“Life ain't a rehearsal, the camera's always rolling”
Drake (1986) Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor
"Miss Me", Thank Me Later, Lil Wayne (2010)
2010s
A collection of quotes on the topic of roll, likeness, rock, time.
“Life ain't a rehearsal, the camera's always rolling”
Drake (1986) Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor
"Miss Me", Thank Me Later, Lil Wayne (2010)
2010s
“If it's illegal to rock and roll, then throw me in jail.”
Kurt Cobain (1967–1994) American musician and artist
Sophie Scholl (1921–1943) White Rose member
As quoted in O<sub>2</sub> : Breathing New Life Into Faith (2008) by Richard Dahlstrom, Ch. 4 : Artisans of Hope: Stepping into God's Kingdom Story, p. 63; this source is disputed as it does not cite an original document for the quote. It is also used in <i> The White Rose </i> (1991) by Lillian Garrett-Groag, a monologue during Sophie's interrogation.
Disputed
Context: The real damage is done by those millions who want to "survive." The honest men who just want to be left in peace. Those who don't want their little lives disturbed by anything bigger than themselves. Those with no sides and no causes. Those who won't take measure of their own strength, for fear of antagonizing their own weakness. Those who don't like to make waves — or enemies. Those for whom freedom, honor, truth, and principles are only literature. Those who live small, mate small, die small. It's the reductionist approach to life: if you keep it small, you'll keep it under control. If you don't make any noise, the bogeyman won't find you. But it's all an illusion, because they die too, those people who roll up their spirits into tiny little balls so as to be safe. Safe?! From what? Life is always on the edge of death; narrow streets lead to the same place as wide avenues, and a little candle burns itself out just like a flaming torch does. I choose my own way to burn.
Kurt Cobain (1967–1994) American musician and artist
to Michael Azerrad in an interview from 1992 or 1993, in Kurt Cobain: About a Son
Interviews (1989-1994), Video
“There was nowhere to go but everywhere, so just keep on rolling under the stars.”
Jack Kerouac (1922–1969) American writer
Source: On the Road: the Original Scroll
Amin Maalouf (1949) Francophone Lebanese writer based in France
Source: The First Century After Beatrice
Charles Manson (1934–2017) American criminal and musician
Interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g-U2-cAUMM
Peter Kay (1973) English writer, producer, actor and comedian
[on foreign food]
Live At The Top Of The Tower [2000]
“… I just know that, right now, … the biggest record selling business there is is rock and roll.”
Elvis Presley (1935–1977) American singer and actor
Pop Chronicles: Show 55 - Crammer: A lively cram course on the history of rock and some other things http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19838/m1/, interview recorded 1956 http://web.archive.org/web/20110615153027/http://www.library.unt.edu/music/special-collections/john-gilliland/o-s.
Elvis Presley (1935–1977) American singer and actor
Pop Chronicles, Show 7 - The All American Boy: Enter Elvis and the rock-a-billies. Part 1 http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19754/m1/, interview recorded 1956 http://web.archive.org/web/20110615153027/http://www.library.unt.edu/music/special-collections/john-gilliland/o-s.
Erwin Rommel (1891–1944) German field marshal of World War II
Strategies he promoted which have been called Blitzkrieg (Lightning War), as quoted in Europe Since 1914 (1966) by Gordon Alexander Craig
Martin H. Fischer (1879–1962) American university teacher (1879-1962)
As quoted in Encore : A Continuing Anthology (December 1943) edited by Smith Dent, "Fischerisms" p. 709
Chuck Berry (1926–2017) American rock-and-roll musician
"Roll Over Beethoven" (1956) · Live performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT3kCVFFLNg <br class="br">Song lyrics
“Everyone talks about rock these days; the problem is they forget about the roll.”
Keith Richards (1943) British rock musician, member of The Rolling Stones
George Orwell (1903–1950) English author and journalist
Part II : Shopkeepers At War, § II
The Lion and the Unicorn (1941)
“If love is a gamble, baby let me roll my dice.”
Dua Lipa (1995) English singer and songwriter
Source: instagram.com/dualipa
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892–1973) British philologist and author, creator of classic fantasy works
Context: PIPPIN: I didn't think it would end this way.
GANDALF: End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it.
PIPPIN: What? Gandalf? See what?
GANDALF: White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.
PIPPIN: Well, that isn't so bad.
GANDALF: No. No, it isn't.
“The rock and roll business is pretty absurd, but the world of serious music is much worse.”
Frank Zappa (1940–1993) American musician, songwriter, composer, and record and film producer
Interview on London Plus (24 September 1984) - YouTube video http://youtube.com/watch?v=CR2N040drg0
Albert Schweitzer (1875–1965) French-German physician, theologian, musician and philosopher
Source: The Spiritual Life (1947), p. 164
Context: Anyone who proposes to do good must not expect people to roll stones out of his way, but must accept his lot calmly if they even roll a few more upon it. A strength which becomes clearer and stronger through its experience of such obstacles is the only strength that can conquer them. Resistance is only a waste of strength.
Mary Oliver (1935–2019) American writer
Source: A Thousand Mornings
“If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it Chuck Berry.”
John Lennon (1940–1980) English singer and songwriter
1972 Mike Douglas Show http://www.thebeatlesrarity.com/2012/06/11/beatles-rarity-of-the-week-john-lennon-performs-with-chuck-berry-1972/, quoted in: Lawrence, Ken (2005) John Lennon: In His Own Words, p. 107.
Sam Cooke (1931–1964) American singer-songwriter and entrepreneur
Good Times
Song lyrics, Ain't That Good News (1964)
Jeremy Clarkson (1960) English broadcaster, journalist and writer
"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it."
