--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I hadn't performed or been in the public…" description: "\"I hadn't performed or been in the public eye for about 16 years. When my husband passed away, I was obliged to go back to work to take care of our kids..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/907/patti-smith-394_articles_i-hadn-t-performed-or-been-in-the-public_2687874.jpg" --- # I hadn't performed or been in the public eye for about 16… ![“I hadn't performed or been in the public eye for about 16 years. When my husband passed away, I was obliged to go back to work to take care of our kids. I also wanted to do a record in memory of him. So we did Gone Again. During that process, I had to be photographed and had to go back to doing…” quote by Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/907/patti-smith-394_articles_i-hadn-t-performed-or-been-in-the-public_2687874.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/907/patti-smith-394_articles_i-hadn-t-performed-or-been-in-the-public_2687874.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/907/patti-smith-394_articles_i-hadn-t-performed-or-been-in-the-public_2687874.jpg) > “I hadn't performed or been in the public eye for about 16 years. When my husband passed away, I was obliged to go back to work to take care of our kids. I also wanted to do a record in memory of him. So we did Gone Again. During that process, I had to be photographed and had to go back to doing articles and interviews.” [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She returned to public life after a long hiatus, motivated by family needs and honoring her late husband, leading to new artistic work. **In simple terms:** She went back to work and art after her husband's death. Key Takeaway Embrace new beginnings after loss. Themes grief creativity resilience Mood reflective determined Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - recording album - media appearances - parenting - career revival Key Concepts legacy public life family responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How did creating art help you process loss? - What pressures did you feel returning to the spotlight? A Different Perspective Balancing personal grief with public expectations can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Articles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/articles/) [Articles Interviews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/articles-interviews-2633413/) [Back to work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back-to-work/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gone/) [Hadn Performed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hadn-performed-2633412/) [Husband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/husband/) [Interviews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interviews/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Memory Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory-did-284934/) [My husband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-husband/) [Obliged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obliged/) [Passed away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passed-away/) [Performed Public](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performed-public-633439/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Public eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-eye/) [Records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/records/) [Take care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take-care/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I hadn't performed by myself in a while. It feels very natural to me, and I assume people come for the very same reasons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-hadn-t-performed-by-myself-in-a-while-it-feels-very-natural-to-me/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I performed in public for the first time at three years old. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was on a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-pressly/i-performed-in-public-for-the-first-time-at-three-years-old-i/) [Jaime Pressly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-pressly/) > [“Afterwards Isabelle often wondered if the moments themselves were greater or the memory of them. At least the memory did not pass, while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-bentley/afterwards-isabelle-often-wondered-if-the-moments-themselves-were/) [Toni Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-bentley/) > [I suspect the base that I'm working from is not particularly one of inquiry, but of memory of what I did last time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-suspect-the-base-that-i-m-working-from-is-not-particularly-one-of/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [What we leave behind in this life is the memory of who we were and what we did. An imprint, no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-mosse/what-we-leave-behind-in-this-life-is-the-memory-of-who-we-were-and/) [Kate Mosse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-mosse/) > [“I’ve committed every part of you to memory, did you know that? You’re so fucking beautiful that sometimes I can’t see straight. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cora-hawkes/i-ve-committed-every-part-of-you-to-memory-did-you-know-that-you-re/) [Cora Hawkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cora-hawkes/) > [Memory is what you did. Life is what you're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deacon-jones/memory-is-what-you-did-life-is-what-you-re-doing/) [Deacon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deacon-jones/) > [“When I wiped you from the book of memory, I did not know I was striking out half my life”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/when-i-wiped-you-from-the-book-of-memory-i-did-not-know-i-was/) [Nizar Qabbani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nizar-qabbani/) > [ I actually had another motivation for letting Steven \[Sebring\] film us. After I'd been out of the public eye for 16 years, lost my… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-actually-had-another-motivation-for-letting-steven-sebring-film-us/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [How to make money from Facebook and Twitter: (1) Go to 'Account Settings' (2) Click 'Deactivate your account' (3) Go back to work!