--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I usually destroy unreleased material. It…" description: "\"I usually destroy unreleased material. It has a way of coming back to haunt you.\" — John Fogerty" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/john-fogerty-10725_coming-back_i-usually-destroy-unreleased-material-it_2251564.jpg" --- # I usually destroy unreleased material. It has a way of… ![“I usually destroy unreleased material. It has a way of coming back to haunt you.” quote by John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/john-fogerty-10725_coming-back_i-usually-destroy-unreleased-material-it_2251564.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/john-fogerty-10725_coming-back_i-usually-destroy-unreleased-material-it_2251564.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/john-fogerty-10725_coming-back_i-usually-destroy-unreleased-material-it_2251564.jpg) > “I usually destroy unreleased material. It has a way of coming back to haunt you.” [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 notes that unreleased songs often resurface, causing trouble later. **In simple terms:** Unreleased work can haunt you later. Key Takeaway Be careful what you release. Themes artistic integrity creative process legacy Mood thoughtful cautious Type reflective advisory When to use this quote - Songwriting - album production - archival releases - legal disputes Key Concepts unreleased material creative anxiety Questions to Reflect On - Why do artists keep unreleased work? - How can one manage creative regrets? A Different Perspective Holding back material may limit artistic growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Coming back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coming-back/) [Destroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroy/) [Destroy Unreleased](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroy-unreleased-5144836/) [Materials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materials/) [Unreleased](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unreleased-478708/) [Unreleased Material](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unreleased-material-5144837/) [Usually Destroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/usually-destroy-3263881/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [When bankers get into business they usually destroy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/when-bankers-get-into-business-they-usually-destroy-it/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [The things you hope for the most are the things that usually destroy you in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/u/the-things-you-hope-for-the-most-are-the-things-that-usually-destroy/) [U](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/u/) > [I must have 300 songs unreleased or unrecorded, lying around. I'm a production machine, it never stops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-sayer/i-must-have-300-songs-unreleased-or-unrecorded-lying-around-i-m-a/) [Leo Sayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-sayer/) > [Who else is putting seven figures down for unreleased rap tracks?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-shkreli/who-else-is-putting-seven-figures-down-for-unreleased-rap-tracks/) [Martin Shkreli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-shkreli/) > [DUST includes rarities, demos, unreleased songs and instrumentals, live recordings, and more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-belew/dust-includes-rarities-demos-unreleased-songs-and-instrumentals-live/) [Adrian Belew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-belew/) > [I've got my own studio, and I've got four- to five-hundred unreleased tracks. I've got stuff that's electronic, orchestral, jazz, I've got rock, I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serj-tankian/i-ve-got-my-own-studio-and-i-ve-got-four-to-five-hundred-unreleased/) [Serj Tankian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serj-tankian/) > [But the Danzig unreleased stuff will be either a single or a double CD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-danzig/but-the-danzig-unreleased-stuff-will-be-either-a-single-or-a-double-cd/) [Glenn Danzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-danzig/) > [If you're ever shot dead in an East Coast-West Coast rap war, I hope it's after you've recorded over 10 years worth of unreleased music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-re-ever-shot-dead-in-an-east-coast-west-coast-rap-war-i-hope/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything I've ever done is out. I don't have boxes of unreleased stuff. There's nothing in the files. I can never keep anything unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/everything-i-ve-ever-done-is-out-i-don-t-have-boxes-of-unreleased/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [There has got to be a lot of unreleased video out there, live footage and whatnot. There's always going to be something extra for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-anselmo/there-has-got-to-be-a-lot-of-unreleased-video-out-there-live-footage/) [Phil Anselmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-anselmo/) > [For years I never had the courage to bring my written songs out. I had so many unreleased English songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-bhasin/for-years-i-never-had-the-courage-to-bring-my-written-songs-out-i-had/) [Neha Bhasin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-bhasin/) > [Some friends and I, we went right up there behind the studio and we got on a train, we could tell it was going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-t-vollmann/some-friends-and-i-we-went-right-up-there-behind-the-studio-and-we/) [William T. Vollmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-t-vollmann/) > [We in US need active intelligence: people being on the streets, people being able to stop and ask questions of individuals that they suspect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/we-in-us-need-active-intelligence-people-being-on-the-streets-people/) [Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/) > [The dream of coming back is becoming a reality. A lot of the uncertainty about the future has been cleared up. