--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we came up, Clive Davis and other…" description: "\"When we came up, Clive Davis and other record execs would do anything to keep Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, even Johnny Mathis intact, because they wan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65d/philip-bailey-4862_alive_when-we-came-up-clive-davis-and-other-re_689083.jpg" --- # When we came up, Clive Davis and other record execs would… ![“When we came up, Clive Davis and other record execs would do anything to keep Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, even Johnny Mathis intact, because they wanted to keep alive a musical legacy. As a result, those artists were able to spend 30 to 40 years in the business and still make a living, still…” quote by Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65d/philip-bailey-4862_alive_when-we-came-up-clive-davis-and-other-re_689083.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65d/philip-bailey-4862_alive_when-we-came-up-clive-davis-and-other-re_689083.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65d/philip-bailey-4862_alive_when-we-came-up-clive-davis-and-other-re_689083.jpg) > “When we came up, Clive Davis and other record execs would do anything to keep Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, even Johnny Mathis intact, because they wanted to keep alive a musical legacy. As a result, those artists were able to spend 30 to 40 years in the business and still make a living, still have a fan base.” [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Music executives protect iconic artists to preserve cultural heritage and ensure long careers. **In simple terms:** Protecting legends sustains music and careers. Key Takeaway Support legacy artists. Themes preservation legacy industry career culture Mood respectful reflective Type industry historical When to use this quote - record label decisions - artist contracts - long‑term career planning Key Concepts artist management cultural heritage business strategy Questions to Reflect On - How can labels nurture new talent while preserving legends? - What responsibilities do executives have to cultural heritage? A Different Perspective Balancing new talent development can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Aretha Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aretha-franklin/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Clive Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clive-davis-343244/) [Execs Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/execs-miles-5478505/) [Legacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legacy/) [Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living/) [Miles davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miles-davis/) [Musical Legacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musical-legacy-2104623/) [Record Execs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/record-execs-4322914/) [Result](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/result/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [When it comes down to the music, it's just you and the microphone. It's not you and the record execs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-ora/when-it-comes-down-to-the-music-it-s-just-you-and-the-microphone-it-s/) [Rita Ora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-ora/) > [I wanted to establish my musical legacy and honor the classic sound of flamenco in the most traditional sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalia/i-wanted-to-establish-my-musical-legacy-and-honor-the-classic-sound/) [Rosalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalia/) > [Music and songs have always been a constant part of my life, and still are. My brother Michael, who is a songwriter and composer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-zapruder/music-and-songs-have-always-been-a-constant-part-of-my-life-and-still/) [Matthew Zapruder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-zapruder/) > [I think what made John Lennon so exciting as an artist is that, like Dylan and other musicians with a truly important musical legacy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-bachman/i-think-what-made-john-lennon-so-exciting-as-an-artist-is-that-like/) [Randy Bachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-bachman/) > [In 1999, I just came out of putting out the song 'Vivrant Thing' and 'Breathe and Stop' off the 'Amplified' album. Clive Davis signed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/q-tip/in-1999-i-just-came-out-of-putting-out-the-song-vivrant-thing-and/) [Q-Tip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/q-tip/) > [Being inducted into the songwriting hall of fame by Clive Davis, that was pretty memorable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-warren/being-inducted-into-the-songwriting-hall-of-fame-by-clive-davis-that/) [Diane Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-warren/) > [We expected to have a good time with Clive Davis 'cause I've always liked him, his shows. I've sort of followed his career a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-gibb/we-expected-to-have-a-good-time-with-clive-davis-cause-i-ve-always/) [Maurice Gibb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-gibb/) > [Clive Davis told me that "Since U Been Gone" would be on the radio in April. It came out in October. I remember counting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukasz-gottwald/clive-davis-told-me-that-since-u-been-gone-would-be-on-the-radio-in/) [Lukasz Gottwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukasz-gottwald/) > [Because of my register, Miles Davis' trumpet playing has always been a big influence on my singing. I've always been intrigued by the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/because-of-my-register-miles-davis-trumpet-playing-has-always-been-a/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [Interestingly enough Miles