---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Too much tail. All that jewelry weighs it…"
description: "\"Too much tail. All that jewelry weighs it down. Like vanity. Can't nobody fly with all that shit. Wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs yo..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/toni-morrison-271_freedom_too-much-tail-all-that-jewelry-weighs-it_261461.jpg"
---

#  Too much tail. All that jewelry weighs it down. Like…

![“Too much tail. All that jewelry weighs it down. Like vanity. Can't nobody fly with all that shit. Wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.” quote by Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/toni-morrison-271_freedom_too-much-tail-all-that-jewelry-weighs-it_261461.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/toni-morrison-271_freedom_too-much-tail-all-that-jewelry-weighs-it_261461.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/toni-morrison-271_freedom_too-much-tail-all-that-jewelry-weighs-it_261461.jpg)

> “Too much tail. All that jewelry weighs it down. Like vanity. Can't nobody fly with all that shit. Wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.”

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

## About This Quote

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

Excessive adornment and vanity hinder freedom; shedding unnecessary burdens enables true potential.

**In simple terms:** Too much baggage stops you from soaring.

Key Takeaway

Let go of what weighs you down.

Themes

vanity freedom self‑improvement

Mood

reflective encouraging critical

Type

advice metaphor

When to use this quote

- personal reflection
- motivational speech

Key Concepts

burdens lightness potential

Questions to Reflect On

- What “weight” are you holding onto?
- How can you release it safely?

A Different Perspective

The metaphor may oversimplify complex personal issues.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Weight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weight/)

## Related quotes

> [“How come it can't fly no better than a chicken?" "Too much tail. All that jewelry weighs it down. Like vanity. Wanna fly, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/how-come-it-can-t-fly-no-better-than-a-chicken-too-much-tail-all-that/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [“You wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-wanna-fly-you-got-to-give-up-the-shit-that-weighs-you-down/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [Wanna fly? You got to give up the shit that weighs you down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morrison/wanna-fly-you-got-to-give-up-the-shit-that-weighs-you-down/)

[Tom Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morrison/)

> [Eagle droppings, fly shit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/currensy/eagle-droppings-fly-shit/)

Currensy

> [Gotta be a fly bitch to hang around that fly shit. Fine dining Olive Garden, naw bitch Nas is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/gotta-be-a-fly-bitch-to-hang-around-that-fly-shit-fine-dining-olive/)

[Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/)

> [Going to shop for that fly shit, if it's private I'm flying it. If I like it I'm buying it, if its forien I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/going-to-shop-for-that-fly-shit-if-it-s-private-i-m-flying-it-if-i/)

[Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/)

> [Imma be takin them pics. Lookin all fly and shit. Imma be the flyest chick so fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-eyed-peas/imma-be-takin-them-pics-lookin-all-fly-and-shit-imma-be-the-flyest-2/)

[Black Eyed Peas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-eyed-peas/)

> [Imma be takin them pics.Lookin all fly and shit, Imma be the flyest chick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergie/imma-be-takin-them-pics-lookin-all-fly-and-shit-imma-be-the-flyest/)

[Fergie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergie/)

> [I aint lying, yeah and comfortable I sit. That manual Ferrari Italian, some fly shit . Its sittin at the house like I bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/i-aint-lying-yeah-and-comfortable-i-sit-that-manual-ferrari-italian/)

[Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/)

> [We on that fly shit!!! Keep up baby!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khloe-kardashian/we-on-that-fly-shit-keep-up-baby/)

[Khloe Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khloe-kardashian/)

> [Ou already know the rules dont apply to us. We gon do what we do, its whuteva 2 fuck. We got the fly shit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remy-ma/ou-already-know-the-rules-dont-apply-to-us-we-gon-do-what-we-do-its/)

[Remy Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remy-ma/)

> [How come it can’t fly no better than a chicken?’ Milkman asked. Too much tail. All that jewelry weighs it down. Like vanity. Can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/how-come-it-can-t-fly-no-better-than-a-chicken-milkman-asked-too-much/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [They encouraged you to put some of your weight in their hands and soon as you felt how light and lovely it was, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/they-encouraged-you-to-put-some-of-your-weight-in-their-hands-and/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [“It’s a spur? Your males don’t have one?” “What’s it for?” “Nothing, I imagine. It’s just there, like my tail. Maybe it had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruby-dixon/it-s-a-spur-your-males-don-t-have-one-what-s-it-for-nothing-i-imagine/)

[Ruby Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruby-dixon/)

