--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a kid, we didn't have any…" description: "\"When I was a kid, we didn't have any blues stations. I never heard Howlin' Wolf or Muddy Waters or any of those people until the Stones had come along,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16e/tom-petty-2030_along_when-i-was-a-kid-we-didn-t-have-any-blue_1269693.jpg" --- # When I was a kid, we didn't have any blues stations. I… ![“When I was a kid, we didn't have any blues stations. I never heard Howlin' Wolf or Muddy Waters or any of those people until the Stones had come along, and I took it upon myself to find out who these people were that they were covering.” quote by Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16e/tom-petty-2030_along_when-i-was-a-kid-we-didn-t-have-any-blue_1269693.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16e/tom-petty-2030_along_when-i-was-a-kid-we-didn-t-have-any-blue_1269693.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16e/tom-petty-2030_along_when-i-was-a-kid-we-didn-t-have-any-blue_1269693.jpg) > “When I was a kid, we didn't have any blues stations. I never heard Howlin' Wolf or Muddy Waters or any of those people until the Stones had come along, and I took it upon myself to find out who these people were that they were covering.” [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes discovering classic blues through rock covers, highlighting curiosity and musical lineage. **In simple terms:** Found blues by tracing rock covers. Key Takeaway Explore origins of influences. Themes music history curiosity influence Mood inquisitive nostalgic Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - learning music history - creating playlists - teaching music - researching roots Key Concepts cultural transmission musical heritage Questions to Reflect On - What modern music do you trace back to older roots? - How does covering songs preserve legacy? A Different Perspective May overlook other genres beyond blues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blues/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wolf/) ## Related quotes > [The first band I identified with from Chicago was the Muddy Waters band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/the-first-band-i-identified-with-from-chicago-was-the-muddy-waters/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [All the muddy waters of my life cleared up when I gave myself to Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/all-the-muddy-waters-of-my-life-cleared-up-when-i-gave-myself-to/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [I grew up listening to Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf and lots of blues, R&B and Motown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-wren-scott/i-grew-up-listening-to-muddy-waters-and-howlin-wolf-and-lots-of-blues/) [L'Wren Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-wren-scott/) > [Everybody starts by imitating their heroes. For me it was Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/everybody-starts-by-imitating-their-heroes-for-me-it-was-chuck-berry/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [When someone like Kurt Cobain or Jack White comes out, they didn't go, "He sounds just like Muddy Waters," did they? They just said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shingai-shoniwa/when-someone-like-kurt-cobain-or-jack-white-comes-out-they-didn-t-go/) [Shingai Shoniwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shingai-shoniwa/) > [For groups like the Rolling Stones names like Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf were exotic inspirations. For Siegel-Schwall they were the guys that played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-brehmer/for-groups-like-the-rolling-stones-names-like-muddy-waters-and-howlin/) Lin Brehmer > [Muddy Waters, I suppose, was my first great hero. You know, every boy wants to be a guitar player, and Muddy Waters was just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/muddy-waters-i-suppose-was-my-first-great-hero-you-know-every-boy/) [Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) > [What Muddy Waters did for us is what we should do for others. It's the old thing, what you want written on your tombstone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/what-muddy-waters-did-for-us-is-what-we-should-do-for-others-it-s-the/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [The lotus grows in muddy waters but this flower does not show any trace of it: So we have to live in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-k-s-iyengar/the-lotus-grows-in-muddy-waters-but-this-flower-does-not-show-any/) [B.K.S. Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-k-s-iyengar/) > [The Missouri is, perhaps, different in appearance and character from all other rivers in the world; there is a terror in its manner which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-catlin/the-missouri-is-perhaps-different-in-appearance-and-character-from/) [George Catlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-catlin/) > [All the really great records or people who made them somehow came from Memphis or Louisiana or somewhere along the Mississippi River...And singers like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/all-the-really-great-records-or-people-who-made-them-somehow-came/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [“There had to be the dark and muddy waters so that the sun could have something to background its flashing glory. a”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/there-had-to-be-the-dark-and-muddy-waters-so-that-the-sun-could-have/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [I've always wanted the sound of Muddy Waters' early records - only louder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/i-ve-always-wanted-the-sound-of-muddy-waters-early-records-only-louder/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [Muddy Waters was, like, the king! He had a lot of adopted sons and daughters. I was just happy to be one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cray/muddy-waters-was-like-the-king-he-had-a-lot-of-adopted-sons-and/) [Robert Cray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cray/) > [Little Walter and Muddy Waters were incredible. And Bo Diddley was doing some great stuff, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/columbus-short/little-walter-and-muddy-waters-were-incredible-and-bo-diddley-was/) [Columbus Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/columbus-short/) ## More by Tom Petty > [Where the sky begins, the horizon ends, despite the best intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/where-the-sky-begins-the-horizon-ends-despite-the-best-intentions/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [As time goes by, you seem to weed out the things that were making your life hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/as-time-goes-by-you-seem-to-weed-out-the-things-that-were-making-your/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [I would never put my songs in a commercial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/i-would-never-put-my-songs-in-a-commercial/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [Take back your insurance, baby, nothing is guaranteed. Take back your acid rain, let your TV