--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you say you're doing an opera, it's…" description: "\"When you say you're doing an opera, it's like when you're a seven-year-old and say, 'I'm off to Washington, Dad.' You kind of go, 'Sure. Sure you are, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2b/tom-waits-916_dad_when-you-say-you-re-doing-an-opera-it-s_2850512.jpg" --- # When you say you're doing an opera, it's like when you're… ![“When you say you're doing an opera, it's like when you're a seven-year-old and say, 'I'm off to Washington, Dad.' You kind of go, 'Sure. Sure you are, son.'” quote by Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2b/tom-waits-916_dad_when-you-say-you-re-doing-an-opera-it-s_2850512.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2b/tom-waits-916_dad_when-you-say-you-re-doing-an-opera-it-s_2850512.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2b/tom-waits-916_dad_when-you-say-you-re-doing-an-opera-it-s_2850512.jpg) > “When you say you're doing an opera, it's like when you're a seven-year-old and say, 'I'm off to Washington, Dad.' You kind of go, 'Sure. Sure you are, son.'” [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑assessment often clashes with external perception; authenticity matters over validation. **In simple terms:** Credibility comes from authenticity. Key Takeaway Stay true to yourself. Themes authenticity self‑perception artistry Mood reflective wry Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - music industry - personal branding - performance Key Concepts psychology creative process Questions to Reflect On - How do you define success personally? - What validates your art? A Different Perspective External opinions may still influence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad/) [Opera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opera/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) ## Related quotes > [The very beautiful and very touching thing about opera singers is they are very willing to do whatever you want. Unlike actors, who constantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mcburney/the-very-beautiful-and-very-touching-thing-about-opera-singers-is/) [Simon McBurney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mcburney/) > [The opera is like a husband with a foreign title - expensive to support, hard to understand and therefore a supreme social challenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleveland-amory/the-opera-is-like-a-husband-with-a-foreign-title-expensive-to-support/) [Cleveland Amory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleveland-amory/) > [When you come to my show, I want it to feel like opera, like a theatre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-weeknd/when-you-come-to-my-show-i-want-it-to-feel-like-opera-like-a-theatre/) [The Weeknd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-weeknd/) > [If you think that there are actually covers that we haven't done on 'Glee' that I could then put on an album... We've done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lea-michele/if-you-think-that-there-are-actually-covers-that-we-haven-t-done-on/) [Lea Michele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lea-michele/) > [Okay well - no that is a very real thing seven-year-olds asking for BlackBerrys and cell phones and things like that. And that's one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-messing/okay-well-no-that-is-a-very-real-thing-seven-year-olds-asking-for/) [Debra Messing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-messing/) > [There were seventy-five people in the lobby and only a seven-year-old girl was finding out what it felt like to sit on the Marble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/there-were-seventy-five-people-in-the-lobby-and-only-a-seven-year-old/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [A seven year old to a neighbor after the boy's house burned down, "Oh, that was not our home. That was our house. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-r-cook/a-seven-year-old-to-a-neighbor-after-the-boy-s-house-burned-down-oh/) [Gene R. Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-r-cook/) > [In the late '60s, I was seven, eight, nine years old, and what was going on in the news at that time that really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/in-the-late-60s-i-was-seven-eight-nine-years-old-and-what-was-going/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [In France, for instance, I'm told that marriage is now frequently contracted in seven-year terms where either party may move on when their term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/in-france-for-instance-i-m-told-that-marriage-is-now-frequently/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [When I was in New Orleans, I was in a grocery store and a woman came up to me and she said, "Oh, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-bates/when-i-was-in-new-orleans-i-was-in-a-grocery-store-and-a-woman-came/) [Kathy Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-bates/) > [Opera: I like it, except for all those howling sopranos and caterwauling tenors. (Why can't tenors sing like men?)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/opera-i-like-it-except-for-all-those-howling-sopranos-and/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [Going to the opera, like getting drunk, is a sin that carries its own punishment with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/going-to-the-opera-like-getting-drunk-is-a-sin-that-carries-its-own/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [Sometimes, going to see one opera is hard because you don't know the genre. Good opera is like good wine. There are so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-phillips/sometimes-going-to-see-one-opera-is-hard-because-you-don-t-know-the/) [Susanna Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-phillips/) > [H is for Hardware store: I'd rather go to the hardware store than the opera. And I like the opera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dietrich/h-is-for-hardware-store-i-d-rather-go-to-the-hardware-store-than-the/) [Marlene Dietrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dietrich/) > [“It was weird, ’cause there we were in Italy listening to people singing in German. The music was nice, though, and there was this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-merrow/it-was-weird-cause-there-we-were-in-italy-listening-to-people-singing/) [J.L. Merrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-merrow/) ## More by Tom Waits > [Most of us have the residue of thousands of songs in our ears, that if you end up songwriting, I think you're mostly smoking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/most-of-us-have-the-residue-of-thousands-of-songs-in-our-ears-that-if/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Bill Hicks - blowtorch, excavator, truthsayer, and brain specialist. He will correct your vision. Others will drive on the road he built.