---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I smoked 20 cigarettes to get that sound…"
description: "\"I smoked 20 cigarettes to get that sound because I'd read that John Lennon smoked a load of cigarettes on \"Twist and Shout\".\" — Steve Diggle"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63b/steve-diggle-45555_cigarette_i-smoked-20-cigarettes-to-get-that-sound_1482529.jpg"
---

#  I smoked 20 cigarettes to get that sound because I'd read…

![“I smoked 20 cigarettes to get that sound because I'd read that John Lennon smoked a load of cigarettes on &quot;Twist and Shout&quot;.” quote by Steve Diggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63b/steve-diggle-45555_cigarette_i-smoked-20-cigarettes-to-get-that-sound_1482529.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63b/steve-diggle-45555_cigarette_i-smoked-20-cigarettes-to-get-that-sound_1482529.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63b/steve-diggle-45555_cigarette_i-smoked-20-cigarettes-to-get-that-sound_1482529.jpg)

> “I smoked 20 cigarettes to get that sound because I'd read that John Lennon smoked a load of cigarettes on "Twist and Shout".”

[Steve Diggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-diggle/)

## About This Quote

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

The artist smoked cigarettes to emulate John Lennon's sound, showing how imitation can influence creative choices.

**In simple terms:** Mimicking idols can shape your art.

Key Takeaway

Find your own voice beyond imitation.

Themes

creativity influence authenticity

Mood

introspective analytical

Type

creative reflective

When to use this quote

- studio recording
- live performance
- songwriting sessions
- personal rituals

Key Concepts

music history psychology of habit

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do you emulate specific artists?
- What unique elements can you add?

A Different Perspective

Imitation can limit originality and health.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[20 Cigarettes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/20-cigarettes-5351474/) [Cigarette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cigarette/) [Cigarettes Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cigarettes-sound-5406087/) [Cigarettes Twist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cigarettes-twist-5406089/) [Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lennon/) [Lennon Smoked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lennon-smoked-5406086/) [Load](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/load/) [Smoked 20](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smoked-20-5406088/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Twists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twists/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/)

## Related quotes

> [An animal products diet is like smoking 20 cigarettes a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/an-animal-products-diet-is-like-smoking-20-cigarettes-a-day/)

[Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/)

> [I spent many years trying to write a lot like Ben Folds or John Lennon or Rivers Cuomo. I think that's healthy when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dost/i-spent-many-years-trying-to-write-a-lot-like-ben-folds-or-john/)

[Andrew Dost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dost/)

> [Mr. Lennon would want me free, and I'd like to clear that up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-david-chapman/mr-lennon-would-want-me-free-and-i-d-like-to-clear-that-up/)

[Mark David Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-david-chapman/)

> [I met John Lennon and he was with his wife in Tokyo. I met him there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-ferry/i-met-john-lennon-and-he-was-with-his-wife-in-tokyo-i-met-him-there/)

[Bryan Ferry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-ferry/)

> [Lennon's was one of the first voices I emulated when I began to sing. When we held tryouts in my pal's dad's living room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-henley/lennon-s-was-one-of-the-first-voices-i-emulated-when-i-began-to-sing/)

[Don Henley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-henley/)

> [“This place has struggles, triumphs, failures, and true joy, because happiness must be earned to be appreciated. This is a world that makes perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marius-forte/this-place-has-struggles-triumphs-failures-and-true-joy-because/)

[Marius Forte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marius-forte/)

> [This was one of the best things about Lennon and McCartney, the competitive element within the team. It was great. But hard to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/this-was-one-of-the-best-things-about-lennon-and-mccartney-the/)

[Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/)

> [One of my great memories of John is from when we were having some argument. I was disagreeing and we were calling each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/one-of-my-great-memories-of-john-is-from-when-we-were-having-some/)

[Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/)

> [The Beatles meant everything to me growing up, and John was part of that. I loved Lennon's persona. He knew who he was and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/the-beatles-meant-everything-to-me-growing-up-and-john-was-part-of/)

[John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/)