> [Keeping a woman to her word is like trying to hold an alligator by its tail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/keeping-a-woman-to-her-word-is-like-trying-to-hold-an-alligator-by/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

## More by Toni Morrison

> [Perhaps that's what all human relationships boiled down to: Would you save my life? or would you take it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/perhaps-that-s-what-all-human-relationships-boiled-down-to-would-you/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [In times of dread, artists must never choose to remain silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/in-times-of-dread-artists-must-never-choose-to-remain-silent/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [“Not know it was hard;knowing it was harder”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/not-know-it-was-hard-knowing-it-was-harder/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [“Didn’t everything on God’s earth have or acquire defense?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/didn-t-everything-on-god-s-earth-have-or-acquire-defense/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [If you can't count, they can cheat you. If you can't read, they can beat you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/if-you-can-t-count-they-can-cheat-you-if-you-can-t-read-they-can-beat/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [“You looked at them and wondered why the were so ugly; you looked closely and could not find the source. Then you realized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-looked-at-them-and-wondered-why-the-were-so-ugly-you-looked/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [All she saw, down in the cellar well beneath the stoop, was a light yellow feather with a tip of green. And she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/all-she-saw-down-in-the-cellar-well-beneath-the-stoop-was-a-light/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [For me, Art is the restoration of order. It may discuss all sort of terrible things, but there must be satisfaction at the end.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/for-me-art-is-the-restoration-of-order-it-may-discuss-all-sort-of/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [“To Sethe, the future was a matter of keeping the past at bay”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/to-sethe-the-future-was-a-matter-of-keeping-the-past-at-bay/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [“Hate does that. Burns off everything but itself, so whatever your grievance is, your face looks just like your enemy's.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/hate-does-that-burns-off-everything-but-itself-so-whatever-your/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [“You know how a star is supposed to twinkle? We say twinkle because that is how it looks, but when a star feels itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-know-how-a-star-is-supposed-to-twinkle-we-say-twinkle-because/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [“There is no bad luck in the world but whitefolks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-is-no-bad-luck-in-the-world-but-whitefolks/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [My father saw two black men lynched on his street in Cartersville, as a child. And I think seeing two black businessmen - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/my-father-saw-two-black-men-lynched-on-his-street-in-cartersville-as/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

> [“She was fierce in the presence of death, heroic even, as she was at no other time. Its threat gave her direction, clarity, audacity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/she-was-fierce-in-the-presence-of-death-heroic-even-as-she-was-at-no/)

[Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

[Explore all 774 Toni Morrison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/)

## More Freedom quotes

> [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/)

[Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/)

[Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/)

> [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/)

[Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/)

> [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/)

[Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/)

> [“No one was more surprised than I to realize that my newfound freedom had been purchased by giving up on eternity and settling for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jessop/no-one-was-more-surprised-than-i-to-realize-that-my-newfound-freedom/)

[Carolyn Jessop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-jessop/)

> [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/)

[Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

> [“In any case, white people, who had robbed black people of their liberty and who profited by this theft every hour that they lived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-any-case-white-people-who-had-robbed-black-people-of-their-liberty/)

[James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/)

> [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/)

[Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/)

> [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/)

[Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/)

> [“It breaks my heart. Better than your words, your eye tells me all your peril. You are not yet free, you still search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-breaks-my-heart-better-than-your-words-your-eye-tells-me-all-your/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/)

[Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/)

> [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/)

[Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/)

[Browse all 30,110 Freedom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Too much tail. All that jewelry weighs it down. Like vanity. Can't nobody fly with all that shit. Wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Toni Morrison"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/too-much-tail-all-that-jewelry-weighs-it-down-like-vanity-can-t/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Freedom"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/too-much-tail-all-that-jewelry-weighs-it-down-like-vanity-can-t/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/toni-morrison-271_freedom_too-much-tail-all-that-jewelry-weighs-it_261461.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/toni-morrison-271_freedom_too-much-tail-all-that-jewelry-weighs-it_261461.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ef/toni-morrison-271_freedom_too-much-tail-all-that-jewelry-weighs-it_261461.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Too much tail. All that jewelry weighs it down. Like vanity. Can't nobody fly with all that shit. Wanna fly…” — Toni Morrison",
                "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": "Toni Morrison",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Too much tail. All that jewelry...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/too-much-tail-all-that-jewelry-weighs-it-down-like-vanity-can-t/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/too-much-tail-all-that-jewelry-weighs-it-down-like-vanity-can-t/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
