--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was taught never to compromise: to…" description: "\"I was taught never to compromise: to never sing a cheap song. I never look down at the audience and think that they are ignorant or think that I'm more..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/tony-bennett-4307_believe_i-was-taught-never-to-compromise-to-neve_1215524.jpg" --- # I was taught never to compromise: to never sing a cheap… ![“I was taught never to compromise: to never sing a cheap song. I never look down at the audience and think that they are ignorant or think that I'm more intelligent than they are. To think otherwise is totally incorrect and runs contrary to everything I was raised to believe.” quote by Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/tony-bennett-4307_believe_i-was-taught-never-to-compromise-to-neve_1215524.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/tony-bennett-4307_believe_i-was-taught-never-to-compromise-to-neve_1215524.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/197/tony-bennett-4307_believe_i-was-taught-never-to-compromise-to-neve_1215524.jpg) > “I was taught never to compromise: to never sing a cheap song. I never look down at the audience and think that they are ignorant or think that I'm more intelligent than they are. To think otherwise is totally incorrect and runs contrary to everything I was raised to believe.” [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He stresses humility and respect for the audience, rejecting superiority or condescension. **In simple terms:** Treat listeners with respect, never act superior. Key Takeaway Stay humble and genuine. Themes humility respect authenticity Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - live performances - public speaking - teaching - broadcasting Key Concepts performing arts ethics audience engagement Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain humility under fame? - What if an audience truly lacks knowledge? A Different Perspective May be idealistic; audiences can be critical. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) [Compromise Sing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise-sing-3702627/) [Everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everything/) [Ignorant Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorant-think-1880612/) [Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look/) [Taught Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught-compromise-2631658/) [Think Ignorant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-ignorant-1387500/) ## Related quotes > [I go back to what Mrs. Roosevelt taught me: 'Always compromise, but compromise upwards.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-peterson/i-go-back-to-what-mrs-roosevelt-taught-me-always-compromise-but/) [Esther Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-peterson/) > [You think I'm an ignorant savage and you've been so many places; I guess it must be so, but still I cannot see if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pocahontas/you-think-i-m-an-ignorant-savage-and-you-ve-been-so-many-places-i/) [Pocahontas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pocahontas/) > [A lot of people will always say, 'I really know nothing about the ancient world.' But there's lots and lots of things people know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/a-lot-of-people-will-always-say-i-really-know-nothing-about-the/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [I don't like critics; I really don't like them. I think most of them are ignorant and don't have a clue!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/i-don-t-like-critics-i-really-don-t-like-them-i-think-most-of-them/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [“He felt a psychosomatic rush of emptiness before he spoke. “Since we are getting to the real point, I am not stupid John. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dew-platt/he-felt-a-psychosomatic-rush-of-emptiness-before-he-spoke-since-we/) [Dew Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dew-platt/) > [Most fools think they are only ignorant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/most-fools-think-they-are-only-ignorant/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I know what people think I am. People think I'm dumb. People think I party all the time. People think I'm ignorant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beasley/i-know-what-people-think-i-am-people-think-i-m-dumb-people-think-i/) [Michael Beasley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beasley/) > [“The kind of lies that someone tells us gives us an idea of how stupid, knowledgeable, intelligent, or ignorant they are … or they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/the-kind-of-lies-that-someone-tells-us-gives-us-an-idea-of-how-stupid/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I had an idea to write something set back around the Civil War era, but I was just way too ignorant to think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brandon/i-had-an-idea-to-write-something-set-back-around-the-civil-war-era/) [John Brandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brandon/) > [I agree some people are biased, and I agree that they exist in a world of pure, sheer, raw hatred for anything they don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-agree-some-people-are-biased-and-i-agree-that-they-exist-in-a-world/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [If we live in an infinite universe, it would be almost ignorant to think that aliens don't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calum-hood/if-we-live-in-an-infinite-universe-it-would-be-almost-ignorant-to/) [Calum Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calum-hood/) > [One of the great things about being ignorant is that I often think my ideas are original. It's a wonderful feeling. That's why I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/one-of-the-great-things-about-being-ignorant-is-that-i-often-think-my/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“The most crippling part of my personality is that as much as I want to know something, I can't bear admitting I'm ignorant. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-b-cooney/the-most-crippling-part-of-my-personality-is-that-as-much-as-i-want/) [Caroline B. Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-b-cooney/) > [“Don't be so ignorant as to think that what we're exercising is freedom if we've bled it of morals, purged it of wisdom, declared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/don-t-be-so-ignorant-as-to-think-that-what-we-re-exercising-is/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“A man may go through life and remain ignorant of himself he may think himself as other than he truly is and he may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-unsworth/a-man-may-go-through-life-and-remain-ignorant-of-himself-he-may-think/) [Barry Unsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-unsworth/) ## More by Tony Bennett > [When the uncreative tell the creative what to do, it stops being art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/when-the-uncreative-tell-the-creative-what-to-do-it-stops-being-art/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) > [If you follow your passion, you'll never work a day in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/if-you-follow-your-passion-you-ll-never-work-a-day-in-your-life/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) > [I have an awful lot to learn. My dream is to get better and better as I get older.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/i-have-an-awful-lot-to-learn-my-dream-is-to-get-better-and-better-as/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) > [I grew up in an era where the record companies just sold records to everybody, and the whole family bought songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/i-grew-up-in-an-era-where-the-record-companies-just-sold-records-to/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) > [I think there's an opportunity for a couple of them for sure, maybe more depending upon the situation, but it's too early to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/i-think-there-s-an-opportunity-for-a-couple-of-them-for-sure-maybe/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) > [It's the kind of turn that happened to the great country of Germany, when Nazis came over and created tragic things, and they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/it-s-the-kind-of-turn-that-happened-to-the-great-country-of-germany/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) > [When you get older, you don't have to eat a lot. I get my rest and sleep very well at night. It keeps me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/when-you-get-older-you-don-t-have-to-eat-a-lot-i-get-my-rest-and/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) > [Nobody has communicated with the public more than Lady Gaga. Ever. I trust the audience, and I'm very impressed. As far as they're concerned,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/nobody-has-communicated-with-the-public-more-than-lady-gaga-ever-i/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) > [Performers should really go to the best schools, like Lady Gaga, you know, she went to NYU and had great teachers... It's best to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/performers-should-really-go-to-the-best-schools-like-lady-gaga-you/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) > [I was possessed with a wonderful example of my Italian American family. They would come over and join us every Sunday, all my aunts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/i-was-possessed-with-a-wonderful-example-of-my-italian-american/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) > [Luckily for his audiences, Bennett doesn't tire of singing I Left My Heart. ... that song made me a world citizen. And when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/luckily-for-his-audiences-bennett-doesn-t-tire-of-singing-i-left-my/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) > [I loved Art Tatum! And, through him, and other different jazz musicians, I actually found my technique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/i-loved-art-tatum-and-through-him-and-other-different-jazz-musicians/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) > [More than anybody else I’d like to thank Count Basie for teaching me how to perform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/more-than-anybody-else-i-d-like-to-thank-count-basie-for-teaching-me/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) > [I respected Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra. Those were my heroes, and they were 10 years older than I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/i-respected-ella-fitzgerald-nat-king-cole-and-frank-sinatra-those/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) > [I want to try to prove that at 100, I could sing as well as I was singing when I was 45 or 43.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bennett/i-want-to-try-to-prove-that-at-100-i-could-sing-as-well-as-i-was/) [Tony Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) [Explore all 113 Tony Bennett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bennett/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [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/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. 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