Davis was an influence, and the way he approached harmonics. And one of my biggest influences was Dionne Warwick, early Dionne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/interestingly-enough-miles-davis-was-an-influence-and-the-way-he/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [I'm telling the story, and if I can't tell the story, I'm not going to sing it. And if I don't agree with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/i-m-telling-the-story-and-if-i-can-t-tell-the-story-i-m-not-going-to/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [Find a beautiful piece of art. If you fall in love with Van Gogh or Matisse or John Oliver Killens, or if you fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/find-a-beautiful-piece-of-art-if-you-fall-in-love-with-van-gogh-or/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [ There's a video that's been floating around on YouTube where \[Baz Luhrmann says\], "We were looking for a guy that sounded like a young… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quindon-tarver/there-s-a-video-that-s-been-floating-around-on-youtube-where-baz/) [Quindon Tarver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quindon-tarver/) > [I'm not a singer, a walking instrument like Aretha Franklin. When you get an Iggy Pop record, you don't get "Iggy Sings." I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/i-m-not-a-singer-a-walking-instrument-like-aretha-franklin-when-you/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) ## More by Philip Bailey > [When we came up, groups and bands and performers were interested in being their own thing. They wanted to make sure that they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/when-we-came-up-groups-and-bands-and-performers-were-interested-in/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [Interestingly enough, I'm an earth sign, and my personality is pretty much in keeping with that, and Verdine is definitely a fire sign. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/interestingly-enough-i-m-an-earth-sign-and-my-personality-is-pretty/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [I love the clothes, I love the discipline. It's all encompassing. You play golf for two hours and you feel like you went on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/i-love-the-clothes-i-love-the-discipline-it-s-all-encompassing-you/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [We all have things in which we look back and say, 'If I had a chance to do it all over again, I wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/we-all-have-things-in-which-we-look-back-and-say-if-i-had-a-chance-to/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [I call Earth, Wind & Fire my day job and my solo career my night gig.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/i-call-earth-wind-fire-my-day-job-and-my-solo-career-my-night-gig/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [I'm a strong believer in God. Always have been. I've always believed that he directed my path from the time I was a kid.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/i-m-a-strong-believer-in-god-always-have-been-i-ve-always-believed/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [We weren't that big fans of Disco.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/we-weren-t-that-big-fans-of-disco/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [If you get the basics right, you can freshen things up, you don't want to just regurgitate the past. But we gotta stay true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/if-you-get-the-basics-right-you-can-freshen-things-up-you-don-t-want/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [The seeds of Illumination's origin sprang from an idea lead singer Philip Bailey had of collaborating with new generation of soul artists for his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/the-seeds-of-illumination-s-origin-sprang-from-an-idea-lead-singer/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [I can't lie: We have made some dogs over the years. Every album we did wasn't great, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/i-can-t-lie-we-have-made-some-dogs-over-the-years-every-album-we-did/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [For me, it's always been about doing different things... If you're still jazzed about the possibilities, the chances of you coming up with stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/for-me-it-s-always-been-about-doing-different-things-if-you-re-still/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [Many times, periods of struggle are more blessed times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/many-times-periods-of-struggle-are-more-blessed-times/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [I don't want to give up pop music. It's how I earn my living. I've got a family to take care of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/i-don-t-want-to-give-up-pop-music-it-s-how-i-earn-my-living-i-ve-got/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [For me, I listened to a lot of female jazz artists. And of course, the Motown and Philly sounds, all that stuff was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/for-me-i-listened-to-a-lot-of-female-jazz-artists-and-of-course-the/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [God had always been beckoning me. Early on as a kid, I just felt a strange and close connection with the Divine and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/god-had-always-been-beckoning-me-early-on-as-a-kid-i-just-felt-a/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) [Explore all 105 Philip Bailey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When we came up, Clive Davis and other record execs would do anything to keep Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, even Johnny Mathis intact, because they wanted to keep alive a musical legacy. 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