---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Memory is revisionist, you know. 'The…"
description: "\"Memory is revisionist, you know. 'The Houston Kid' was based on true things that happened. But I know - from writing a memoir that I've been working on..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/rodney-crowell-3715_houston_memory-is-revisionist-you-know-the-houst_2119868.jpg"
---

#  Memory is revisionist, you know. 'The Houston Kid' was…

![“Memory is revisionist, you know. 'The Houston Kid' was based on true things that happened. But I know - from writing a memoir that I've been working on for awhile - that reconstructing memory is revisionism.” quote by Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/rodney-crowell-3715_houston_memory-is-revisionist-you-know-the-houst_2119868.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/rodney-crowell-3715_houston_memory-is-revisionist-you-know-the-houst_2119868.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/rodney-crowell-3715_houston_memory-is-revisionist-you-know-the-houst_2119868.jpg)

> “Memory is revisionist, you know. 'The Houston Kid' was based on true things that happened. But I know - from writing a memoir that I've been working on for awhile - that reconstructing memory is revisionism.”

[Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Memory is unreliable; recalling events often changes them, turning recollection into revisionism.

**In simple terms:** Memory changes over time.

Key Takeaway

Question the accuracy of personal recollections.

Themes

psychology memory history

Mood

reflective skeptical

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- writing memoirs
- historical research
- personal storytelling

Key Concepts

revisionism subjectivity

Questions to Reflect On

- How do we verify personal memories?
- What impact does revisionism have on history?

A Different Perspective

Memory can be manipulated, leading to false narratives.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/houston/) [Memoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memoir/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Revisionism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revisionism/) [Revisionist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revisionist/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

## Related quotes

> [THE REAL PURPOSE OF HOLOCAUST REVISIONISM IS TO MAKE NATIONAL SOCIALISM AN ACCEPTABLE POLITICAL ALTERNATIVE AGAIN.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-covington/the-real-purpose-of-holocaust-revisionism-is-to-make-national/)

Harold Covington

> [Revisionism is a healthy historiographical process, and no one, not even revisionists, should be exempt from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis-gaddis/revisionism-is-a-healthy-historiographical-process-and-no-one-not/)

[John Lewis Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis-gaddis/)

> [“Multiculturalism became the cutting edge of post-civil-rights-movement US history revisionism. For this scheme to work—and affirm US historical progress—Indigenous nations and communities had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxanne-dunbar-ortiz/multiculturalism-became-the-cutting-edge-of-post-civil-rights/)

[Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxanne-dunbar-ortiz/)

> [“Kilmartin wrote a highly amusing and illuminating account of his experience as a Proust revisionist, which appeared in the first issue of Ben Sonnenberg's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/kilmartin-wrote-a-highly-amusing-and-illuminating-account-of-his/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [Multiculturalism is a campaign to lower America's moral status by defining the American experience is terms of myriad repressionsand their victims. By rewriting history,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/multiculturalism-is-a-campaign-to-lower-america-s-moral-status-by/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Bush's presidency is revisionism-proof. We're going to be recovering from it for the rest of our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/bush-s-presidency-is-revisionism-proof-we-re-going-to-be-recovering/)

[Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/)

> [I think there has been a great deal of valuable revisionism in women's history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-fraser/i-think-there-has-been-a-great-deal-of-valuable-revisionism-in-women/)

[Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/)

> [It’s irrelevant to me what young Singaporeans think of me. What they think of me after I’m dead and gone in one generation will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/it-s-irrelevant-to-me-what-young-singaporeans-think-of-me-what-they/)

[Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/)

> [“If they had kept quiet, and lain low for a time, things might have fizzled out as another unreal Wortstreist, blown up by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-peter-nettl/if-they-had-kept-quiet-and-lain-low-for-a-time-things-might-have/)

[John Peter Nettl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-peter-nettl/)

> [. . . dogma is less useful than cow dung. One can make whatever one likes out of it, even revisionism. . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/dogma-is-less-useful-than-cow-dung-one-can-make-whatever-one-likes/)

[Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/)

> [National Standards was not a narrative of past events but was leftwing revisionism and Political Correctness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-schlafly/national-standards-was-not-a-narrative-of-past-events-but-was/)

