--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He took my music, but he gave me my name." description: "\"He took my music, but he gave me my name.\" — Muddy Waters" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/muddy-waters-16111_gave_he-took-my-music-but-he-gave-me-my-name_1481094.png" --- # He took my music, but he gave me my name. ![“He took my music, but he gave me my name.” quote by Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/muddy-waters-16111_gave_he-took-my-music-but-he-gave-me-my-name_1481094.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/muddy-waters-16111_gave_he-took-my-music-but-he-gave-me-my-name_1481094.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/muddy-waters-16111_gave_he-took-my-music-but-he-gave-me-my-name_1481094.png) > “He took my music, but he gave me my name.” [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Someone can take your art but cannot strip away your identity. **In simple terms:** Your name stays yours despite theft. Key Takeaway Protect your identity and legacy. Themes identity artistic integrity resilience Mood determined hopeful Type inspirational cautionary When to use this quote - music industry exploitation - creative collaborations - personal branding - intellectual property disputes Key Concepts cultural appropriation self‑definition Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain self‑worth when others profit from your work? - What steps can you take to safeguard your creative identity? A Different Perspective It may overlook the pain of losing one's work. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-business/) ## Related quotes > [He stole my music but he gave me my name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-jagger/he-stole-my-music-but-he-gave-me-my-name/) [Mick Jagger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-jagger/) > [I knew I wanted to be an artist, but I never took music lessons. I was just playing around in front of the mirror…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lykke-li/i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-an-artist-but-i-never-took-music-lessons-i-was/) [Lykke Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lykke-li/) > [I never took a music lesson in my life, it just came naturally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynonna-judd/i-never-took-a-music-lesson-in-my-life-it-just-came-naturally/) [Wynonna Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynonna-judd/) > [I always took music very seriously and passionately. It is one of my biggest passions and hobbies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parineeti-chopra/i-always-took-music-very-seriously-and-passionately-it-is-one-of-my/) [Parineeti Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parineeti-chopra/) > [I remember I took a music course in junior year of high school, and some girl brought in 'Teardrops On My Guitar,' and she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitski/i-remember-i-took-a-music-course-in-junior-year-of-high-school-and/) [Mitski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitski/) > [And as I got older and played more, people began to forget about my age and took the music more seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-lang/and-as-i-got-older-and-played-more-people-began-to-forget-about-my/) [Jonny Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonny-lang/) > [I took music theory for one year in high school and flunked all but one six-week period. That's because I couldn't read music, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-ray-vaughan/i-took-music-theory-for-one-year-in-high-school-and-flunked-all-but/) [Stevie Ray Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-ray-vaughan/) > [I took music theory in high school and dropped out halfway through the semester because it was ruining music for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-judd/i-took-music-theory-in-high-school-and-dropped-out-halfway-through/) [Blake Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-judd/) > [From a young age, I took an interest in the music and my mom noticed it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-wallen/from-a-young-age-i-took-an-interest-in-the-music-and-my-mom-noticed-it/) [Morgan Wallen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-wallen/) > [With the Stray Cats at least, we really took the music somewhere else. First, we wrote our own songs. 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My mum and dad took it into music class and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-bonnar/i-started-writing-my-own-symphony-i-wrote-about-a-page-and-a-half-my/) [Mark Bonnar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-bonnar/) > [I remember loving sound before I ever took a music lesson. And so we make our lives by what we love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/i-remember-loving-sound-before-i-ever-took-a-music-lesson-and-so-we/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [Our music was, like, Doors-y, but trying to be classical. We all took music classes and tried writing songs, and when we put them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fab-moretti/our-music-was-like-doors-y-but-trying-to-be-classical-we-all-took/) [Fab Moretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fab-moretti/) ## More by Muddy Waters > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [I rambled all the time. I was just like that, like a rollin' stone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/i-rambled-all-the-time-i-was-just-like-that-like-a-rollin-stone/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [If you got something you don't want other people to know, keep it in your pocket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-you-got-something-you-don-t-want-other-people-to-know-keep-it-in/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [China is to stock fraud as Silicon Valley is to technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/china-is-to-stock-fraud-as-silicon-valley-is-to-technology/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Ain't nobody's business, if I bark like a dog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/ain-t-nobody-s-business-if-i-bark-like-a-dog/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Theres no way in the world I can feel the same blues the way I used to. When I play in Chicago, Im playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/theres-no-way-in-the-world-i-can-feel-the-same-blues-the-way-i-used/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [That Mississippi sound, that Delta sound is in them old records. You can hear it all the way through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/that-mississippi-sound-that-delta-sound-is-in-them-old-records-you/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [I went down to my baby's house and I sit down on her steps. She said, now come on in now, you know, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/i-went-down-to-my-baby-s-house-and-i-sit-down-on-her-steps-she-said/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Now