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/bill-hicks-blowtorch-excavator-truthsayer-and-brain-specialist-he/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Don't plant your days they turn into weeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/don-t-plant-your-days-they-turn-into-weeds/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“T’ain’t no sin to take off your skin, and dance around in your bones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/t-ain-t-no-sin-to-take-off-your-skin-and-dance-around-in-your-bones/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“an all time favorite: "The large print giveth, the small print taketh away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/an-all-time-favorite-the-large-print-giveth-the-small-print-taketh/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I'll tell you all my secrets but I lie about my past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-ll-tell-you-all-my-secrets-but-i-lie-about-my-past/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [For a songwriter, you don't really go to songwriting school; you learn by listening to tunes. And you try to understand them and take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/for-a-songwriter-you-don-t-really-go-to-songwriting-school-you-learn/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I'm trying to learn how to write faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-m-trying-to-learn-how-to-write-faster/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [The world is a hellish place, and bad writing is destroying the quality of our suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/the-world-is-a-hellish-place-and-bad-writing-is-destroying-the/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I'm always looking for sounds that are pleasing at the time. The sound of a helicopter is really annoying until you're drowning, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-m-always-looking-for-sounds-that-are-pleasing-at-the-time-the-sound/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I was born in the back seat of a Yellow Cab in a hospital loading zone and with the meter still running. I emerged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-was-born-in-the-back-seat-of-a-yellow-cab-in-a-hospital-loading/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [There's not much difference between what I appear to be on stage and what I am. I think people like that, that I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/there-s-not-much-difference-between-what-i-appear-to-be-on-stage-and/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Most of the things you absorb you will ultimately secrete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/most-of-the-things-you-absorb-you-will-ultimately-secrete/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [The devil knows the Bible like the back of his hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/the-devil-knows-the-bible-like-the-back-of-his-hand/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I bark my voice out through a closed throat, pretty much. It's more, perhaps, like a dog in some ways. It does have its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-bark-my-voice-out-through-a-closed-throat-pretty-much-it-s-more/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) [Explore all 328 Tom Waits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) ## More Dad quotes > [Grandma, please. It’s okay. Dad’s doing a great job. I give him kudos for at least being calm and rational, and not losing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/grandma-please-it-s-okay-dad-s-doing-a-great-job-i-give-him-kudos-for/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [As a family, we all loved the Flyers. To me, rooting for the Flyers were how I bonded with my dad especially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-f-goldberg/as-a-family-we-all-loved-the-flyers-to-me-rooting-for-the-flyers-were/) [Adam F. Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-f-goldberg/) > [My greatest memories as a kid were playing sports with my dad and watching sports with my dad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-teixeira/my-greatest-memories-as-a-kid-were-playing-sports-with-my-dad-and/) [Mark Teixeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-teixeira/) > [Here I am, 11 years old, and these grown men have to give it everything they have to beat me. In one part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/here-i-am-11-years-old-and-these-grown-men-have-to-give-it-everything/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [I always remember what my dad told me when I decided to turn into an actor. He was emphatic that whatever I do, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karthi/i-always-remember-what-my-dad-told-me-when-i-decided-to-turn-into-an/) [Karthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karthi/) > [My mom and dad had the relationship that I want, and they were teammates. They were always equal 50/50.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-kufrin/my-mom-and-dad-had-the-relationship-that-i-want-and-they-were/) [Becca Kufrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-kufrin/) > [The child who ran weeping to you with a cut finger is now brought home, smiling gamely, with a broken collarbone and incredible contusions-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-brown/the-child-who-ran-weeping-to-you-with-a-cut-finger-is-now-brought/) [Pam Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-brown/) > [My father was the role model I looked up. My dad was an entertainer, too. I patterned my life after him. He wanted me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/my-father-was-the-role-model-i-looked-up-my-dad-was-an-entertainer/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [Most people are sensitized to animals through their cats and dogs, but for me it was a flounder. I used to go fishing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mathews/most-people-are-sensitized-to-animals-through-their-cats-and-dogs-but/) [Dan Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mathews/) > [I saw this anti-drug commercial that showed a kid smoking pot in his dad's room with his friend. This kid finds a gun, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-saw-this-anti-drug-commercial-that-showed-a-kid-smoking-pot-in-his/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [It's something he used to say when he was happy. It could be a very, very simple day. We might be sitting out on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-grant/it-s-something-he-used-to-say-when-he-was-happy-it-could-be-a-very/) [Jennifer Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-grant/) > [I talk to my dad all the time, he's more like my buddy than my father, and he's not happy that I use him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-spade/i-talk-to-my-dad-all-the-time-he-s-more-like-my-buddy-than-my-father/) [David Spade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-spade/) > [This week I realized my dad will make you cry in the store if you make him mad. Also when your crossing the street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-week-i-realized-my-dad-will-make-you-cry-in-the-store-if-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was just putting way too much pressure on myself. I was just trying to get that validation from my dad. It got so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-griffey-jr/i-was-just-putting-way-too-much-pressure-on-myself-i-was-just-trying/) [Ken Griffey Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-griffey-jr/) > [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) [Browse all 9,737 Dad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you say you're doing an opera, it's like when you're a seven-year-old and say, 'I'm off to Washington, Dad.' You kind of go, 'Sure. Sure you are, son.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Waits" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/when-you-say-you-re-doing-an-opera-it-s-like-when-you-re-a-seven-year/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dad" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/when-you-say-you-re-doing-an-opera-it-s-like-when-you-re-a-seven-year/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2b/tom-waits-916_dad_when-you-say-you-re-doing-an-opera-it-s_2850512.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2b/tom-waits-916_dad_when-you-say-you-re-doing-an-opera-it-s_2850512.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a2b/tom-waits-916_dad_when-you-say-you-re-doing-an-opera-it-s_2850512.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you say you're doing an opera, it's like when you're a seven-year-old and say, 'I'm off to Washington…” — Tom Waits", "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": "Tom Waits", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you say you're doing an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/when-you-say-you-re-doing-an-opera-it-s-like-when-you-re-a-seven-year/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/when-you-say-you-re-doing-an-opera-it-s-like-when-you-re-a-seven-year/#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 } } ] } ```