--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always thought my records were number…" description: "\"I always thought my records were number one; it's just the charts didn't think so.\" — Nick Cave" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/nick-cave-1153_always_i-always-thought-my-records-were-number_2033830.jpg" --- # I always thought my records were number one; it's just the… ![“I always thought my records were number one; it's just the charts didn't think so.” quote by Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/nick-cave-1153_always_i-always-thought-my-records-were-number_2033830.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/nick-cave-1153_always_i-always-thought-my-records-were-number_2033830.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/nick-cave-1153_always_i-always-thought-my-records-were-number_2033830.jpg) > “I always thought my records were number one; it's just the charts didn't think so.” [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He believed his music was top‑ranked, but charts reflected a different reality, highlighting the gap between personal perception and public metrics. **In simple terms:** Personal belief can clash with public rankings. Key Takeaway Balance confidence with objective feedback. Themes music ego public perception Mood reflective melancholic Type philosophical musical When to use this quote - album release - media interviews - chart tracking - fan discussions Key Concepts self‑assessment industry metrics humility Questions to Reflect On - Do you define success beyond charts? - How do you stay grounded when expectations differ? A Different Perspective Charts don’t capture artistic value; over‑reliance on rankings can harm creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Charts Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charts-didn-719706/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Just Charts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-charts-3749948/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/records/) [Records Number](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/records-number-3749949/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Thought Records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-records-1717946/) ## Related quotes > [I think Korea is so focused on just the charts, and what's going to chart and what's not, and I'm sure it's like that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nam/i-think-korea-is-so-focused-on-just-the-charts-and-what-s-going-to/) [Eric Nam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nam/) > [I figured the songs wouldn't make much of a splash. I didn't think 'Take Me To Church' would play on the radio or get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hozier/i-figured-the-songs-wouldn-t-make-much-of-a-splash-i-didn-t-think/) [Hozier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hozier/) > [I never really thought about records or anything like that, the only thing I thought about were championships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-havlicek/i-never-really-thought-about-records-or-anything-like-that-the-only/) [John Havlicek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-havlicek/) > [As a boy, you never really thought of Hall of Fames, you never really thought of records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-lara/as-a-boy-you-never-really-thought-of-hall-of-fames-you-never-really/) [Brian Lara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-lara/) > [I always thought records were there to be broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-schumacher/i-always-thought-records-were-there-to-be-broken/) [Michael Schumacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-schumacher/) > [It is somewhat perplexing that fellow Republicans would attack a popular conservative governor of a very conservative state whose overwhelming re-election proved a conservative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hughes/it-is-somewhat-perplexing-that-fellow-republicans-would-attack-a/) [Karen Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hughes/) > [I thought if I gave people all of my journey in one go, it could be overwhelming and easily forgotten, and I didn't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-angelique/i-thought-if-i-gave-people-all-of-my-journey-in-one-go-it-could-be/) [Dawn Angelique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-angelique/) > [There are two economic realities in America in 2016. There's been a record six straight years of job growth, and new census numbers show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-holt/there-are-two-economic-realities-in-america-in-2016-there-s-been-a/) [Lester Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-holt/) > [All military history records the triumphs of discipline and courage far more frequently than numbers and resources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/all-military-history-records-the-triumphs-of-discipline-and-courage/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [I have a great record against anybody right now, so it doesn't really matter who I play in the final. I'll be in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/i-have-a-great-record-against-anybody-right-now-so-it-doesn-t-really/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [People don't always realize that a record is forever. It'll always be there under your name. You've got to be certain that it's right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-iero/people-don-t-always-realize-that-a-record-is-forever-it-ll-always-be/) [Frank Iero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-iero/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More by Nick Cave > [Texting is apocalyptic on some level. It's a reduction of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/texting-is-apocalyptic-on-some-level-it-s-a-reduction-of-things/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [“And I know why our friendship must be kept a secret. Or they will kill You like they killed You in the Bible. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/and-i-know-why-our-friendship-must-be-kept-a-secret-or-they-will-kill/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [I want to write songs that are so sad, the kind of sad where you take someone's little finger and break it in three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-want-to-write-songs-that-are-so-sad-the-kind-of-sad-where-you-take/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [“Through these days Bunny made increasingly frequent and protracted visits to the bathroom, beating off with a single-minded savagery intense even by Bunny's standards.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/through-these-days-bunny-made-increasingly-frequent-and-protracted/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [Personally I find the story of Christ incredibly moving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/personally-i-find-the-story-of-christ-incredibly-moving/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [ That's what we \[outsiders\] feel America is really about - the kind of crazed ravings of the Christian right - when it's probably something… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/that-s-what-we-outsiders-feel-america-is-really-about-the-kind-of/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [“My relationship with my muse is a delicate one at the best of times and I feel that it is my duty to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/my-relationship-with-my-muse-is-a-delicate-one-at-the-best-of-times/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [I'm kind of old-school and love nothing more than sitting, opening a book, and reading it. But I also love listening to audio books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-m-kind-of-old-school-and-love-nothing-more-than-sitting-opening-a/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [Early on I realized when you write a song about someone, it flatters them on some level, and gives you a lot of room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/early-on-i-realized-when-you-write-a-song-about-someone-it-flatters/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [My father was a teacher and my mother also worked in the school, so the family has a background in education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/my-father-was-a-teacher-and-my-mother-also-worked-in-the-school-so/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [I think it's an essential fact for any performer or artist to fail as poignantly as they can succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-think-it-s-an-essential-fact-for-any-performer-or-artist-to-fail-as/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [To my undying shame, I do read reviews. I don't read them all, but I like to get some kind of idea how things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/to-my-undying-shame-i-do-read-reviews-i-don-t-read-them-all-but-i/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [Brother, be a brother, fill this tiny cup of mine. And please, sir, make it whiskey: I have no head for wine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/brother-be-a-brother-fill-this-tiny-cup-of-mine-and-please-sir-make/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [When you've been initiated, you can stand in the world differently. And I think it is up to all of us, we can have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/when-you-ve-been-initiated-you-can-stand-in-the-world-differently-and/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [Polly Jean, I love you. I love the texture of your skin, the taste of your saliva, the softness of your ears. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/polly-jean-i-love-you-i-love-the-texture-of-your-skin-the-taste-of/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) [Explore all 280 Nick Cave quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I always thought my records were number one; it's just the charts didn't think so.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nick Cave" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-always-thought-my-records-were-number-one-it-s-just-the-charts-didn/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-always-thought-my-records-were-number-one-it-s-just-the-charts-didn/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/nick-cave-1153_always_i-always-thought-my-records-were-number_2033830.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/nick-cave-1153_always_i-always-thought-my-records-were-number_2033830.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/nick-cave-1153_always_i-always-thought-my-records-were-number_2033830.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I always thought my records were number one; it's just the charts didn't think so.” — Nick Cave", "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": "Nick Cave", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I always thought my records were...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-always-thought-my-records-were-number-one-it-s-just-the-charts-didn/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-always-thought-my-records-were-number-one-it-s-just-the-charts-didn/#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 } } ] } ```