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tagliabue/the-dream-of-coming-back-is-becoming-a-reality-a-lot-of-the/) [Paul Tagliabue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tagliabue/) > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) ## 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 Coming back quotes > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [The dream of coming back is becoming a reality. A lot of the uncertainty about the future has been cleared up. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tagliabue/the-dream-of-coming-back-is-becoming-a-reality-a-lot-of-the/) [Paul Tagliabue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tagliabue/) > [We in US need active intelligence: people being on the streets, people being able to stop and ask questions of individuals that they suspect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/we-in-us-need-active-intelligence-people-being-on-the-streets-people/) [Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/) > [Some friends and I, we went right up there behind the studio and we got on a train, we could tell it was going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-t-vollmann/some-friends-and-i-we-went-right-up-there-behind-the-studio-and-we/) [William T. Vollmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-t-vollmann/) > [In the casino, the cardinal rule is to keep them playing and to keep them coming back. The longer they play, the more they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/in-the-casino-the-cardinal-rule-is-to-keep-them-playing-and-to-keep/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [Both the five-year-olds looked at me with bewilderment and a bit of fearful uncertainty. I had a sudden horrifying image of the woman I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/both-the-five-year-olds-looked-at-me-with-bewilderment-and-a-bit-of/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Sometimes I feel people can move past what they've grown up around and their surroundings while in a place and some people need closure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-agron/sometimes-i-feel-people-can-move-past-what-they-ve-grown-up-around/) [Dianna Agron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-agron/) > [I am a fight fan. I think boxing had its problems and kind of fell away for a while, but it's coming back strong .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/i-am-a-fight-fan-i-think-boxing-had-its-problems-and-kind-of-fell/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [I mean, the fact of the matter is, Ohio 's coming back because we set a clear path, we cut taxes, we balanced our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-mean-the-fact-of-the-matter-is-ohio-s-coming-back-because-we-set-a/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [I'm looking forward to coming back, back to Earth, the landing, the views.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-g-carey/i-m-looking-forward-to-coming-back-back-to-earth-the-landing-the-views/) [Duane G. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-g-carey/) > [But standing in that hallway, it was all coming back to me. Memories were waiting at the edges of things, beckoning to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/but-standing-in-that-hallway-it-was-all-coming-back-to-me-memories/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [They whooped our tail last time we was here. So it's time for a little revenge, and show that Florida football is coming back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-caldwell/they-whooped-our-tail-last-time-we-was-here-so-it-s-time-for-a-little/) [Andre Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-caldwell/) > [Paul?” I said. My voice shook a little. “It’s Jo.” Silence. I couldn’t tell what was happening on the other end. Then, very quietly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/paul-i-said-my-voice-shook-a-little-it-s-jo-silence-i-couldn-t-tell/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [I think it is all about creating characters, mixing them up with the stars and the light-years, and coming back to Earth, because we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/i-think-it-is-all-about-creating-characters-mixing-them-up-with-the/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [I was coming back from Tel Aviv recently, and we had forty minutes of bumps. I got so scared I grabbed a paper and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniela-pestova/i-was-coming-back-from-tel-aviv-recently-and-we-had-forty-minutes-of/) [Daniela Pestova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniela-pestova/) [Browse all 485 Coming back quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coming-back/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I usually destroy unreleased material. It has a way of coming back to haunt you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Fogerty" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/i-usually-destroy-unreleased-material-it-has-a-way-of-coming-back-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Coming back" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/i-usually-destroy-unreleased-material-it-has-a-way-of-coming-back-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/john-fogerty-10725_coming-back_i-usually-destroy-unreleased-material-it_2251564.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/john-fogerty-10725_coming-back_i-usually-destroy-unreleased-material-it_2251564.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6da/john-fogerty-10725_coming-back_i-usually-destroy-unreleased-material-it_2251564.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I usually destroy unreleased material. It has a way of coming back to haunt you.” — John Fogerty", "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 Fogerty", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I usually destroy unreleased material. It...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/i-usually-destroy-unreleased-material-it-has-a-way-of-coming-back-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/i-usually-destroy-unreleased-material-it-has-a-way-of-coming-back-to/#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 } } ] } ```