that I'm gettin old enough to get some money, I'd like to have some money. I don't get much made, I need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/now-that-i-m-gettin-old-enough-to-get-some-money-i-d-like-to-have/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [People should hear the pure blues - the # blues we used to have when we had no money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/people-should-hear-the-pure-blues-the-blues-we-used-to-have-when-we/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Robert Johnson? No, I didn't know him, personally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/robert-johnson-no-i-didn-t-know-him-personally/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Man, you don't know how I felt that afternoon when I heard that VOICE and it was my own VOICE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/man-you-don-t-know-how-i-felt-that-afternoon-when-i-heard-that-voice/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [I was so wild and crazy and dumb in my car. It didn't run but 30 miles an hour. You made do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/i-was-so-wild-and-crazy-and-dumb-in-my-car-it-didn-t-run-but-30-miles/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [I went to school, but they didn't give you too much schooling because just as soon as you was big enough, you get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/i-went-to-school-but-they-didn-t-give-you-too-much-schooling-because/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [There was a time when I had the blues - I mean I really had it bad. I couldn't pay my light bill and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/there-was-a-time-when-i-had-the-blues-i-mean-i-really-had-it-bad-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) [Explore all 41 Muddy Waters quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) ## More Gave quotes > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [And I gave you my all, now baby be mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashanti/and-i-gave-you-my-all-now-baby-be-mine/) [Ashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashanti/) > [How could you justify giving Holland twice the amount of money that you gave Belgium? Well, finally, I put it up to them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/how-could-you-justify-giving-holland-twice-the-amount-of-money-that/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [“The Lord gave you a backbone because He wanted you to use it. So use it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wilgus/the-lord-gave-you-a-backbone-because-he-wanted-you-to-use-it-so-use-it/) [Nick Wilgus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wilgus/) > [Some Republicans gave up on winning the African-American vote, looking the other way or trying to benefit politically from racial polarization. I am here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-mehlman/some-republicans-gave-up-on-winning-the-african-american-vote-looking/) [Ken Mehlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-mehlman/) > [Just remember that when nobody was there for you, I was. And when nobody else gave a damn, I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-remember-that-when-nobody-was-there-for-you-i-was-and-when/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we built Roomba, we explicitly designed it to not have a face. We didn't want to think it was cute; we wanted people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-angle/when-we-built-roomba-we-explicitly-designed-it-to-not-have-a-face-we/) [Colin Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-angle/) > [Moses became America's true founding father because he evangelized action; he justified risk. He gave ordinary people the courage to live with uncertainty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/moses-became-america-s-true-founding-father-because-he-evangelized/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [The first time I went to Abbey Road and put those headphones on, I discovered I had two voices. I no longer had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cilla-black/the-first-time-i-went-to-abbey-road-and-put-those-headphones-on-i/) [Cilla Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cilla-black/) > [God gave me eyes so that I might see you, and God gave you eyes, so that I might see myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-brown/god-gave-me-eyes-so-that-i-might-see-you-and-god-gave-you-eyes-so/) Brad Brown > [My mother 'gave teas' the way other mothers breathed. Her own mother 'gave teas.' All of their friends 'gave teas,' each involving butter cookies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/my-mother-gave-teas-the-way-other-mothers-breathed-her-own-mother/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [I have a large watch collection, and classic watches are especially important to me. I had a silver Rolex, and I actually gave it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/i-have-a-large-watch-collection-and-classic-watches-are-especially/) [Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/) > [You may not believe me, but I gave you al I had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-may-not-believe-me-but-i-gave-you-al-i-had/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I remember talking with Arcade Fire after their first record, when they were getting all kinds of offers from major labels, and I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-remember-talking-with-arcade-fire-after-their-first-record-when/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/god-gave-us-the-gift-of-life-it-is-up-to-us-to-give-ourselves-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) Browse all 1,390 Gave quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He took my music, but he gave me my name.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Muddy Waters" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/he-took-my-music-but-he-gave-me-my-name/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gave" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/he-took-my-music-but-he-gave-me-my-name/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/muddy-waters-16111_gave_he-took-my-music-but-he-gave-me-my-name_1481094.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/muddy-waters-16111_gave_he-took-my-music-but-he-gave-me-my-name_1481094.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bd/muddy-waters-16111_gave_he-took-my-music-but-he-gave-me-my-name_1481094.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He took my music, but he gave me my name.” — Muddy Waters", "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": "Muddy Waters", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "He took my music, but he...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/he-took-my-music-but-he-gave-me-my-name/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/he-took-my-music-but-he-gave-me-my-name/#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 } } ] } ```