playing-music-with-duane-eddy/) [Marty Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-stuart/) > [And a lot of the technique and the little T-Bone phrases that define his style, Chuck Berry, when he rearranged the beat, they became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-robillard/and-a-lot-of-the-technique-and-the-little-t-bone-phrases-that-define/) [Duke Robillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-robillard/) > [Duane Eddy is somebody I wanted to play like. I discovered him before The Beatles, and he totally got to me. He sent me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/duane-eddy-is-somebody-i-wanted-to-play-like-i-discovered-him-before/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [“Remember and Share - To help designers of habit-forming technology assess the morality behind how they manipulate users, it is helpful to determine which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/remember-and-share-to-help-designers-of-habit-forming-technology/) [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) > [Commitment. Someone who'll go the distance. I need somebody with staying power who'll make me go weak in the knees. Commitment. And everything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/commitment-someone-who-ll-go-the-distance-i-need-somebody-with/) [LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/) > [“As Jane stared at Vishous and felt his body against hers, she knew she was never letting him go. Ever. And she also knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/as-jane-stared-at-vishous-and-felt-his-body-against-hers-she-knew-she/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [Commitment cannot be taught; it can only be caught. I refer to the crusading spirit. Without the crusading spirit, you may have the starting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/y-c-james-yen/commitment-cannot-be-taught-it-can-only-be-caught-i-refer-to-the/) [Y. C. James Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-c-james-yen/) > [Such things as anguish, woe, affliction, guilt, feelings of awfulness, and utter wretchedness, the bread and butter of Days of Yore and Russians, sadly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisha-pessl/such-things-as-anguish-woe-affliction-guilt-feelings-of-awfulness-and/) [Marisha Pessl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisha-pessl/) > [Myths have a certain staying power because, really, they are aspirational - not always who we are, but always who we want to be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/myths-have-a-certain-staying-power-because-really-they-are/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [Even if you have a big tune, live crowds can get sick of it. It's not just about the song but also the staying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-harris/even-if-you-have-a-big-tune-live-crowds-can-get-sick-of-it-it-s-not/) [Calvin Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-harris/) > [“I never trusted the women i was involved with to tell the truth,because the truth never changes,but as i knew so well,people did.I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-gayle/i-never-trusted-the-women-i-was-involved-with-to-tell-the-truth/) [Mike Gayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-gayle/) > [There are individuals out there who use the body protection as a form of staying power to go on as long as possible. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viv-richards/there-are-individuals-out-there-who-use-the-body-protection-as-a-form/) [Viv Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viv-richards/) > [The true beauty of nature is her amplitude; she exists neither for nor because of us, and possesses a staying power that all our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-true-beauty-of-nature-is-her-amplitude-she-exists-neither-for-nor/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [One always hopes that you're going to have influence and staying power, but you never know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-frantz/one-always-hopes-that-you-re-going-to-have-influence-and-staying/) [Chris Frantz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-frantz/) ## More by John Fogerty > [Even though I have often recorded alone, I still feel the best music is made by musicians playing off each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/even-though-i-have-often-recorded-alone-i-still-feel-the-best-music/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [Usually I just let my songs do the talking. As a matter of fact I have long had an aversion to celebrities endorsing politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/usually-i-just-let-my-songs-do-the-talking-as-a-matter-of-fact-i-have/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [What happens is, especially when I was writing for my band, Creedence, and it's the way I write now, I go into "guitar lick"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/what-happens-is-especially-when-i-was-writing-for-my-band-creedence/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [All the really great records or people who made them somehow came from Memphis or Louisiana or somewhere along the Mississippi River...And singers like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/all-the-really-great-records-or-people-who-made-them-somehow-came/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [I've long ago learned that if an idea will stand on its own, it'll stand having the light shone on it. But if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/i-ve-long-ago-learned-that-if-an-idea-will-stand-on-its-own-it-ll/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [And I now think that Stratocasters and Telecasters are way cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/and-i-now-think-that-stratocasters-and-telecasters-are-way-cool/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [It just seemed like all the records I have made since Creedence Clearwater Revival have all been sort of pushed off center. I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/it-just-seemed-like-all-the-records-i-have-made-since-creedence/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [I stuck with that size because I could bend the strings so well, and somewhere along the line I must have gotten it into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/i-stuck-with-that-size-because-i-could-bend-the-strings-so-well-and/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [I think at times the very strong feelings I have about my country coincide with my musical ability, and I'm able to actually turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/i-think-at-times-the-very-strong-feelings-i-have-about-my-country/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [Let the people know my wisdom, fill the land with smoke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/let-the-people-know-my-wisdom-fill-the-land-with-smoke/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [When I'm standing at the Pearly Gates, I want to say to God, 'Don't look at the records. Look at my family. I'm much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/when-i-m-standing-at-the-pearly-gates-i-want-to-say-to-god-don-t-look/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [I ain't got no time for a Caribbean cruise, just give me a song and a beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/i-ain-t-got-no-time-for-a-caribbean-cruise-just-give-me-a-song-and-a/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [I'm now comfortable playing a lot of the old songs, and I've gotten out a lot of the old equipment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/i-m-now-comfortable-playing-a-lot-of-the-old-songs-and-i-ve-gotten/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [With the Michael Moore movie, certain conservative talk show hosts call him un-American. Him and anybody else who says anything about the war... To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/with-the-michael-moore-movie-certain-conservative-talk-show-hosts/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [The only sliding I did was on the kind of instrument that you put on your lap; no Spanish electrics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/the-only-sliding-i-did-was-on-the-kind-of-instrument-that-you-put-on/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) [Explore all 64 John Fogerty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) ## More Cutting quotes > [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. 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It's celebrity meets pornography meets politics -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-grant/i-didn-t-understand-southland-tales-script-at-all-is-there-a-single/) [Beth Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-grant/) > [Confidence comes from cutting yourself some slack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/confidence-comes-from-cutting-yourself-some-slack/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [The nineteenth century lynching mob cuts off ears, toes, and fingers, strips off flesh, and distributes portions of the body as souvenirs among the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-b-wells/the-nineteenth-century-lynching-mob-cuts-off-ears-toes-and-fingers/) [Ida B. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-b-wells/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [ We have no clear ideas of the agency of \[demonic\] spirits, nor is it necessary. The Scripture says little to satisfy our curiosity; but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/we-have-no-clear-ideas-of-the-agency-of-demonic-spirits-nor-is-it/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [The child who ran weeping to you with a cut finger is now brought home, smiling gamely, with a broken collarbone and incredible contusions-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-brown/the-child-who-ran-weeping-to-you-with-a-cut-finger-is-now-brought/) [Pam Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-brown/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. 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Obsolete works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-negroponte/what-s-the-difference-between-obsolete-and-cutting-edge-obsolete-works/) [Nicholas Negroponte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-negroponte/) > [Geometry, which should only obey Physics, when united with it sometimes commands it. 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