--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a child, all I knew was that people…" description: "\"As a child, all I knew was that people kept asking me to sing, and because I liked to please, I would sing. It wasn't until my dad told me that my sing..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d41/johnny-mathis-3833_children_as-a-child-all-i-knew-was-that-people-ke_240642.jpg" --- # As a child, all I knew was that people kept asking me to… ![“As a child, all I knew was that people kept asking me to sing, and because I liked to please, I would sing. It wasn't until my dad told me that my singing made him happy that I began to think my voice might be good.” quote by Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d41/johnny-mathis-3833_children_as-a-child-all-i-knew-was-that-people-ke_240642.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d41/johnny-mathis-3833_children_as-a-child-all-i-knew-was-that-people-ke_240642.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d41/johnny-mathis-3833_children_as-a-child-all-i-knew-was-that-people-ke_240642.jpg) > “As a child, all I knew was that people kept asking me to sing, and because I liked to please, I would sing. It wasn't until my dad told me that my singing made him happy that I began to think my voice might be good.” [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early encouragement from family can shape confidence and reveal hidden talents, leading to a lifelong passion. **In simple terms:** Family praise can uncover talent. Key Takeaway Listen to supportive feedback. Themes family confidence talent Mood inspirational reflective Type personal motivational When to use this quote - pursuing hobbies - career choices - personal growth Key Concepts self‑esteem creative expression Questions to Reflect On - How can you discern genuine talent from encouragement? - When should you seek external validation? A Different Perspective Not all praise reflects true ability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asking Sing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking-sing-235795/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Liked Sing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liked-sing-2413215/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sing Liked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sing-liked-307229/) [Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing/) [Singing Happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing-happy-813761/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Told Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-singing-1679571/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) ## Related quotes > [My mother told me to keep on singing, and that kept me working through the cotton fields. She said God has his hand on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/my-mother-told-me-to-keep-on-singing-and-that-kept-me-working-through/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [I'm really pretty much a regular person who just got very lucky. I got involved early on in my life with a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/i-m-really-pretty-much-a-regular-person-who-just-got-very-lucky-i-got/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [It's not really difficult to go from one voice into the next. It's like asking you to sing a line of Happy Birthday and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-azaria/it-s-not-really-difficult-to-go-from-one-voice-into-the-next-it-s/) [Hank Azaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-azaria/) > [It is only at shows when fans keep asking me to sing a particular song that I end up realising that it's a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kk/it-is-only-at-shows-when-fans-keep-asking-me-to-sing-a-particular/) [KK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kk/) > [I started learning to sing what I liked, to experience it in a visceral way. Then it's inside. Get rid of the neurosis and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-satriani/i-started-learning-to-sing-what-i-liked-to-experience-it-in-a/) [Joe Satriani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-satriani/) > [I didn't like to be restricted, because when you're in a choir, you have a part to sing and you sing it. I always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-jones/i-didn-t-like-to-be-restricted-because-when-you-re-in-a-choir-you/) [Tom Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-jones/) > [“Knock-knock.” Gina poked her head in the door. “Come on in,” Jones said. “We’ve got all our clothes on for a change. Oh, wait,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-brockmann/knock-knock-gina-poked-her-head-in-the-door-come-on-in-jones-said-we/) [Suzanne Brockmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-brockmann/) > [Milton Hope led the singing of Happy Birthday ... He would say, 'Keep it sweet and short and don't try to be funny.