--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In a certain way, we felt almost like…" description: "\"In a certain way, we felt almost like spies in the major label world. We were coming from some other world, and we somehow got our foot in the door and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98b/lee-ranaldo-4745_spies_in-a-certain-way-we-felt-almost-like-spi_2662862.jpg" --- # In a certain way, we felt almost like spies in the major… ![“In a certain way, we felt almost like spies in the major label world. We were coming from some other world, and we somehow got our foot in the door and crept in and were prowling around, checking things out and taking back reports from the front.” quote by Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98b/lee-ranaldo-4745_spies_in-a-certain-way-we-felt-almost-like-spi_2662862.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98b/lee-ranaldo-4745_spies_in-a-certain-way-we-felt-almost-like-spi_2662862.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98b/lee-ranaldo-4745_spies_in-a-certain-way-we-felt-almost-like-spi_2662862.jpg) > “In a certain way, we felt almost like spies in the major label world. We were coming from some other world, and we somehow got our foot in the door and crept in and were prowling around, checking things out and taking back reports from the front.” [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Feeling like outsiders in the music industry, they navigated covertly, gathering intelligence and reporting back. **In simple terms:** We felt like spies in the music world. Key Takeaway Adapt and observe when entering unfamiliar fields. Themes insider perspective observation industry Mood observational strategic Type music professional When to use this quote - music business - creative industries - networking Key Concepts cultural outsider strategic entry Questions to Reflect On - What insights did you gain? - How did you use the information? A Different Perspective Observation may be limited by bias. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Felt Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt-like/) [Label World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/label-world-502942/) [Like Spies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-spies-2442362/) [Spies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spies/) [Spies Major](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spies-major-2442363/) [Spy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spy/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I'm really attracted to anti-heroes, and I'm a little bit of a troublemaker myself, and a little bit of a rule-breaker, and I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-m-really-attracted-to-anti-heroes-and-i-m-a-little-bit-of-a/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [My goal the whole time has been for people to see me as a stand-alone artist. I came out with Young Money, the biggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-minaj/my-goal-the-whole-time-has-been-for-people-to-see-me-as-a-stand-alone/) [Nicki Minaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-minaj/) > [I was having a lot of mixed feelings about the independent world as well as the label world. I feel like I've been in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raekwon/i-was-having-a-lot-of-mixed-feelings-about-the-independent-world-as/) [Raekwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raekwon/) > [There's no major label in the world that would have let me make video game music, then conscious hip hop. They want you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheem-jarbo/there-s-no-major-label-in-the-world-that-would-have-let-me-make-video/) [Raheem Jarbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheem-jarbo/) > [I had every major label in the world - I mean, any label that dealt with rap music wanted to sign me. I ended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/i-had-every-major-label-in-the-world-i-mean-any-label-that-dealt-with/) [E-40](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-40/) > [It's about these people who are inextricably together for whatever reasons, and they happen to be in the spy world. It's about relationships, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-garber/it-s-about-these-people-who-are-inextricably-together-for-whatever/) [Victor Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-garber/) > [Spies are the ears and eyes of Princes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/spies-are-the-ears-and-eyes-of-princes/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [The trouble is, when professional spies go out of their way to make a definitive statement about one of their own, the public tends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-trouble-is-when-professional-spies-go-out-of-their-way-to-make-a/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [ They \[spies\] cannot be properly managed without benevolence and straightforwardness. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/they-spies-cannot-be-properly-managed-without-benevolence-and/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [You pretend to be a visitor, but are really a spy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/you-pretend-to-be-a-visitor-but-are-really-a-spy/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Spies go to bars for the same reason people go to libraries: full of information if you know where to ask.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-weston/spies-go-to-bars-for-the-same-reason-people-go-to-libraries-full-of/) [Michael Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-weston/) > [Mr. Snowden did not start out as a spy, and calling him one bends the term past recognition. Spies don't give their secrets to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/mr-snowden-did-not-start-out-as-a-spy-and-calling-him-one-bends-the/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) > [For decades to come the spy world will continue to be the collective couch where the subconscious of each nation is confessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/for-decades-to-come-the-spy-world-will-continue-to-be-the-collective/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The ultimate in disposing one's troops is to be without ascertainable shape. Then the most penetrating spies cannot pry in nor can the wise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-ultimate-in-disposing-one-s-troops-is-to-be-without-ascertainable/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-enemy-s-spies-who-have-come-to-spy-on-us-must-be-sought-out/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) ## More by Lee Ranaldo > [We've been around long enough that there have certainly been people at every stage of our career telling us about one or another record…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/we-ve-been-around-long-enough-that-there-have-certainly-been-people/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [I guess I see 'Goo' half as a really New York record because I think there are a lot of really particular New York…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/i-guess-i-see-goo-half-as-a-really-new-york-record-because-i-think/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [It's easier to write about a celebrity, a personality, than it is to dig in and write about the music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/it-s-easier-to-write-about-a-celebrity-a-personality-than-it-is-to/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [I have nothing against change or evolution, and I'm not one of those people who wants the city to be what it was 