--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't want to be a star, merely dying." description: "\"“I don't want to be a star, merely dying.”\" — Leonard Cohen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/leonard-cohen-448_astronomy_i-don-t-want-to-be-a-star-merely-dying-1_1299170.jpg" --- # I don't want to be a star, merely dying. ![“I don't want to be a star, merely dying.” quote by Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/leonard-cohen-448_astronomy_i-don-t-want-to-be-a-star-merely-dying-1_1299170.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/leonard-cohen-448_astronomy_i-don-t-want-to-be-a-star-merely-dying-1_1299170.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/leonard-cohen-448_astronomy_i-don-t-want-to-be-a-star-merely-dying-1_1299170.jpg) > ““I don't want to be a star, merely dying.”” [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker rejects fame, preferring a quiet, perhaps fatal, existence over stardom. **In simple terms:** Prefers dying over becoming a star. Key Takeaway Value authenticity over fame. Themes humility mortality authenticity Mood contemplative melancholic Type philosophical poetic When to use this quote - personal reflection - artistic creation - private life decisions Key Concepts existentialism celebrity culture personal values Questions to Reflect On - What would you sacrifice for fame? - Is anonymity more valuable than recognition? A Different Perspective Fame can bring loss of self. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/star/) ## Related quotes > [But what matter whether I was born or not, have lived or not, am dead or merely dying. I shall go on doing as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/but-what-matter-whether-i-was-born-or-not-have-lived-or-not-am-dead-2/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“If he would see me again, I would die happy. In the meantime, I was merely dying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslea-tash/if-he-would-see-me-again-i-would-die-happy-in-the-meantime-i-was/) [Leslea Tash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslea-tash/) > [“But what matter whether I was born or not, have lived or not, am dead or merely dying, I shall go on doing as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/but-what-matter-whether-i-was-born-or-not-have-lived-or-not-am-dead/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“I'm merely dying to be remembered for simply writing about my living memories”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-biondi/i-m-merely-dying-to-be-remembered-for-simply-writing-about-my-living/) [Michael Biondi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-biondi/) > [I'm not a star, and I don't want to be a star. Stars fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/i-m-not-a-star-and-i-don-t-want-to-be-a-star-stars-fall/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [I want to be an all-star. It's something I've dreamed of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jrue-holiday/i-want-to-be-an-all-star-it-s-something-i-ve-dreamed-of/) [Jrue Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jrue-holiday/) > [I want to be a star; yes, that's everyone's dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aishwarya-rajesh/i-want-to-be-a-star-yes-that-s-everyone-s-dream/) [Aishwarya Rajesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aishwarya-rajesh/) > [If you just want to be a star, go away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenifer-lewis/if-you-just-want-to-be-a-star-go-away/) [Jenifer Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenifer-lewis/) > [I want to be a star. It doesn't mean that I'll act any less. My performance will be at par, but I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taapsee-pannu/i-want-to-be-a-star-it-doesn-t-mean-that-i-ll-act-any-less-my/) [Taapsee Pannu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taapsee-pannu/) > [People who want to be a star get their teeth capped. People who want to be an actor get to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ross/people-who-want-to-be-a-star-get-their-teeth-capped-people-who-want/) [Gary Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ross/) > [If you really want to be a star, we can do it in your Mama's car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/if-you-really-want-to-be-a-star-we-can-do-it-in-your-mama-s-car/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [I am not in a hurry, I don't want to become a star overnight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koena-mitra/i-am-not-in-a-hurry-i-don-t-want-to-become-a-star-overnight/) [Koena Mitra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koena-mitra/) > [That's the reason you want to become a star as an actor, to be able to have more control of your destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-cranston/that-s-the-reason-you-want-to-become-a-star-as-an-actor-to-be-able-to/) [Bryan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-cranston/) > [I would like to be on 'Dancing With the Stars' because I want to be a star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirai-nagasu/i-would-like-to-be-on-dancing-with-the-stars-because-i-want-to-be-a/) [Mirai Nagasu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirai-nagasu/) > [If becoming a big star means doing a film that I can't watch with my daughter, I don't want to become that star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajpal-yadav/if-becoming-a-big-star-means-doing-a-film-that-i-can-t-watch-with-my/) [Rajpal Yadav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajpal-yadav/) ## More by Leonard Cohen > [The blizzard of the world has crossed the threshold and it's overturned the order of the soul...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-blizzard-of-the-world-has-crossed-the-threshold-and-it-s/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Don't matter if you're rich and strong Don't matter if you're weak Don't matter if you write a song The nightingales repeat Don't matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/don-t-matter-if-you-re-rich-and-strong-don-t-matter-if-you-re-weak/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“You don't know me from the wind you never will, you never did I'm the little jew who wrote the Bible. I've seen the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/you-don-t-know-me-from-the-wind-you-never-will-you-never-did-i-m-the/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“This is it I’m not coming after you I’m going to lie down for half an hour This is it I’m not going down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-is-it-i-m-not-coming-after-you-i-m-going-to-lie-down-for-half-an/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [My sense of proprietorship has been so weak that actually I didn't pay attention and I lost the copyrights on a lot of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/my-sense-of-proprietorship-has-been-so-weak-that-actually-i-didn-t/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [This world is full of conflicts and full of things that cannot be reconciled. But there are moments when we can... reconcile and embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-world-is-full-of-conflicts-and-full-of-things-that-cannot-be/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [ I would say the hummingbird really deserves the royalties on \[some of my songs\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-would-say-the-hummingbird-really-deserves-the-royalties-on-some-of/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [One is given to self-dramatization from time to time. I intend to live forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/one-is-given-to-self-dramatization-from-time-to-time-i-intend-to-live/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [The basic function of popular music is to create an environment for courting, lovemaking, and doing the dishes. It's useful because it addresses the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/the-basic-function-of-popular-music-is-to-create-an-environment-for/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Blessed are you, embrace of the falling, foundation of the light, master of the human accident.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/blessed-are-you-embrace-of-the-falling-foundation-of-the-light-master/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I continually blacken pages and scribble away, so I always have a number of songs that are half-finished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-continually-blacken-pages-and-scribble-away-so-i-always-have-a/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I have nothing against the Queen of England. Even in my heart I never resented her for not being Jackie Kennedy. She is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-have-nothing-against-the-queen-of-england-even-in-my-heart-i-never/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I loved you when you opened like a lily to the heat; you see I’m just another snowman standing in the rain and sleet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-loved-you-when-you-opened-like-a-lily-to-the-heat-you-see-i-m-just/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [It's time that we began to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/it-s-time-that-we-began-to-laugh-and-cry-and-cry-and-laugh-about-it/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“I followed the course From chaos to art Desire the horse Depression the cart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-followed-the-course-from-chaos-to-art-desire-the-horse-depression/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) [Explore all 543 Leonard Cohen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) ## More Astronomy quotes > [I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. 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