--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a kid, and Elvis Presley broke…" description: "\"When I was a kid, and Elvis Presley broke through to a middle class, white audience, it was a sociological phenomenon that lasted through the Beatles a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/lindsey-buckingham-3479_audience_when-i-was-a-kid-and-elvis-presley-broke_1807871.jpg" --- # When I was a kid, and Elvis Presley broke through to a… ![“When I was a kid, and Elvis Presley broke through to a middle class, white audience, it was a sociological phenomenon that lasted through the Beatles and even a bit through Fleetwood Mac.” quote by Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/lindsey-buckingham-3479_audience_when-i-was-a-kid-and-elvis-presley-broke_1807871.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/lindsey-buckingham-3479_audience_when-i-was-a-kid-and-elvis-presley-broke_1807871.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/lindsey-buckingham-3479_audience_when-i-was-a-kid-and-elvis-presley-broke_1807871.jpg) > “When I was a kid, and Elvis Presley broke through to a middle class, white audience, it was a sociological phenomenon that lasted through the Beatles and even a bit through Fleetwood Mac.” [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Elvis’s crossover to white middle‑class audiences sparked a cultural shift that influenced later bands like the Beatles and Fleetwood Mac. **In simple terms:** Elvis opened doors for rock music across social groups. Key Takeaway Recognize how breakthrough artists reshape cultural landscapes. Themes culture music social change Mood historical analytical Type music cultural When to use this quote - music history - cultural studies - marketing - social integration Key Concepts crossover appeal media influence generational impact Questions to Reflect On - What drives cultural adoption? - How do artists break social barriers? A Different Perspective Impact may be overstated; many factors contribute. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Beatles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beatles/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Elvis presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elvis-presley/) [Kid Elvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kid-elvis-2088542/) [Middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) [Phenomenon Lasted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phenomenon-lasted-2088544/) [Presley Broke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presley-broke-2088543/) [White Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-audience-462860/) ## Related quotes > [Elvis Presley's music said, 'Free your body.' The Beatles said, 'Free your mind.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheff/elvis-presley-s-music-said-free-your-body-the-beatles-said-free-your/) [David Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sheff/) > [People don't realize what they had till it's gone. Like President Kennedy, there was no one like him, the Beatles, and my man Elvis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/people-don-t-realize-what-they-had-till-it-s-gone-like-president/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [We have been playing to a 70-30 black to white audience. And we are just doing what should come next, trying to attract a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-simpson/we-have-been-playing-to-a-70-30-black-to-white-audience-and-we-are/) [Valerie Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-simpson/) > [I have no interest in making music solely for a white audience. If that's what our audience is, I don't really feel responsible for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panda-bear/i-have-no-interest-in-making-music-solely-for-a-white-audience-if/) [Panda Bear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panda-bear/) > [I didnt grow up around all white people; I never wanted to gentrify hip-hop, Ive never wanted to speak to an all-white audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-eazy/i-didnt-grow-up-around-all-white-people-i-never-wanted-to-gentrify/) [G-Eazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-eazy/) > [I didn't grow up around all white people; I never wanted to gentrify hip-hop, I've never wanted to speak to an all-white audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-eazy/i-didn-t-grow-up-around-all-white-people-i-never-wanted-to-gentrify/) [G-Eazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-eazy/) > [CBS garners a predominately older white audience, and by having a show like 'Superior Donuts' on their weekly programming, it distorts what people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermaine-fowler/cbs-garners-a-predominately-older-white-audience-and-by-having-a-show/) [Jermaine Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermaine-fowler/) > [Other theaters exist here solely to entertain the white audience and keep South Africa on a par with what's going on in the West…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kani/other-theaters-exist-here-solely-to-entertain-the-white-audience-and/) [John Kani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kani/) > [When I go to the movies, I'm expected to identify with all of the characters, and most of them are white. But when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/when-i-go-to-the-movies-i-m-expected-to-identify-with-all-of-the/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [I see myself as a hip-hop artist, but I never wanted to make music for a specifically white audience. Thats not what I grew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-eazy/i-see-myself-as-a-hip-hop-artist-but-i-never-wanted-to-make-music-for/) [G-Eazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-eazy/) > [I see myself as a hip-hop artist, but I never wanted to make music for a specifically white audience. That's not what I grew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-eazy/i-see-myself-as-a-hip-hop-artist-but-i-never-wanted-to-make-music-for-2/) [G-Eazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-eazy/) > [I saw footage of Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley just hanging out together in Memphis when they were young guys getting started at Sun,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-stuart/i-saw-footage-of-johnny-cash-and-elvis-presley-just-hanging-out/) [Marty Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-stuart/) > [“What drove us crazy wasn't necessarily the sexual freedom his critic claimed he was unleashing, but freedom, period. Freedom to be yourself, to