--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We got on American Bandstand, where kids…" description: "\"We got on American Bandstand, where kids would dance to a record and then rate it. We called ourselves Tom and Jerry. I was Jerry.\" — Paul Simon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/paul-simon-1703_dance_we-got-on-american-bandstand-where-kids_2530584.png" --- # We got on American Bandstand, where kids would dance to a… ![“We got on American Bandstand, where kids would dance to a record and then rate it. We called ourselves Tom and Jerry. I was Jerry.” quote by Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/paul-simon-1703_dance_we-got-on-american-bandstand-where-kids_2530584.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/paul-simon-1703_dance_we-got-on-american-bandstand-where-kids_2530584.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/paul-simon-1703_dance_we-got-on-american-bandstand-where-kids_2530584.png) > “We got on American Bandstand, where kids would dance to a record and then rate it. We called ourselves Tom and Jerry. I was Jerry.” [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He and his partner performed as “Tom and Jerry,” with Paul playing Jerry, highlighting early music collaborations. **In simple terms:** Early TV performance as a duo named Tom and Jerry. Key Takeaway Embrace early creative partnerships. Themes music collaboration identity Mood nostalgic playful Type historical anecdotal When to use this quote - TV shows - music competitions - band formation Key Concepts stage names performance dynamics early career Questions to Reflect On - How do early stage names affect later branding? - What benefits come from early collaboration? A Different Perspective Stage personas may limit personal recognition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American Bandstand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-bandstand-268369/) [Bandstand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bandstand-268372/) [Bandstand Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bandstand-kids-1339750/) [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Jerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jerry/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Rate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rate/) [Tom and jerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tom-and-jerry/) [Tom Jerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tom-jerry-581133/) ## Related quotes > [They thought they were Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall. In fact, they were more like Tom and Jerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-geldof/they-thought-they-were-mick-jagger-and-jerry-hall-in-fact-they-were/) [Bob Geldof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-geldof/) > [There are some relationships like Tom and Jerry always fighting but ultimately they are still together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innah-delos-angeles/there-are-some-relationships-like-tom-and-jerry-always-fighting-but/) [Innah Delos Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innah-delos-angeles/) > [I never got tired of Tom and Jerry, but I did have a dream of doing more with my life than making cartoons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barbera/i-never-got-tired-of-tom-and-jerry-but-i-did-have-a-dream-of-doing/) [Joseph Barbera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barbera/) > [In 'Tom and Jerry,' there was hardly any dialogue at all. It was all action. It required a great many drawings to make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hanna/in-tom-and-jerry-there-was-hardly-any-dialogue-at-all-it-was-all/) [William Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hanna/) > [“It’s real hard to come off as even slightly superior when you’re living a Tom and Jerry episode.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-neilan/it-s-real-hard-to-come-off-as-even-slightly-superior-when-you-re/) [Paul Neilan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-neilan/) > [Growing up, I liked Jerry of Tom and Jerry. He was the little guy who was more clever than the big guy even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-monaghan/growing-up-i-liked-jerry-of-tom-and-jerry-he-was-the-little-guy-who/) [Dominic Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-monaghan/) > [“We had a very Tom and Jerry relationship, me and my mom. She was the strict disciplinarian; I was naughty as shit. She would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/we-had-a-very-tom-and-jerry-relationship-me-and-my-mom-she-was-the/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [The music is an important and crucial part to an animated film. You don't think about it, but you can watch Tom and Jerry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rihanna/the-music-is-an-important-and-crucial-part-to-an-animated-film-you/) [Rihanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rihanna/) > [I couldn't watch Tom and Jerry. The cruelty was too much. 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But my luck was that the owner of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soupy-sales/i-did-the-first-tv-dance-show-six-months-before-they-ever-had/) [Soupy Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soupy-sales/) > [When I was 5, 'American Bandstand' had a lot of good artists on there, man. That's when I really started falling in love with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarface/when-i-was-5-american-bandstand-had-a-lot-of-good-artists-on-there/) [Scarface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarface/) > [Dick Clark's 'American Bandstand' spread the gospel of American pop music and teenage style that transcended the regional boundaries of our country and united…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oates/dick-clark-s-american-bandstand-spread-the-gospel-of-american-pop/) [John Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oates/) > [Some