--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I'm left to my own devices, I will be…" description: "\"If I'm left to my own devices, I will be tempted to make the most unlistenable music possible.\" — John Lydon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bd/john-lydon-1234_devices_if-i-m-left-to-my-own-devices-i-will-be_2898862.jpg" --- # If I'm left to my own devices, I will be tempted to make… ![“If I'm left to my own devices, I will be tempted to make the most unlistenable music possible.” quote by John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bd/john-lydon-1234_devices_if-i-m-left-to-my-own-devices-i-will-be_2898862.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bd/john-lydon-1234_devices_if-i-m-left-to-my-own-devices-i-will-be_2898862.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bd/john-lydon-1234_devices_if-i-m-left-to-my-own-devices-i-will-be_2898862.jpg) > “If I'm left to my own devices, I will be tempted to make the most unlistenable music possible.” [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Without restraint, creativity may become chaotic and unpleasant. **In simple terms:** Unrestrained creativity can be unpleasant. Key Takeaway Balance freedom with discipline. Themes creativity self‑control music Mood reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - songwriting - performance - personal projects Key Concepts artistic expression discipline Questions to Reflect On - When does restraint improve art? - How do you avoid “unlistenable” output? A Different Perspective Too much restraint stifles innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Devices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devices/) [Devices Tempted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devices-tempted-4112147/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Left Devices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-devices-863109/) [Make Unlistenable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-unlistenable-4112146/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-possible-527297/) [My own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own/) [Tempted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tempted/) [Unlistenable Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unlistenable-music-4112145/) ## Related quotes > [When you're in prison, and we're left to our own devices, you're stripped of everything, and you really get to see who these people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-prepon/when-you-re-in-prison-and-we-re-left-to-our-own-devices-you-re/) [Laura Prepon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-prepon/) > [Left to my own devices, I would go to bed at 2:30 or 3, but I can't do that if I'm getting up at 6:50!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/left-to-my-own-devices-i-would-go-to-bed-at-2-30-or-3-but-i-can-t-do/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [If left to their own devices a child will achieve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/if-left-to-their-own-devices-a-child-will-achieve/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [When left to its own devices it tends to make me look as if I’ve been set afire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/when-left-to-its-own-devices-it-tends-to-make-me-look-as-if-i-ve-been/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Yet in my experience, when left to their own devices people will get up to one of two things: nothing much, and no good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/yet-in-my-experience-when-left-to-their-own-devices-people-will-get/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“I tell myself I’m fine on my own, but am I? No friends to fall back on, no relationships, no support. Left to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jael-mchenry/i-tell-myself-i-m-fine-on-my-own-but-am-i-no-friends-to-fall-back-on/) [Jael McHenry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jael-mchenry/) > [Left to my own devices I'd get up at midday every day of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-mccormack/left-to-my-own-devices-i-d-get-up-at-midday-every-day-of-my-life/) [Catherine McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-mccormack/) > [“She has been left to her own devices, and those are broken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/she-has-been-left-to-her-own-devices-and-those-are-broken/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“left to my own devices, I'm content to wake myself with a fart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/left-to-my-own-devices-i-m-content-to-wake-myself-with-a-fart/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [Now they are a circle, and they vibrate together, they pulsate together. Their hearts are no longer separate, their beats are no longer separate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/now-they-are-a-circle-and-they-vibrate-together-they-pulsate-together/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [At one point, I didn't care. Now I want as many people to hear my music as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-weeknd/at-one-point-i-didn-t-care-now-i-want-as-many-people-to-hear-my-music/) [The Weeknd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-weeknd/) > [We should have a music of our own - if possible, without any Sauerkraut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-satie/we-should-have-a-music-of-our-own-if-possible-without-any-sauerkraut/) [Erik Satie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-satie/) > [“In Indian music, it is not possible to build anything other than the raga basis. We can run away from its fetters, but not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/in-indian-music-it-is-not-possible-to-build-anything-other-than-the/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [Pagers are my life--I try to get them in to our music as much as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frusciante/pagers-are-my-life-i-try-to-get-them-in-to-our-music-as-much-as/) [John Frusciante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frusciante/) > [I love to simplify the ragas and use them in my music as much as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himesh-reshammiya/i-love-to-simplify-the-ragas-and-use-them-in-my-music-as-much-as/) [Himesh Reshammiya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/himesh-reshammiya/) ## More by John Lydon > [Music is escapism from the grim realities of life. But then as soon as you escape into the music, from my point of view,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/music-is-escapism-from-the-grim-realities-of-life-but-then-as-soon-as/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [I'm not one for like soul-searching, sour fizzy moments. I come from the school of hard knocks, "f\*\*king get on with it", that's it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/i-m-not-one-for-like-soul-searching-sour-fizzy-moments-i-come-from/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [All the things that you would have thought would have made me a professional A1 criminal... wrong. I decided that was too lazy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/all-the-things-that-you-would-have-thought-would-have-made-me-a/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [Stroll into work at 10. Lunch from 12 till three. Leave work at five. That's living!