> [I don't really have a lot of hip-hop and all of that, so I have a lot of John Lennon. That's one that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-robinson/i-don-t-really-have-a-lot-of-hip-hop-and-all-of-that-so-i-have-a-lot/)

[Nick Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-robinson/)

> [I think maybe what happened was the convenience of technology overshadowed the experience of holding an album in your hands, and sitting on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-grohl/i-think-maybe-what-happened-was-the-convenience-of-technology/)

[Dave Grohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-grohl/)

> [ When people get cynical about love, they should look at us \[Yoko and John Lennon\] and see it is possible ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/when-people-get-cynical-about-love-they-should-look-at-us-yoko-and/)

[Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/)

> [You know the John Lennon song 'Imagine'? 'Imagine no possessions, no religion'? That's what it was like in Cambodia. The only thing people had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophal-ear/you-know-the-john-lennon-song-imagine-imagine-no-possessions-no/)

[Sophal Ear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophal-ear/)

> [The thing you must remember is that I'm the Number One John Lennon fan. I love him to this day and I always did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/the-thing-you-must-remember-is-that-i-m-the-number-one-john-lennon/)

[Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/)

> [If one could have a wish, or an alternative life, I would've liked to have been John Lennon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/if-one-could-have-a-wish-or-an-alternative-life-i-would-ve-liked-to/)

[Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/)

## More by Steve Diggle

> [It is kind of weird being the last gang in town.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-diggle/it-is-kind-of-weird-being-the-last-gang-in-town/)

[Steve Diggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-diggle/)

> [ A lot of people \[in the U.S.\] used to say punk really didn't change anything, but I think it did. It was an intangible… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-diggle/a-lot-of-people-in-the-u-s-used-to-say-punk-really-didn-t-change/)

[Steve Diggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-diggle/)

> [When I've met people that work in any walk of life they say, "If it wasn't for punk I wouldn't be doing it this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-diggle/when-i-ve-met-people-that-work-in-any-walk-of-life-they-say-if-it/)

[Steve Diggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-diggle/)

> [When you're writing you're affected by everything that's going on around you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-diggle/when-you-re-writing-you-re-affected-by-everything-that-s-going-on/)

[Steve Diggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-diggle/)

> [People wonder if the Pearl Jam audience will get into The Buzzcocks. Eddie Vedder is a big Buzzcocks fan. He used to come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-diggle/people-wonder-if-the-pearl-jam-audience-will-get-into-the-buzzcocks/)

[Steve Diggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-diggle/)

> [Punk gave me the strength to think, "Yeah, you can stand up and be counted, and do what you want in life, and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-diggle/punk-gave-me-the-strength-to-think-yeah-you-can-stand-up-and-be/)

[Steve Diggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-diggle/)

> [We're making music to help people think and bring them together, that's our role; we're not siding with anybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-diggle/we-re-making-music-to-help-people-think-and-bring-them-together-that/)

[Steve Diggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-diggle/)

> [I like The Smiths as well. They took a cue from The Buzzcocks. They have jangly guitars instead of distorted guitars. All the Manchester…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-diggle/i-like-the-smiths-as-well-they-took-a-cue-from-the-buzzcocks-they/)

[Steve Diggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-diggle/)

[Explore all 9 Steve Diggle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-diggle/)

## More Cigarette quotes

> [“Yeah,' I said and started smoking another cigarette. Unless I inform you otherwise, I'm always smoking another cigarette.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/yeah-i-said-and-started-smoking-another-cigarette-unless-i-inform-you/)

[Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/)

> [Books were always important. I have to thank my father, he filled my life with books. He didn't write but he always read. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rawi-hage/books-were-always-important-i-have-to-thank-my-father-he-filled-my/)

[Rawi Hage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rawi-hage/)

> [The risk of developing carcinoma of the lung increases steadily as the amount smoked increases. If the risk among non-smokers is taken as unity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-doll/the-risk-of-developing-carcinoma-of-the-lung-increases-steadily-as/)

