--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was just learning to play guitar when…" description: "\"I was just learning to play guitar when Tracy Chapman came out. She wrote these songs, she played them by herself and I so admired her for that.\" — Mad..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05d/madeleine-peyroux-17583_guitar_i-was-just-learning-to-play-guitar-when_534708.jpg" --- # I was just learning to play guitar when Tracy Chapman came… ![“I was just learning to play guitar when Tracy Chapman came out. She wrote these songs, she played them by herself and I so admired her for that.” quote by Madeleine Peyroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05d/madeleine-peyroux-17583_guitar_i-was-just-learning-to-play-guitar-when_534708.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05d/madeleine-peyroux-17583_guitar_i-was-just-learning-to-play-guitar-when_534708.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05d/madeleine-peyroux-17583_guitar_i-was-just-learning-to-play-guitar-when_534708.jpg) > “I was just learning to play guitar when Tracy Chapman came out. She wrote these songs, she played them by herself and I so admired her for that.” [Madeleine Peyroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-peyroux/) ## 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 admired Tracy Chapman’s self‑sufficient songwriting and guitar skills, inspiring personal artistic growth. **In simple terms:** Admiration for Chapman’s solo songwriting and guitar playing. Key Takeaway Seek self‑reliance in art. Themes inspiration music self‑reliance Mood motivated admiring Type musical personal growth When to use this quote - learning guitar - songwriting workshops - career development - creative mentorship Key Concepts artistic independence role models Questions to Reflect On - How can you develop independent artistic skills? - What barriers hinder self‑directed learning? A Different Perspective Self‑reliance can be daunting without support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [I have a memory of listening to Tracy Chapman and just being intrigued by her voice. Even as a young girl, I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/i-have-a-memory-of-listening-to-tracy-chapman-and-just-being/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [I would say Tracy Chapman was the first time I obsessed over an entire record. I knew every song; I knew the exact amount…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/i-would-say-tracy-chapman-was-the-first-time-i-obsessed-over-an/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) > [I remember being about six years old, for the first day of school, and sitting in the back of a Chrysler, pretending to cry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-pugh/i-remember-being-about-six-years-old-for-the-first-day-of-school-and/) [Florence Pugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-pugh/) > [The very first day that Hillary came over, we were working on a song called 'All We'd Ever Need.' But we never even thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-haywood/the-very-first-day-that-hillary-came-over-we-were-working-on-a-song/) [Dave Haywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-haywood/) > [We've always tried to inspire ourselves, so to speak. In the beginning, that could mean just hearing your own songs played back to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-goldsmith/we-ve-always-tried-to-inspire-ourselves-so-to-speak-in-the-beginning/) [Taylor Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-goldsmith/) > [Amy Winehouse asked me a while ago if I had written any new songs. I played her something, and when I had finished, she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-doherty/amy-winehouse-asked-me-a-while-ago-if-i-had-written-any-new-songs-i/) [Pete Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-doherty/) > [I don't trust songs that can be played at a kid's party and a club at the same time. I just don't think it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-fender/i-don-t-trust-songs-that-can-be-played-at-a-kid-s-party-and-a-club-at/) [Sam Fender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-fender/) > [Ultimately, what I want is for my songs to outlive me: I want my songs to keep being played even after I'm gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/ultimately-what-i-want-is-for-my-songs-to-outlive-me-i-want-my-songs/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [I was born or raised in the church, so I guess the first songs I would have played would have been church songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-fairfield/i-was-born-or-raised-in-the-church-so-i-guess-the-first-songs-i-would/) [Frank Fairfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-fairfield/) > [Of all the songs we played, 'Statesboro Blues' was the most ripped-off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-trucks/of-all-the-songs-we-played-statesboro-blues-was-the-most-ripped-off/) [Butch Trucks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-trucks/) > [When you're traveling on a body of songs that you have played for many, many years, for most nights of your life - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-leo/when-you-re-traveling-on-a-body-of-songs-that-you-have-played-for/) [Ted Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-leo/) > [From an early age I've written songs and played the piano.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-henderson/from-an-early-age-i-ve-written-songs-and-played-the-piano/) [Ella Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-henderson/) > [You are in some songs that still get played on the radio when the DJ is feeling nostalgic. You are in a book once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-wrote-this-for-you/you-are-in-some-songs-that-still-get-played-on-the-radio-when-the-dj/) I Wrote This For You > [Every once in a while, I hear somebody call me Tracy to try to let me know that they know me, you know, personally.