[Phyllis Schlafly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-schlafly/)

> [ Gypsy \[Rose Lee \] was a masterful storyteller, and her memoir and by extension, the musical weren't only Gypsy's monument; they were also her… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-abbott/gypsy-rose-lee-was-a-masterful-storyteller-and-her-memoir-and-by/)

[Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-abbott/)

> [“You had to been there, kid. Everybody thinks now the Eisenhower years were so quaint and cute and boring, but all that had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pynchon/you-had-to-been-there-kid-everybody-thinks-now-the-eisenhower-years/)

[Thomas Pynchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pynchon/)

> [“Scattered across the Roman Empire, it was only natural for the gospel writers to distance themselves from the Jewish independence movement by erasing, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/scattered-across-the-roman-empire-it-was-only-natural-for-the-gospel/)

[Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/)

> [“Michael Ledeen—a contributing editor of National Review and a Freedom Scholar at the influential neoconservative think tank American Enterprise Institute—wrote on the National Review…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/michael-ledeen-a-contributing-editor-of-national-review-and-a-freedom/)

[Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/)

## More by Rodney Crowell

> [For me, my career has never been about what I've done. But it's been about becoming, achieving, and pushing myself further.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/for-me-my-career-has-never-been-about-what-i-ve-done-but-it-s-been/)

[Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/)

> [There are certain choices you make as a songwriter, based on vowel sounds and melody and chord changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/there-are-certain-choices-you-make-as-a-songwriter-based-on-vowel/)

[Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/)

> [I've had a nice career. I'm no David Bowie or Bruce Springsteen out there. I'm not an icon. I'm just a working artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/i-ve-had-a-nice-career-i-m-no-david-bowie-or-bruce-springsteen-out/)

[Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/)

> [My father took me to see Hank Williams on December 14th, 1952. I was two years and four months of age. And I remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/my-father-took-me-to-see-hank-williams-on-december-14th-1952-i-was/)

[Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/)

> [Because of my methodology and my sensibilities to write songs, I'm not very comfortable with the notion to rush in any creative endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/because-of-my-methodology-and-my-sensibilities-to-write-songs-i-m-not/)

[Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/)

> [When I was 12 years old, or however old I was when Bringing It All Back Home came out, I'd just skip back and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/when-i-was-12-years-old-or-however-old-i-was-when-bringing-it-all/)

[Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/)

> [Invariably, collaboration leads to new forms of self-expression and to the things that move you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/invariably-collaboration-leads-to-new-forms-of-self-expression-and-to/)

[Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/)

> [I think, back in the '80s when I was having hits all the time, I took it for granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/i-think-back-in-the-80s-when-i-was-having-hits-all-the-time-i-took-it/)

[Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/)

> [Singing duets is instinctive, intuitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/singing-duets-is-instinctive-intuitive/)

[Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/)

> [I've often said to young songwriters when they want to write with me, 'Let's take a stab at ten songs, and we might get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/i-ve-often-said-to-young-songwriters-when-they-want-to-write-with-me/)

[Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/)

> [So much of inspiration comes from collaboration with other musicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/so-much-of-inspiration-comes-from-collaboration-with-other-musicians/)

[Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/)

> [For the most part, this record is autobiographical. At some point, the story of 'The Houston Kid' takes my experiences from 6 to 15…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/for-the-most-part-this-record-is-autobiographical-at-some-point-the/)

[Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/)

> [I cannot say I'm a poet. That's for someone when they take in consideration where they can bestow 'poet' on. I can't do it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/i-cannot-say-i-m-a-poet-that-s-for-someone-when-they-take-in/)

[Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/)

> [Pain comes like the weather, but joy is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/pain-comes-like-the-weather-but-joy-is-a-choice/)

[Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/)

> [When I go back to seek inspiration - whether it be from Chuck Berry, Howlin' Wolf, the Beatles, Hank Williams, Ray Charles or Bob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/when-i-go-back-to-seek-inspiration-whether-it-be-from-chuck-berry/)

[Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/)

[Explore all 123 Rodney Crowell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/)

## More Houston quotes

> [My philosophy was always try to look like Whitney Houston at all times. That did not work out so well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/my-philosophy-was-always-try-to-look-like-whitney-houston-at-all/)

[Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/)