40…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/i-have-nothing-against-change-or-evolution-and-i-m-not-one-of-those/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > ['Daydream' brought us to the top of the heap of the indie-college market and recognition by all of our peers; 'Daydream' kind of capped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/daydream-brought-us-to-the-top-of-the-heap-of-the-indie-college/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [Signing to a major label was an experiment for us. It was a challenge: working in a big studio with a producer was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/signing-to-a-major-label-was-an-experiment-for-us-it-was-a-challenge/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [New York always has a lot of creativity going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/new-york-always-has-a-lot-of-creativity-going-on/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [We'd been on Geffen for a long time, and I think we felt that we needed a change. I just don't think we felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/we-d-been-on-geffen-for-a-long-time-and-i-think-we-felt-that-we/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [It's not like we set out to antagonize the audience in any way. We're just presenting our music; it's really much more innocent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/it-s-not-like-we-set-out-to-antagonize-the-audience-in-any-way-we-re/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [One of the things I loved - or I love still - about this Occupy movement is it's got a very gentle core. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/one-of-the-things-i-loved-or-i-love-still-about-this-occupy-movement/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [We got our first significant pieces of press in the 'New York Rocker' from early gigs at CBGB.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/we-got-our-first-significant-pieces-of-press-in-the-new-york-rocker/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [Being a guy who was a geek with tape machines in the early days and really interested in how records get made, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/being-a-guy-who-was-a-geek-with-tape-machines-in-the-early-days-and/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [The world is going to end for each of us in a prescribed time, and you sort of understand that your time is limited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/the-world-is-going-to-end-for-each-of-us-in-a-prescribed-time-and-you/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [My main pedal is the Ibanez Analog Delay, the AD9 or the AD80, whichever one it is. That's my go-to pedal for short delay.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/my-main-pedal-is-the-ibanez-analog-delay-the-ad9-or-the-ad80/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [The Strokes will never get anywhere after that first record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/the-strokes-will-never-get-anywhere-after-that-first-record/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) [Explore all 107 Lee Ranaldo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) ## More Spies quotes > [You basically have a group of four spies who are chosen for a mission they feel for the fact of how competent they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leblanc/you-basically-have-a-group-of-four-spies-who-are-chosen-for-a-mission/) [Matt LeBlanc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leblanc/) > [The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-enemy-s-spies-who-have-come-to-spy-on-us-must-be-sought-out/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Spies are the ears and eyes of Princes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/spies-are-the-ears-and-eyes-of-princes/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [“They are the Emperor's spies, his eyes and ears. And occasionally his assassins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-moeller/they-are-the-emperor-s-spies-his-eyes-and-ears-and-occasionally-his/) [Jonathan Moeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-moeller/) > [“Langley bred a certain type of person with great intention. The human resources department required nearly as sophisticated of analysts as the foreign intelligence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-blackmar/langley-bred-a-certain-type-of-person-with-great-intention-the-human/) [Lynn Blackmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-blackmar/) > [“Jabir listened but was not convinced.  “Iraq and Iran haven’t gotten along for many centuries. Why should we now?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-braungart/jabir-listened-but-was-not-convinced-iraq-and-iran-haven-t-gotten/) [Karl Braungart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-braungart/) > [The trouble is, when professional spies go out of their way to make a definitive statement about one of their own, the public tends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-trouble-is-when-professional-spies-go-out-of-their-way-to-make-a/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [ They \[spies\] cannot be properly managed without benevolence and straightforwardness. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/they-spies-cannot-be-properly-managed-without-benevolence-and/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“Listen Peter,’ he said seriously. ‘What I'm about to say is extremely important, not only for your own good, but for the good of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-st-john/listen-peter-he-said-seriously-what-i-m-about-to-say-is-extremely/) [Peter St. John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-st-john/) > [“When the spies got inside Jericho’s wall, they made a beeline past the apartments and the wall-marts to the whorehouse, where they were taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-russell/when-the-spies-got-inside-jericho-s-wall-they-made-a-beeline-past-the/) [Mark Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-russell/) > [At the secret CIA training facility called 'The Farm,' aspiring case-officers learn how to recruit spies and steal secrets. As a former CIA officer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-hurd/at-the-secret-cia-training-facility-called-the-farm-aspiring-case/) [Will Hurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-hurd/) > [“The lie detector didn’t react to anything I said, but I wouldn’t dare smile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-bode/the-lie-detector-didn-t-react-to-anything-i-said-but-i-wouldn-t-dare/) [Maya Bode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-bode/) > [“Encryption matters, and it is not just for spies and philanderers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/encryption-matters-and-it-is-not-just-for-spies-and-philanderers/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“I should have been honored to have been part of the best pickpocket incident of the century, but instead I was just mad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-bode/i-should-have-been-honored-to-have-been-part-of-the-best-pickpocket/) [Maya Bode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-bode/) > [For decades to come the spy world will continue to be the collective couch where the subconscious of each nation is confessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/for-decades-to-come-the-spy-world-will-continue-to-be-the-collective/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) [Browse all 203 Spies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In a certain way, we felt almost like spies in the major label world. 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