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/every-once-in-a-while-i-hear-somebody-call-me-tracy-to-try-to-let-me/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [Clarence Darrow was a unique and courageous man. Several of my favourite actors have played Darrow... Henry Fonda, Orson Welles and Spencer Tracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/clarence-darrow-was-a-unique-and-courageous-man-several-of-my/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) ## More by Madeleine Peyroux > [Let me see your beauty when the witnesses are gone. Let me feel you moving like they do in Babylon. Show me slowly what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-peyroux/let-me-see-your-beauty-when-the-witnesses-are-gone-let-me-feel-you/) [Madeleine Peyroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-peyroux/) > [Dance me to the end of love...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-peyroux/dance-me-to-the-end-of-love/) [Madeleine Peyroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-peyroux/) > [My father had a varied ear, from Hank Williams to Ravel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-peyroux/my-father-had-a-varied-ear-from-hank-williams-to-ravel/) [Madeleine Peyroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-peyroux/) > [My parents were older than normal when they had me, and had been very into the politics of the 1960s, so I was brought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-peyroux/my-parents-were-older-than-normal-when-they-had-me-and-had-been-very/) [Madeleine Peyroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-peyroux/) > [Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin. Dance me through the panic 'til I'm gathered safely in. Lift me like an olive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-peyroux/dance-me-to-your-beauty-with-a-burning-violin-dance-me-through-the/) [Madeleine Peyroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-peyroux/) > [People you've been before. That you don't want around anymore. That push and shove and won't bend to your will. I'll keep them still...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-peyroux/people-you-ve-been-before-that-you-don-t-want-around-anymore-that/) [Madeleine Peyroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-peyroux/) > [It's wonderful to work with someone with mentor status.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-peyroux/it-s-wonderful-to-work-with-someone-with-mentor-status/) [Madeleine Peyroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-peyroux/) > [Drink up, baby. Stay up all night. Things you could do. You won't but you might.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-peyroux/drink-up-baby-stay-up-all-night-things-you-could-do-you-won-t-but-you/) [Madeleine Peyroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-peyroux/) > [Once I was in the city, I really enjoyed it. Just to experience things. There was so much new stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-peyroux/once-i-was-in-the-city-i-really-enjoyed-it-just-to-experience-things/) [Madeleine Peyroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-peyroux/) > [Seeing how those companies operate, it didn't amount to a massive vote of confidence in their artists. There was talk of me going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-peyroux/seeing-how-those-companies-operate-it-didn-t-amount-to-a-massive-vote/) [Madeleine Peyroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-peyroux/) > [Second records aren't usually very good. Even Bob Dylan's was a bit disappointing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-peyroux/second-records-aren-t-usually-very-good-even-bob-dylan-s-was-a-bit/) [Madeleine Peyroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-peyroux/) > [Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin. Dance me through the panic till I'm gathered safely in. Touch me with your naked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-peyroux/dance-me-to-your-beauty-with-a-burning-violin-dance-me-through-the-3/) [Madeleine Peyroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-peyroux/) > [I listened to Billie Holiday a lot in order to learn to sing. She remains one of the extraordinary jazz singers. But my intent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-peyroux/i-listened-to-billie-holiday-a-lot-in-order-to-learn-to-sing-she/) [Madeleine Peyroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-peyroux/) > [I'm all alright, I'm all alright, I'm all alright. He played Solitaire in bed. Used to blow bubbles in bed. He sang Christmas songs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-peyroux/i-m-all-alright-i-m-all-alright-i-m-all-alright-he-played-solitaire/) [Madeleine Peyroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-peyroux/) > [I've always loved singing. I find it exhilarating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-peyroux/i-ve-always-loved-singing-i-find-it-exhilarating/) [Madeleine Peyroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-peyroux/) [Explore all 36 Madeleine Peyroux quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-peyroux/) ## More Guitar quotes > [I'll tell you one thing: I will always play the sh\*\* out of my guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-satriani/i-ll-tell-you-one-thing-i-will-always-play-the-sh-out-of-my-guitar/) [Joe Satriani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-satriani/) > [I remember people would talk about Country Music like it was this sexist, lame thing. Well, no, because Dolly Parton is writing songs and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neko-case/i-remember-people-would-talk-about-country-music-like-it-was-this/) [Neko Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neko-case/) > [With my songs, the question is always, 'Can you pull it off live, alone on just an acoustic guitar?' That's the litmus test. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-colvin/with-my-songs-the-question-is-always-can-you-pull-it-off-live-alone/) [Shawn Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-colvin/) > [Growing up in Dallas, my first influences on the guitar were T-Bone Walker and Les Paul. T-Bone taught me how to play lead guitar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-miller/growing-up-in-dallas-my-first-influences-on-the-guitar-were-t-bone/) [Steve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-miller/) > [I like the bad-boy types. Generally the guy I'm attracted to is the guy in the club with all the tattoos and nail polish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-like-the-bad-boy-types-generally-the-guy-i-m-attracted-to-is-the/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [That's the thing about the blues: It's one thing to hit a note on a guitar. To make it matter is something else altogether.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bonamassa/that-s-the-thing-about-the-blues-it-s-one-thing-to-hit-a-note-on-a/) [Joe Bonamassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bonamassa/) > [Bass guitar is the engine of the band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/bass-guitar-is-the-engine-of-the-band/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [I play, like, 12 instruments. Guitar, piano, harmonica, African drums... I'm working on mastering the accordion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-grabeel/i-play-like-12-instruments-guitar-piano-harmonica-african-drums-i-m/) [Lucas Grabeel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-grabeel/) > [I learned tabla for three years when in school, then started picking up the basics of the acoustic guitar when in college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anupam-roy/i-learned-tabla-for-three-years-when-in-school-then-started-picking/) [Anupam Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anupam-roy/) > [I took guitar lessons and recorded the song in New York. It was kind of a dream. I got to pretend I was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-wiig/i-took-guitar-lessons-and-recorded-the-song-in-new-york-it-was-kind/) [Kristen Wiig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-wiig/) > [There's a need for music that has urgency and emotional honesty. That's why people are reintroducing themselves to guitar music - that instrument has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mura-masa/there-s-a-need-for-music-that-has-urgency-and-emotional-honesty-that/) [Mura Masa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mura-masa/) > [I like to be quiet and play guitar and just chill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/post-malone/i-like-to-be-quiet-and-play-guitar-and-just-chill/) [Post Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/post-malone/) > [My first proper 'Here's your guitar, Joseph' was a 1981 Chiquita, one of those Erlewine travel guitars. And it was good for a four-year-old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bonamassa/my-first-proper-here-s-your-guitar-joseph-was-a-1981-chiquita-one-of/) [Joe Bonamassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bonamassa/) > [Kenny Burrell is the grand master of jazz guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzy-gillespie/kenny-burrell-is-the-grand-master-of-jazz-guitar/) [Dizzy Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzy-gillespie/) > [Because of my background, I never felt comfortable with these R&B divas, but I'd hate to be just some pensive girl with a guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-bailey-rae/because-of-my-background-i-never-felt-comfortable-with-these-r-b/) [Corinne Bailey Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-bailey-rae/) [Browse all 3,915 Guitar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was just learning to play guitar when Tracy Chapman came out. She wrote these songs, she played them by herself and I so admired her for that.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Madeleine Peyroux" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-peyroux/i-was-just-learning-to-play-guitar-when-tracy-chapman-came-out-she/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Guitar" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-peyroux/i-was-just-learning-to-play-guitar-when-tracy-chapman-came-out-she/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05d/madeleine-peyroux-17583_guitar_i-was-just-learning-to-play-guitar-when_534708.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05d/madeleine-peyroux-17583_guitar_i-was-just-learning-to-play-guitar-when_534708.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05d/madeleine-peyroux-17583_guitar_i-was-just-learning-to-play-guitar-when_534708.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was just learning to play guitar when Tracy Chapman came out. She wrote these songs, she played them by…” — Madeleine Peyroux", "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": "Madeleine Peyroux", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-peyroux/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was just learning to play...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-peyroux/i-was-just-learning-to-play-guitar-when-tracy-chapman-came-out-she/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-peyroux/i-was-just-learning-to-play-guitar-when-tracy-chapman-came-out-she/#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 } } ] } ```