> [I have a gut instinctive feeling that I will be as massive as Madonna, as massive as Michael Jackson... Whitney Houston, sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-trent-d-arby/i-have-a-gut-instinctive-feeling-that-i-will-be-as-massive-as-madonna/)

[Terence Trent D'Arby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-trent-d-arby/)

> [And when I went to Houston, they had a conditioning coach by the name of Gene Coleman. And that was the first time I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-ryan/and-when-i-went-to-houston-they-had-a-conditioning-coach-by-the-name/)

[Nolan Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-ryan/)

> [I think Houston is a city players love to play for, love to play in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/i-think-houston-is-a-city-players-love-to-play-for-love-to-play-in/)

[Daryl Morey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/)

> [My first encounter with yoga was in 1969 with my older brother Doug. I was thirteen years old, and he was eighteen. He'd learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-swensen/my-first-encounter-with-yoga-was-in-1969-with-my-older-brother-doug-i/)

[David F. Swensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-swensen/)

> [Growing up in Houston, the music scene is super boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-scott/growing-up-in-houston-the-music-scene-is-super-boring/)

[Travis Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-scott/)

> [“He skidded to a dead halt and stared hard at Austin. The boy’s chin carried so many nicks from his first shave that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/he-skidded-to-a-dead-halt-and-stared-hard-at-austin-the-boy-s-chin/)

[Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/)

> [My family lived in West Texas. We went to Houston and Laredo, ended up around Fort Worth - really just made the rounds. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-bingham/my-family-lived-in-west-texas-we-went-to-houston-and-laredo-ended-up/)

[Ryan Bingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-bingham/)

> [And I remember leaving my place in L.A. and - my father is a big fight fan - and I said, 'Dad, I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/and-i-remember-leaving-my-place-in-l-a-and-my-father-is-a-big-fight/)

[Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/)

> [I'm massively inspired by Janet Jackson, and I adore Whitney Houston and Madonna.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shura/i-m-massively-inspired-by-janet-jackson-and-i-adore-whitney-houston/)

Shura

> [I certainly think that the publishing houses have to learn more about this informal network of literary blogging and get over the idea that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/i-certainly-think-that-the-publishing-houses-have-to-learn-more-about/)

[Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/)

> [Over the weekend, former Enron executives Jeffrey Skilling and Rebecca Carter married each other during a huge ceremony in Houston. The happy couple is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/over-the-weekend-former-enron-executives-jeffrey-skilling-and-rebecca/)

[Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/)

> [Ensuring that minority businesses across the Greater Houston area have access to the tools they need to succeed is of paramount importance to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-n-green/ensuring-that-minority-businesses-across-the-greater-houston-area/)

[Al N. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-n-green/)

> [The whole time I've been an actor, from early in Houston, my goal has been to work - to keep doing it. I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/the-whole-time-i-ve-been-an-actor-from-early-in-houston-my-goal-has/)

[Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/)

> [I'm a competitor. I want the ball when it matters. But I came to Houston because I wanted to play with Chris Paul (a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-tucker/i-m-a-competitor-i-want-the-ball-when-it-matters-but-i-came-to/)

[P. J. Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-tucker/)

[Browse all 383 Houston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/houston/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Memory is revisionist, you know. 'The Houston Kid' was based on true things that happened. But I know - from writing a memoir that I've been working on for awhile - that reconstructing memory is revisionism.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Rodney Crowell"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/memory-is-revisionist-you-know-the-houston-kid-was-based-on-true/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Houston"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/memory-is-revisionist-you-know-the-houston-kid-was-based-on-true/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/rodney-crowell-3715_houston_memory-is-revisionist-you-know-the-houst_2119868.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/rodney-crowell-3715_houston_memory-is-revisionist-you-know-the-houst_2119868.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/rodney-crowell-3715_houston_memory-is-revisionist-you-know-the-houst_2119868.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Memory is revisionist, you know. 'The Houston Kid' was based on true things that happened. But I know - from…” — Rodney Crowell",
                "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": "Rodney Crowell",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Memory is revisionist, you know. 'The...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/memory-is-revisionist-you-know-the-houston-kid-was-based-on-true/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/memory-is-revisionist-you-know-the-houston-kid-was-based-on-true/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