relationships are like Tom and Jerry. They tease each other, knock down each other, irritate each other, but can't live without each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-relationships-are-like-tom-and-jerry-they-tease-each-other-knock/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Paul Simon > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It's pointless to be critical of your stuff once it's done. I don't spend a lot of time agonising over it. It's of no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/it-s-pointless-to-be-critical-of-your-stuff-once-it-s-done-i-don-t/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [Medicine is magical and magical is art, the boy in the bubble, and the baby with the baboon heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/medicine-is-magical-and-magical-is-art-the-boy-in-the-bubble-and-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [Two times two is twenty-two, four times four is forty-four. 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The only thing I won't do is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-would-be-willing-to-do-almost-anything-to-make-art-happy-i-care/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I don't very often think I've done a good job. I don't like the majority of what I do. I shouldn't say I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-don-t-very-often-think-i-ve-done-a-good-job-i-don-t-like-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I rate each album as better than the last one. That's how I see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-rate-each-album-as-better-than-the-last-one-that-s-how-i-see-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [ I don't think \[Dylan and the Beatles\] influenced me a lot. I think it was inevitable; they were so powerful that you couldn't really… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-don-t-think-dylan-and-the-beatles-influenced-me-a-lot-i-think-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenements halls and whispered in the sounds of silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/the-words-of-the-prophets-are-written-on-the-subway-walls-and/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I'm not in it for the money. I like music. I love to write music. I can't imagine myself not playing or singing or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-m-not-in-it-for-the-money-i-like-music-i-love-to-write-music-i-can/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [No one dare disturb the sound of silence...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/no-one-dare-disturb-the-sound-of-silence/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [A fundamental requirement, overriding any other for this job, is an understanding of deafness-what it is and how it affects the educational experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-fundamental-requirement-overriding-any-other-for-this-job-is-an/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) [Explore all 214 Paul Simon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) ## More Dance quotes > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I make dance music because I love to dance. But I want to think at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-make-dance-music-because-i-love-to-dance-but-i-want-to-think-at-the/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [I studied all kinds of dance, all types of music. I got good grades. I started hitting the recording studio around 13.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-derulo/i-studied-all-kinds-of-dance-all-types-of-music-i-got-good-grades-i/) [Jason Derulo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-derulo/) > [I like Sam Smith and Taylor Swift. I love pop music, but I also like Sam Smith's slow songs. That would be more to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maddie-ziegler/i-like-sam-smith-and-taylor-swift-i-love-pop-music-but-i-also-like/) [Maddie Ziegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maddie-ziegler/) > [I think it's useful to experience other types of dance and other cultures, and the life of a classical dancer these days is certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/i-think-it-s-useful-to-experience-other-types-of-dance-and-other/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [Everything in dancing is style, allusion, the essence of many thoughts and feelings. The abstraction of many moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-ailey/everything-in-dancing-is-style-allusion-the-essence-of-many-thoughts/) [Alvin Ailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-ailey/) > [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) > [“dances with mine as if we’ve been doing this our whole”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-michaels/dances-with-mine-as-if-we-ve-been-doing-this-our-whole/) [Corinne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-michaels/) > [My body was so instrumental to how I took pictures: it was practically a dance. I used to use my legs a lot; now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-leibovitz/my-body-was-so-instrumental-to-how-i-took-pictures-it-was-practically/) [Annie Leibovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-leibovitz/) > [I would rather learn from one bird how to sing than to teach 10,000 stars how not to dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-cummings/i-would-rather-learn-from-one-bird-how-to-sing-than-to-teach-10-000/) [e. e. cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-cummings/) > [If you dance, you dance because you have to. Every dancer hurts, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunham/if-you-dance-you-dance-because-you-have-to-every-dancer-hurts-you-know/) [Katherine Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunham/) > [I'm not a dancer. 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