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Patti Smith

Patti Smith Quotes

Singer-songwriter

Patti Smith is an influential American singer-songwriter, born on December 30, 1946. Known for her unique musical style and poetic lyrics, she is considered one of the pioneers of post-punk and punk rock. Smith's music career began in the 1970s, and she quickly became a star in the underground music scene. Her debut album 'Horses' was released in 1975 and is considered a landmark in punk rock.

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Famous Patti Smith Quotes

“I would always say to anyone, you make choices that are important to you. Don't allow yourself to be exploited by something as fleeting as fame and fortune. If you're presenting yourself in a way that important to you in communicating your vision, then so be it. No one should allow themselves to be exploited ever.”

Ifs Way Should Important Choices Vision Fame Fortune Communicate Fleeting Presenting Presenting Yourself

Author:Patti Smith

“I think I work in two worlds. I'll always try to kick through a wall. I did that when I was younger and I still have my way of doing that.”

Thinking World Way Trying Stills Two Wall My Way Kicks Two Worlds

Author:Patti Smith

“The way our big cities change sucks. The beauty of cities was that they were edgy, sometimes even a little dangerous. Artists, poets, and activists could come and unify and create different kinds of scenes. Not just fashion scenes, scenes that were politically active. Big cities are getting so high-end oriented, business corporate fashion, fashion not in an artistic sense but in a corporate sense. For me that edgy beauty of cities is lost, wherever you go.”

Way Kind Littles Different Ends Sometimes Bigs Artist Lost Cities Fashion Dangerous Poet Scene Active Artistic Corporate Activist Different Kinds Edgy Big Cities

Author:Patti Smith

“The only way I can lose my mind in bed is to destroy myself in a fantasy.”

Way Mind I Can Loses Fantasy Bed

Author:Patti Smith

“I like making records right now 'cause I can express myself that way in a very immediate, physical sense. You can always write a book, but you can't always do a rock 'n' roll record that's gonna work.”

Way Writing I Can Book Causes Records Rocks Right Now Rock N Roll

Author:Patti Smith

“I'm more concerned with the work people do than their gender. When I was younger, I was pretty judgmental. Things had to be a certain way. Now I just want to see the work. It doesn't matter who does it.”

People Way Want Doe Matter Certain Concerned Gender Working It Judgmental

Author:Patti Smith

“I feel about politics the same way I do about religion: I find the best I can from different things.”

Way Feels I Can Different Different Things

Author:Patti Smith

“Obviously, I'm not homeless. I'm not an old alcoholic. I'm not jumping trains. I just like to live in a certain way.”

Way Certain Train Homeless Jumping Alcoholics

Author:Patti Smith

“I believe we all have a unique journey, whether its a journey of pure energy, if there's any intelligence within the journey. But I think each of us have our own way of dissipating or entering a new field.”

Ifs Thinking Way Believe Energy I Believe Journey Fields Pure Unique Entering

Author:Patti Smith

“The film [Dream of Life] is the way it is because it was the rhythm of my life, and also because the director and the editor are both gifted and both fine human beings.”

Way Humans Dream Film Life Is Human Beings Fine Directors Rhythm Editors Gifted

Author:Patti Smith

“I have abandoned so many projects but in the '80s when I left public life to be married and have real children - I love my children and I would never sacrifice them for anything - I had to find a way to simultaneously be a mother and wife and fulfill my duties and still be true to myself as a writer.”

Way Children Stills Real Mother Left Wife Sacrifice Duty Projects Married Being True My Children Abandoned 80s Being Married Public Life True To Myself I Love My Children Love My Children

Author:Patti Smith

“I worked for Hillary [Clinton] when I was young - when she was running for the Senate. I was fundraising and things, I see all of these people as political in a way that isn't humanistic. I'm just watching and hoping that someone is going to distinguish himself or herself as comprehending what we need.”

People Way Needs Running Young Political Clinton Senate Fundraising Humanistic Comprehending

Author:Patti Smith

“I don't think public life in and of itself can destroy you. I think it's the way people react to it, and some people are more sturdy than others... I don't think any one faction can be blamed for a person's self destruction - a certain amount of that has to be innate.”

People Thinking Way Persons Self Certain Amount Destruction Innate Public Life Self Destruction Factions Sturdy

Author:Patti Smith

“I learned from him that often contradiction is the clearest way to truth”

Way Morality Contradiction

Book:Just Kids

Source: Just Kids

“We went our separate ways, but within walking distance of one another.”

Way Walking Distance Separate Ways

Book:Just Kids

Source: Just Kids

“We needed time to figure out what all of this meant, how we were going to come to terms and redefine what our love was called. I learned from him that often contradiction is the clearest way to truth.”

Way Term Figures Needed Contradiction Our Love

Book:Just Kids

Source: Just Kids

About the Author

Born: December 30, 1946
Known for: Singer-songwriter
Quotes: 496

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Books & Sources

Just KidsRelated source material

M TrainRelated source material

DevotionRelated source material

Patti Smith Collected Lyrics, 1970–2015Related source material

Year of the MonkeyRelated source material

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