bleed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/take-back-your-insurance-baby-nothing-is-guaranteed-take-back-your/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [The great thing about the Wilburys was that none of us had to take the heat by ourselves. I was just a member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/the-great-thing-about-the-wilburys-was-that-none-of-us-had-to-take/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [I don't believe in censorship, but I do believe that an artist has to take some moral responsibility for what he or she is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/i-don-t-believe-in-censorship-but-i-do-believe-that-an-artist-has-to/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [Any time you're making a living at what you love to do, you're blessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/any-time-you-re-making-a-living-at-what-you-love-to-do-you-re-blessed/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [A rebel without a clue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/a-rebel-without-a-clue/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [If you look around at America, that's one of its biggest problems is you have corporations that can never be pleased at a profit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/if-you-look-around-at-america-that-s-one-of-its-biggest-problems-is/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [Even the losers get lucky sometimes. Even the losers keep a little bit of pride. They get lucky sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/even-the-losers-get-lucky-sometimes-even-the-losers-keep-a-little-bit/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [If you stretch your imagination, I'll tell you all a tale, about a time when everything wasn't up for sale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/if-you-stretch-your-imagination-i-ll-tell-you-all-a-tale-about-a-time/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [Buy me a drink, sing me a song; take me as I come, cause I can't stay long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/buy-me-a-drink-sing-me-a-song-take-me-as-i-come-cause-i-can-t-stay/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [I never could have dreamed that her heart was so wicked, but I keep coming back because it's so hard to kick it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/i-never-could-have-dreamed-that-her-heart-was-so-wicked-but-i-keep/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [She's a good girl, crazy about Elvis, loves horses, and her boyfriend, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/she-s-a-good-girl-crazy-about-elvis-loves-horses-and-her-boyfriend-too/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [I'm more interested in what I'm going to leave behind me than in making a big hit record. I've refined what I do for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/i-m-more-interested-in-what-i-m-going-to-leave-behind-me-than-in/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) [Explore all 190 Tom Petty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) ## More Along quotes > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [Governments follow their people. A great deal has to do with the vision of the leadership of governments. They have a vision, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/governments-follow-their-people-a-great-deal-has-to-do-with-the/) [Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/) > [I always like to look for adventure when I go away. I have gone on several horse adventures with my wife - from Guangxi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-gormley/i-always-like-to-look-for-adventure-when-i-go-away-i-have-gone-on/) [Antony Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-gormley/) > [I'd always wanted the show to be more reality based science fiction, something along the lines of The Day the Earth Stood Still, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-gerard/i-d-always-wanted-the-show-to-be-more-reality-based-science-fiction/) [Gil Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-gerard/) > [Each time I think I've created time for myself, along comes a throwback to disrupt my private space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/each-time-i-think-i-ve-created-time-for-myself-along-comes-a/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [Along with a livable wage, many parents are desperate for quality affordable child care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gillibrand/along-with-a-livable-wage-many-parents-are-desperate-for-quality/) [Kirsten Gillibrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gillibrand/) > [I get along with everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-get-along-with-everybody/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It would have been an interesting run if we hadn't gotten along! It was good casting, I suppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-west/it-would-have-been-an-interesting-run-if-we-hadn-t-gotten-along-it/) [Dominic West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-west/) > [Defense spending as a share of the economy dropped significantly during the early 1990s, and that was one of the things, along with other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-orszag/defense-spending-as-a-share-of-the-economy-dropped-significantly/) Peter Orszag > [Just remember: to be grateful and thank the people who are there and support you along the way is a great start to success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-davis/just-remember-to-be-grateful-and-thank-the-people-who-are-there-and/) [Meryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-davis/) > [We feel that, with Sidney, we have a great opportunity over the next few years to put a great team on the ice. We're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-lemieux/we-feel-that-with-sidney-we-have-a-great-opportunity-over-the-next/) [Mario Lemieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-lemieux/) > [“Being along with the Nature your soul is stronger than all disasters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esat-durak/being-along-with-the-nature-your-soul-is-stronger-than-all-disasters/) Esat Durak > [When I was 16 I was fortunate enough to get Cosby and move to New York and shift my whole life. that had been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-bonet/when-i-was-16-i-was-fortunate-enough-to-get-cosby-and-move-to-new/) [Lisa Bonet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-bonet/) > [For some actors, their star shines brightly and fizzles out. My star doesn't shine that brightly, but it buzzes along. Hopefully, that means it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-maxwell-martin/for-some-actors-their-star-shines-brightly-and-fizzles-out-my-star/) [Anna Maxwell Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-maxwell-martin/) > [I prefer to have one gigantic laugh preceded by several smaller laughs rather than a bunch of medium laughs all along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-shock/i-prefer-to-have-one-gigantic-laugh-preceded-by-several-smaller/) [Ron Shock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-shock/) Browse all 1,040 Along quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was a kid, we didn't have any blues stations. 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