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hope/milton-hope-led-the-singing-of-happy-birthday-he-would-say-keep-it/) [Bob Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hope/) > [I was always singing to myself, but I never ever performed, and I never told anyone I liked to sing. So it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-artist/i-was-always-singing-to-myself-but-i-never-ever-performed-and-i-never/) [Jacob Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-artist/) > [I really liked to sing and dance, and that's why I decided to start as a trainee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nayeon/i-really-liked-to-sing-and-dance-and-that-s-why-i-decided-to-start-as/) [Nayeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nayeon/) > [I was terrified of graduating college and not knowing what I was going to do. I saw the auditions for Idol and thought, Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-underwood/i-was-terrified-of-graduating-college-and-not-knowing-what-i-was/) [Carrie Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-underwood/) > [Carlos, this is a song about when a girl breaks your heart. So...why are you singing so HAPPY?! -Gustavo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-time-rush/carlos-this-is-a-song-about-when-a-girl-breaks-your-heart-so-why-are/) [Big Time Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-time-rush/) > [“I walked along singing, for when I am happy I am always humming to myself like every man who has no friend or acquaintance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/i-walked-along-singing-for-when-i-am-happy-i-am-always-humming-to/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [When I'm singing, I'm happy. I'm doing what I can do and this is my contribution to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-o-day/when-i-m-singing-i-m-happy-i-m-doing-what-i-can-do-and-this-is-my/) [Anita O'Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-o-day/) > [If I'm singing, I'm happy - that's what I've learned about myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-hudgens/if-i-m-singing-i-m-happy-that-s-what-i-ve-learned-about-myself/) [Vanessa Hudgens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-hudgens/) ## More by Johnny Mathis > [The world changes. The world is completely different now from when I was growing up. Back then, you didn't say things like they say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/the-world-changes-the-world-is-completely-different-now-from-when-i/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [I've paid the price over the years, though: a lot of injuries and surgeries related to my sports career; my hips and knees took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/i-ve-paid-the-price-over-the-years-though-a-lot-of-injuries-and/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [When you do interviews, you have to talk about yourself - and I like to find out about other people. I am so familiar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/when-you-do-interviews-you-have-to-talk-about-yourself-and-i-like-to/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [I've found that if I limit my talking, just everyday talking, a couple of days before I have to sing, my voice is stronger.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/i-ve-found-that-if-i-limit-my-talking-just-everyday-talking-a-couple/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [In other words, the celebrity gets out of hand, and if youre not careful, you will forget what you are about - and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/in-other-words-the-celebrity-gets-out-of-hand-and-if-youre-not/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [The light dims a little bit as you get older and new generations come along. But it's around the holidays when I am remembered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/the-light-dims-a-little-bit-as-you-get-older-and-new-generations-come/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [I think most people don't understand: I have nothing to do with that. I just open my mouth, and it comes out that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/i-think-most-people-don-t-understand-i-have-nothing-to-do-with-that-i/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [My mom loved my Christmas music, so I did an awful lot of it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/my-mom-loved-my-christmas-music-so-i-did-an-awful-lot-of-it/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [I love the house that I've been living in for over 40 years. I really am a homebody and I still love to play golf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/i-love-the-house-that-i-ve-been-living-in-for-over-40-years-i-really/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [I'm really pretty much a regular person who just got very lucky. I got involved early on in my life with a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/i-m-really-pretty-much-a-regular-person-who-just-got-very-lucky-i-got/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [There are not so many songs written about love today like there were in the past. It's all changed, but that's why my songs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/there-are-not-so-many-songs-written-about-love-today-like-there-were/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [I started off as a kid singing with my dad. My dad was my best pal. But he had seven kids, and I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/i-started-off-as-a-kid-singing-with-my-dad-my-dad-was-my-best-pal-but/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [It's the most personal thing that I do is sing. Because I can't tell a lie. I want them to know exactly what I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/it-s-the-most-personal-thing-that-i-do-is-sing-because-i-can-t-tell-a/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [I was really active athletically, definitely. I was a hurdler, a sprinter. I played basketball for years. I was a serious athlete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/i-was-really-active-athletically-definitely-i-was-a-hurdler-a/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [It's always nice to hear people say, 'You sound the same,' when I know I don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/it-s-always-nice-to-hear-people-say-you-sound-the-same-when-i-know-i/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) [Explore all 121 Johnny Mathis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. 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