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/stroll-into-work-at-10-lunch-from-12-till-three-leave-work-at-five/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [Live music is healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/live-music-is-healthy/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [I never wore a studded leather jacket, y'know. Ne-va! If I had had the money I wouldn't have spent it on shit like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/i-never-wore-a-studded-leather-jacket-y-know-ne-va-if-i-had-had-the/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [I've always strived to maintain a very healthy, friendly working situation, and lo and behold, it only took forty years, so the next sixty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/i-ve-always-strived-to-maintain-a-very-healthy-friendly-working/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [This is a very difficult thing to remain independent and persistent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/this-is-a-very-difficult-thing-to-remain-independent-and-persistent/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [A record company used to be a very good thing, but they ended up soul-destroyingly trapping people in the accounting department. And you couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/a-record-company-used-to-be-a-very-good-thing-but-they-ended-up-soul/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [Destroy everything. That's all well and fine, but you got to offer something in it's place. Since I always have a point and purpose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/destroy-everything-that-s-all-well-and-fine-but-you-got-to-offer/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [For me people are people, without meaning to sound corny, it's a plain natural fact, music is a universal language and I've always known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/for-me-people-are-people-without-meaning-to-sound-corny-it-s-a-plain/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [I'm not great at dealing with death, I have to say. I find death very hard: my mum, my dad, Sid Vicious. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/i-m-not-great-at-dealing-with-death-i-have-to-say-i-find-death-very/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [The joy of life is in the work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/the-joy-of-life-is-in-the-work/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [I have a sensible set of values that tell me to never lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/i-have-a-sensible-set-of-values-that-tell-me-to-never-lie/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [I always knew the Sixties wasn't a revolution. It really was just a bunch of university students with wealthy parents having fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/i-always-knew-the-sixties-wasn-t-a-revolution-it-really-was-just-a/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) [Explore all 269 John Lydon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) ## More Devices quotes > [The market may never coalesce around one basic design, or even around two or three dominant devices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/the-market-may-never-coalesce-around-one-basic-design-or-even-around/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [Televisions are devices with screens that things appear on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/televisions-are-devices-with-screens-that-things-appear-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [If, as I anticipate, a wide array of personal, portable information/communication devices becomes increasingly important and widespread for information-intensive users, it will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-as-i-anticipate-a-wide-array-of-personal-portable-information/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [I would warn against holsters with devices for quick-draw. Devices always fail when you need them most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-powell/i-would-warn-against-holsters-with-devices-for-quick-draw-devices/) [William Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-powell/) > [As we go through this transition where a lot more people will be reading on devices, nobody is paying enough attention to make sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/as-we-go-through-this-transition-where-a-lot-more-people-will-be/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [In early drafts, one of the trickiest things for me to do was to realize that the techniques and devices that make readable and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-rooney/in-early-drafts-one-of-the-trickiest-things-for-me-to-do-was-to/) [Kathleen Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-rooney/) > [We are beginning to see intimations of this in the implantation of computer devices into the human body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/we-are-beginning-to-see-intimations-of-this-in-the-implantation-of/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [Truth is, people like buying things for $0.99 and $1.99 for their digital devices. We know that from iTunes. We know that from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lee/truth-is-people-like-buying-things-for-0-99-and-1-99-for-their/) [Jennifer Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lee/) > [I think we're probably only about halfway through the number of revelations. I'm pretty certain there will be quite detailed stuff on other uses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-a-watson/i-think-we-re-probably-only-about-halfway-through-the-number-of/) [Tom A. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-a-watson/) > [The documentary style is an incredibly flexible and useful one. It's a wonderful tool for establishing the credibility of the version of things that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gohlke/the-documentary-style-is-an-incredibly-flexible-and-useful-one-it-s-a/) [Frank Gohlke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gohlke/) > [The sense of tragedy - according to Aristotle - comes, ironically enough, not from the protagonist's weak points but from his good qualities. Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-sense-of-tragedy-according-to-aristotle-comes-ironically-enough/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [All the problems of the world could be settled easily if men were only willing to think. The trouble is that men very often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/all-the-problems-of-the-world-could-be-settled-easily-if-men-were/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [Prayer is not a convenient device for imposing our will upon God, or bending his will to ours, but the prescribed way of subordinating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/prayer-is-not-a-convenient-device-for-imposing-our-will-upon-god-or/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [The Hope, Love & Healing necklace is the perfect embodiment of what we are trying to bring to Haiti through safe and sustainable housing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-arquette/the-hope-love-healing-necklace-is-the-perfect-embodiment-of-what-we/) [Patricia Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-arquette/) > [Reading is sometimes an ingenious device for avoiding thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/reading-is-sometimes-an-ingenious-device-for-avoiding-thought/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) [Browse all 1,075 Devices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I'm left to my own devices, I will be tempted to make the most unlistenable music possible.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Lydon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/if-i-m-left-to-my-own-devices-i-will-be-tempted-to-make-the-most/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Devices" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/if-i-m-left-to-my-own-devices-i-will-be-tempted-to-make-the-most/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bd/john-lydon-1234_devices_if-i-m-left-to-my-own-devices-i-will-be_2898862.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bd/john-lydon-1234_devices_if-i-m-left-to-my-own-devices-i-will-be_2898862.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bd/john-lydon-1234_devices_if-i-m-left-to-my-own-devices-i-will-be_2898862.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If I'm left to my own devices, I will be tempted to make the most unlistenable music possible.” — John Lydon", "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 Lydon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If I'm left to my own...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/if-i-m-left-to-my-own-devices-i-will-be-tempted-to-make-the-most/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/if-i-m-left-to-my-own-devices-i-will-be-tempted-to-make-the-most/#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 } } ] } ```