--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was never a singer; I can't play any…" description: "\"I was never a singer; I can't play any instruments; I had no training. Plus, I was brought up in a time when all the great rock stars were male. I didn..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/746/patti-smith-394_concern_i-was-never-a-singer-i-can-t-play-any-in_1087488.jpg" --- # I was never a singer; I can't play any instruments; I had… ![“I was never a singer; I can't play any instruments; I had no training. Plus, I was brought up in a time when all the great rock stars were male. I didn't have any template for what I was doing. I did what I did out of frustration and concern.” quote by Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/746/patti-smith-394_concern_i-was-never-a-singer-i-can-t-play-any-in_1087488.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/746/patti-smith-394_concern_i-was-never-a-singer-i-can-t-play-any-in_1087488.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/746/patti-smith-394_concern_i-was-never-a-singer-i-can-t-play-any-in_1087488.jpg) > “I was never a singer; I can't play any instruments; I had no training. Plus, I was brought up in a time when all the great rock stars were male. I didn't have any template for what I was doing. I did what I did out of frustration and concern.” [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 acknowledges lack of formal training and male-dominated role models, yet pursued music driven by frustration and concern, highlighting determination over conventional barriers. **In simple terms:** Passion can outweigh lack of skill or role models. Key Takeaway Create despite barriers. Themes determination gender creativity selfexpression Mood inspirational defiant Type personal musical When to use this quote - starting a band - overcoming self‑doubt - seeking mentors Key Concepts feminism musical identity resilience Questions to Reflect On - How does frustration fuel creativity? - What support could help emerging artists? A Different Perspective May overlook the need for skill development. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Concern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concern/) [Did Frustration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did-frustration-2794749/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Frustration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frustration/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Instruments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instruments/) [Male Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/male-didn-2794748/) [Males](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/males/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Plus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plus/) [Rock star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-star/) [Rock stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-stars/) [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/) [Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singer/) [Singer Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singer-play-1772219/) [Singers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singers/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) ## Related quotes > [As much as I can, as much as I can afford, I keep ticket prices down. Rock 'n' roll was developed as the people's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/as-much-as-i-can-as-much-as-i-can-afford-i-keep-ticket-prices-down/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I'm definitely a singer, but I play. I write music too, but it's all coming from the same source. I have never learned an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-hassle/i-m-definitely-a-singer-but-i-play-i-write-music-too-but-it-s-all/) [Erik Hassle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-hassle/) > [If you play an instrument, it makes you a better singer. The more you play, the better you sing, the more you sing, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-winehouse/if-you-play-an-instrument-it-makes-you-a-better-singer-the-more-you/) [Amy Winehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-winehouse/) > [My mother wanted very much to play tennis; she wanted, most of all, to be a singer and play the piano.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-mother-wanted-very-much-to-play-tennis-she-wanted-most-of-all-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I like posing with a guitar better than I can play the guitar, so I think I found the right field. But I've spent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-bayer/i-like-posing-with-a-guitar-better-than-i-can-play-the-guitar-so-i/) [Samuel Bayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-bayer/) > [There's that old cliché which has a lot of basis in truth, that all music journalists are failed rock stars. They all harbour the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-simmons/there-s-that-old-clich-which-has-a-lot-of-basis-in-truth-that-all/) [Sylvie Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-simmons/) > [I think there are rock stars within every subgenre, and for people who are obsessed with musical theater Sutton Foster and Audra MacDonald are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-kendrick/i-think-there-are-rock-stars-within-every-subgenre-and-for-people-who/) [Anna Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-kendrick/) > [I'm a good example of someone who can come to Hollywood and keep their feet on the ground with all the rock stars, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-anderson/i-m-a-good-example-of-someone-who-can-come-to-hollywood-and-keep/) [Pamela Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-anderson/) > [Ninety-nine per cent of traditional English literature concerns people who never have to worry about money at all. We always seem to be watching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-kelman/ninety-nine-per-cent-of-traditional-english-literature-concerns/) [James Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kelman/) > [I spent time at my grandfather Dino's gourmet store where he brought in chefs from Naples to cook. I thought of them as rock…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giada-de-laurentiis/i-spent-time-at-my-grandfather-dino-s-gourmet-store-where-he-brought/) [Giada De Laurentiis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giada-de-laurentiis/) > [I guess we all had that work ethic. None of us were rock stars, so if you had time in a studio, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-toop/i-guess-we-all-had-that-work-ethic-none-of-us-were-rock-stars-so-if/) [David Toop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-toop/) > [I write about nerds who go the extra mile and become rock stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mezrich/i-write-about-nerds-who-go-the-extra-mile-and-become-rock-stars/) [Ben Mezrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mezrich/) > [Rock stars are like sports stars: If you snap your ankle, you're done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-grohl/rock-stars-are-like-sports-stars-if-you-snap-your-ankle-you-re-done/) [Dave Grohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-grohl/) > [When I was a kid and my parents started talking about politics, I'd run to my room and put on the Rolling Stones as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cooper/when-i-was-a-kid-and-my-parents-started-talking-about-politics-i-d/) [Alice Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cooper/) > [More than accepted, it's encouraged for rock stars to be out of control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/more-than-accepted-it-s-encouraged-for-rock-stars-to-be-out-of-control/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) ## 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 Concern quotes > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [It is not my intention to explain Turkey, its culture and its problems. My literature has a universal concern: I want to bring people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/it-is-not-my-intention-to-explain-turkey-its-culture-and-its-problems/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [I'm a vegetarian - I think there's a strong possibility, had I not become a vegetarian, I would not be working now. I became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-barker/i-m-a-vegetarian-i-think-there-s-a-strong-possibility-had-i-not/) [Bob Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-barker/) > [What really concerns me is for Christians to understand the fundamentals of evangelism in a way that is helpful in the contemporary scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/what-really-concerns-me-is-for-christians-to-understand-the/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I'm not interested in making a diagnostic novel or a concern. I'm 100 percent committed in fiction to the pleasure principle - that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/i-m-not-interested-in-making-a-diagnostic-novel-or-a-concern-i-m-100/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [I am sympathetic to developing countries’ concerns: because of our emissions it’s their crops that will disappear; because of our inaction, it’s their fields…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-am-sympathetic-to-developing-countries-concerns-because-of-our/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [Meanwhile, the trees were just as green as before; the birds sang and the sun shone as clearly now as ever. The familiar surroundings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/meanwhile-the-trees-were-just-as-green-as-before-the-birds-sang-and/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [It concerns me when people frame the conversation about equal pay about the entertainment business. I don't want the wage gap issue to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-arquette/it-concerns-me-when-people-frame-the-conversation-about-equal-pay/) [Patricia Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-arquette/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [More compassionate mind, more sense of concern for other's well-being, is source of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/more-compassionate-mind-more-sense-of-concern-for-other-s-well-being/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [When I was in my teens I had a series of intensely religious experiences. They deepened my sense of God as the creator of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/when-i-was-in-my-teens-i-had-a-series-of-intensely-religious/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [If you are trying to live a life in accordance with the Bible, the concept and call to justice are inescapable. We do justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-trying-to-live-a-life-in-accordance-with-the-bible-the/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [ I just have to deal with it \[injuries\] if and when problems happen. 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