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/papa-cj/how-to-make-money-from-facebook-and-twitter-1-go-to-account-settings/) [Papa CJ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/papa-cj/) > [To question the legitimacy of the next United States president, you know, and you're worried about a tweet that says, hey, why don't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/to-question-the-legitimacy-of-the-next-united-states-president-you/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [I admire the women who can have babies and jump right back to work. As a nursing mother, I couldn’t sit there and just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/i-admire-the-women-who-can-have-babies-and-jump-right-back-to-work-as/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) > [Well, I needed the work - that's the honest answer. I haven't worked for a while, a couple of years. So I thought it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/well-i-needed-the-work-that-s-the-honest-answer-i-haven-t-worked-for/) [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) > [It's hard no to work, so I find a way to put myself back to work. And I think it's important, in between projects,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/it-s-hard-no-to-work-so-i-find-a-way-to-put-myself-back-to-work-and-i/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [I think one thing we went through was common to a lot of people: You work your whole life to achieve something, then you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliot-easton/i-think-one-thing-we-went-through-was-common-to-a-lot-of-people-you/) [Elliot Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliot-easton/) ## More by Patti Smith > [I had a really happy childhood - my siblings were great, my mother was very fanciful, and I loved to read. But there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-had-a-really-happy-childhood-my-siblings-were-great-my-mother-was/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [As a citizen, hopefully I'm humanist. As an artist, I'm free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/as-a-citizen-hopefully-i-m-humanist-as-an-artist-i-m-free/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [ Sometimes \[people\] seem to think I came out of the womb, you know, cursing, with an electric guitar. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/sometimes-people-seem-to-think-i-came-out-of-the-womb-you-know/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“Inside it he inscribed a few lines of poetry, portraying us as the gypsy and the fool, one creating silence; one listening closely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/inside-it-he-inscribed-a-few-lines-of-poetry-portraying-us-as-the/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Who can know the heart of youth but youth itself?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/who-can-know-the-heart-of-youth-but-youth-itself/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“I clawed through a thick web of the culture’s consciousness that I hadn’t known existed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-clawed-through-a-thick-web-of-the-culture-s-consciousness-that-i/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Ultimately, we are not seeking others to bow to, but to reinforce our individual natures, to help us suffer our own choices, to guide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/ultimately-we-are-not-seeking-others-to-bow-to-but-to-reinforce-our/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [If I'm taking a picture of Brancusi's grave, I know that there's something of him, of his mortal remains, beneath my feet, and there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/if-i-m-taking-a-picture-of-brancusi-s-grave-i-know-that-there-s/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I'm certain, as we filled down the great staircase, that I appeared the same as ever, a moping twelve years-old, all arms and legs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-m-certain-as-we-filled-down-the-great-staircase-that-i-appeared-the/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [In art and dream may you proceed with abandon. In life may you proceed with balance and stealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/in-art-and-dream-may-you-proceed-with-abandon-in-life-may-you-proceed/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [New York is the thing that seduced me. New York is the thing that formed me. New York is the thing that deformed me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/new-york-is-the-thing-that-seduced-me-new-york-is-the-thing-that/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I don't wanna be equal with anybody. I wanna be above equal. I don't think most people are equal to me. I'd like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-don-t-wanna-be-equal-with-anybody-i-wanna-be-above-equal-i-don-t/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I think I'm constantly in a state of adjustment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-think-i-m-constantly-in-a-state-of-adjustment/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Somehow I started introducing writing into my drawings, and after a time, the language took over and I started getting very involved with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/somehow-i-started-introducing-writing-into-my-drawings-and-after-a/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I'm okay with roaming around the world in my bunk for days on end. Maybe every third day I'll get a shower or stumble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-m-okay-with-roaming-around-the-world-in-my-bunk-for-days-on-end/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) [Explore all 595 Patti Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) ## More Articles quotes > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [The strange thing with Wikipedia is that the first article that ever gets written about you will define your Wikipedia page forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/the-strange-thing-with-wikipedia-is-that-the-first-article-that-ever/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? 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