express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-spector-larry-geller-patricia-romanowski/what-drove-us-crazy-wasn-t-necessarily-the-sexual-freedom-his-critic/) [Joel Spector Larry Geller Patricia Romanowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-spector-larry-geller-patricia-romanowski/) > [ Elvis \[Presley\] had a stepstool, if you will, to success because he came from the dominant culture. They identified with him. Michael Jackson had… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/elvis-presley-had-a-stepstool-if-you-will-to-success-because-he-came/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [Elvis Presley wore a Star of David and a cross around his neck and, when someone asked him about it, he said, "It makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/elvis-presley-wore-a-star-of-david-and-a-cross-around-his-neck-and/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) ## More by Lindsey Buckingham > [This time, there were no drugs involved. The hours were completely normal daytime hours. I think we were able to appreciate the interplay, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/this-time-there-were-no-drugs-involved-the-hours-were-completely/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [The writing is all done, so it's all about verbalizing everything from point A to point B, and certainly there's a bit of politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/the-writing-is-all-done-so-it-s-all-about-verbalizing-everything-from/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [It's really touching that we can come back after so long and care about making an album that says as much as this one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/it-s-really-touching-that-we-can-come-back-after-so-long-and-care/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [Most people don't know who the hell I am. But that's not really important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/most-people-don-t-know-who-the-hell-i-am-but-that-s-not-really/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [Arcade Fire seems to be doing very well; certainly, Phoenix is doing very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/arcade-fire-seems-to-be-doing-very-well-certainly-phoenix-is-doing/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [We're not one of those bands that throws the names of all their songs in a hat and pulls them out right before they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/we-re-not-one-of-those-bands-that-throws-the-names-of-all-their-songs/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [Defining something being a Fleetwood Mac song is calling it a Fleetwood Mac song, you know? Nothing becomes Fleetwood Mac until that's what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/defining-something-being-a-fleetwood-mac-song-is-calling-it-a/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [I don't read music. I've never had a lesson. I don't know anything about music other than what my inner knowledge is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/i-don-t-read-music-i-ve-never-had-a-lesson-i-don-t-know-anything/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [They tried to get me to use a pick when I first joined the band. They had certain things they thought were appropriate. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/they-tried-to-get-me-to-use-a-pick-when-i-first-joined-the-band-they/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [Some days I would be there at ten in the morning and wouldn't leave till ten at night, and the others would waltz in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/some-days-i-would-be-there-at-ten-in-the-morning-and-wouldn-t-leave/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [A house full of new furniture doesn't mean a whole lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/a-house-full-of-new-furniture-doesn-t-mean-a-whole-lot/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [There were a number of false starts where I was trying to make solo albums. They would get constantly folded into group efforts. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/there-were-a-number-of-false-starts-where-i-was-trying-to-make-solo/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [When Stevie and I joined the band, we were in the midst of breaking up, as were John and Christine. By the time Rumours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/when-stevie-and-i-joined-the-band-we-were-in-the-midst-of-breaking-up/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [I think when you work alone - the way I do it, anyway - you could sort of liken it to painting, where there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/i-think-when-you-work-alone-the-way-i-do-it-anyway-you-could-sort-of/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [I lost my power in the world because I did not use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/i-lost-my-power-in-the-world-because-i-did-not-use-it/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) [Explore all 130 Lindsey Buckingham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was a kid, and Elvis Presley broke through to a middle class, white audience, it was a sociological phenomenon that lasted through the Beatles and even a bit through Fleetwood Mac.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lindsey Buckingham" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/when-i-was-a-kid-and-elvis-presley-broke-through-to-a-middle-class/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Audience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/when-i-was-a-kid-and-elvis-presley-broke-through-to-a-middle-class/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/lindsey-buckingham-3479_audience_when-i-was-a-kid-and-elvis-presley-broke_1807871.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/lindsey-buckingham-3479_audience_when-i-was-a-kid-and-elvis-presley-broke_1807871.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57b/lindsey-buckingham-3479_audience_when-i-was-a-kid-and-elvis-presley-broke_1807871.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was a kid, and Elvis Presley broke through to a middle class, white audience, it was a sociological…” — Lindsey Buckingham", "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": "Lindsey Buckingham", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was a kid, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/when-i-was-a-kid-and-elvis-presley-broke-through-to-a-middle-class/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/when-i-was-a-kid-and-elvis-presley-broke-through-to-a-middle-class/#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 } } ] } ```