[Richard Doll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-doll/)

> [We have too many preacherettes preaching too many sermonettes to too many Christianettes smoking cigarettes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/we-have-too-many-preacherettes-preaching-too-many-sermonettes-to-too/)

[Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/)

> [Since I don't smoke, I decided to grow a mustache - it is better for the health. However, I always carried a jewel-studded cigarette…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salvador-dali/since-i-don-t-smoke-i-decided-to-grow-a-mustache-it-is-better-for-the/)

[Salvador Dali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salvador-dali/)

> [If the fact that people make poor decisions is reason enough for the government to second-guess their decisions about dangerous activities such as smoking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-sullum/if-the-fact-that-people-make-poor-decisions-is-reason-enough-for-the/)

[Jacob Sullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-sullum/)

> [“When I was young” … “Before I was twenty, I mean, I used to think that life was a thing that kept gaining impetus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bowles/when-i-was-young-before-i-was-twenty-i-mean-i-used-to-think-that-life/)

[Paul Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bowles/)

> [They represent tomorrow's cigarette business. . . As this 14-24 age group matures, they will account for a key share of the total cigarette…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-reynolds/they-represent-tomorrow-s-cigarette-business-as-this-14-24-age-group/)

[R. J. Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-reynolds/)

> [If all boys could be made to know that with every breath of cigarette smoke they inhale imbecility and exhale manhood ... and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hudson-maxim/if-all-boys-could-be-made-to-know-that-with-every-breath-of-cigarette/)

[Hudson Maxim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hudson-maxim/)

> [The ratings thing is the real issue. It really hurts movies. For example, in Redbelt, I smoked. The whole plot of my character was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/the-ratings-thing-is-the-real-issue-it-really-hurts-movies-for/)

[Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/)

> [I am a completely horizontal author. I can't think unless I'm lying down, either in bed or stretched on a couch and with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/i-am-a-completely-horizontal-author-i-can-t-think-unless-i-m-lying/)

[Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/)

> [They should give until it hurts, maybe a very small thing, maybe just a packet of cigarettes, but instead of by smoking that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/they-should-give-until-it-hurts-maybe-a-very-small-thing-maybe-just-a/)

[Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/)

> [You can accept or reject the way you are treated by other people, but until you heal the wounds of your past, you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyanla-vanzant/you-can-accept-or-reject-the-way-you-are-treated-by-other-people-but/)

[Iyanla Vanzant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyanla-vanzant/)

> [Then he bummed a cigarette.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-rogers/then-he-bummed-a-cigarette/)

[Kenny Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-rogers/)

> [You're a religious man, ... You believe in God and life after death. I also believe. When we come to the other world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-wiesenthal/you-re-a-religious-man-you-believe-in-god-and-life-after-death-i-also/)

[Simon Wiesenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-wiesenthal/)

[Browse all 787 Cigarette quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cigarette/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I smoked 20 cigarettes to get that sound because I'd read that John Lennon smoked a load of cigarettes on \"Twist and Shout\".",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Steve Diggle"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-diggle/i-smoked-20-cigarettes-to-get-that-sound-because-i-d-read-that-john/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Cigarette"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-diggle/i-smoked-20-cigarettes-to-get-that-sound-because-i-d-read-that-john/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63b/steve-diggle-45555_cigarette_i-smoked-20-cigarettes-to-get-that-sound_1482529.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63b/steve-diggle-45555_cigarette_i-smoked-20-cigarettes-to-get-that-sound_1482529.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63b/steve-diggle-45555_cigarette_i-smoked-20-cigarettes-to-get-that-sound_1482529.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I smoked 20 cigarettes to get that sound because I'd read that John Lennon smoked a load of cigarettes on…” — Steve Diggle",
                "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": "Steve Diggle",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-diggle/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I smoked 20 cigarettes to get...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-diggle/i-smoked-20-cigarettes-to-get-that-sound-because-i-d-read-that-john/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-diggle/i-smoked-20-cigarettes-to-get-that-sound-because-i-d-read-that-john/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