Rolls-Royce, p. 19
I Know You Got Soul (2004)
“Ron's funnier than Robin Williams. The hard thing is not to laugh when the camera is rolling.”
Daniel Radcliffe (1989) English actor
on Rupert Grint
Gordon Moore (1929) American businessman, co-founder of Intel and author of the eponym law
Moore's Law | ZEISS International http://www.zeiss.com/semiconductor-manufacturing-technology/en_de/products-solutions/lithography-optics/about-optical-lithography/moore_s-law.html (quoting an unidentified statement pertaining to Moore's Law.)
Joan Mitchell (1925–1992) American painter
second side of the first tape
1975 - 1992, Oral history interview with Joan Mitchell, 1986
“Heaven grants us this hour: now from our gate
all mists have cleared; on high, clouds roll away.”
Source: The Tale of Kiều (1813), Lines 3121–3122; quoted by Joe Biden, while welcoming Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in Washington (July 2015), as reported in "The Tale of Kieu, lotus and the US President" by Bui Hoang Tam, dtinews.vn (25 May 2016) http://dtinews.vn/en/news/027/45323/the-tale-of-kieu--lotus-and-the-us-president.html: "Thank heaven we are here today, to see the sun through parting fog and clouds."
Van Morrison (1945) Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician
Brand New Day
Song lyrics, Moondance (1970)
Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright
Letter 4: Theosophy of Julius
The Philosophical Letters
James Macpherson (1736–1796) Scottish writer, poet, translator, and politician
"Carthon", pp. 163–164
The Poems of Ossian
Little Richard (1932) American pianist, singer and songwriter
On Rolling Stone list on 100 Greatest Artists, 100 Greatest Artists | Little Richard | Rolling Stone http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-artists-of-all-time-19691231/little-richard-20110420 <br class="br">Song lyrics, Others
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896–1977) Indian guru
Room Conversation, October 5, 1975, Mauritius PrabhupadaBooks.com http://prabhupadabooks.com/conversations/1975/oct/mauritius/october/05/1975?d=1 <br class="br">Quotes from other Sources, Quotes from other Sources: Racism and Homophobia
John Lennon (1940–1980) English singer and songwriter
BBC interview, used in a Citroën ad, as quoted in "John Lennon Appearance In Car Ad Stirs Controversy" by Monica Herrera in Billboard (4 March 2010) http://www.billboard.com/column-viralvideos/john-lennon-appearance-in-car-ad-stirs-controversy-1004072693.story#/column-viralvideos/john-lennon-appearance-in-car-ad-stirs-controversy-1004072693.story. Though there has been no official dispute that he made this statement, a YouTube video has claimed that the audio used in the advertisement is not original http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipyUk5-wlFg. <br class="br">Disputed
“Classical musicians go to the conservatories, rock´n roll musicians go to the garages.”
Frank Zappa (1940–1993) American musician, songwriter, composer, and record and film producer
Interview at Swedish Radio, programme Nightflite (circus 1980) http://home.swipnet.se/bengt-jonsson/zappaint.htm#Bobby
Willie Nelson (1933) American country music singer-songwriter.
Willie Nelson: Road Rules And Deep Thoughts, NPR Staff, NPR.org, National Public Radio, November 18, 2012, November 18, 2012 http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=165223056,
Charles Spurgeon (1834–1892) British preacher, author, pastor and evangelist
Source: Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), P. 596.
Hunter S. Thompson (1937–2005) American journalist and author
2000s, Kingdom of Fear: Loathsome Secrets of a Star-crossed Child in the Final Days of the American Century (2004)
Lady Gaga (1986) American singer, songwriter, and actress
Poker Face, written by Lady Gaga and RedOne
Song lyrics, The Fame (2008)
Barack Obama (1961) 44th President of the United States of America
2016, State of the Union address (January 2016)
Arthur Streeton (1867–1943) Australian artist
Reported in Mollie Hetherington, Famous Australians (1983), p. 252.
Leonardo Da Vinci (1452–1519) Italian Renaissance polymath
The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci (1883), XX Humorous Writings
Ozzy Osbourne (1948) English heavy metal vocalist and songwriter
Rock and Roll Rebel, written by Ozzy Osbourne.
Song lyrics, Bark at the Moon (1983)
Ad Reinhardt (1913–1967) American painter
Source: 1956 - 1967, Art-as-Art Dogma' part II, (1964), pp. 156-157
Fernando Pessoa book Mensagem
Poem "O Mostrengo" http://www.inverso.pt/Mensagem/MarPortugues/mostrengo.htm, lines 1–9, trans. Charles Eglington ( Listen to the poem on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5Ihd-ECpYM) <br class="br">Message
“I roll up in yo city and get my push on”
Bun B (1973) American rapper from Texas; 1/2 of UGK
The Game Belongs to me
Too Hard to Swallow (1992), Underground Kingz (2007)
Iggy Pop (1947) American rock singer-songwriter, musician, and actor
Peter Gzowski's 90 Minutes Live interview (1977)
“Not only does God play dice with the world—He does not let us see what He has rolled.”
Stanisław Lem book Imaginary Magnitude
Imaginary Magnitude" (1981), "Lecture XLIII", tr. Marc E. Heine (1984)
Ozzy Osbourne (1948) English heavy metal vocalist and songwriter
You Can't Kill Rock and Roll, written by Ozzy Osbourne, Randy Rhoads and Bob Daisley.
Song lyrics, Diary of a Madman (1981)
Kwame Nkrumah (1909–1972) Pan Africanist and First Prime Minister and President of Ghana
Source: Consciencism (1964), Philosophy In Retrospect, pp. 5-6.
Arthur Miller (1915–2005) playwright from the United States
Lyman, Act 2
The Ride Down Mount Morgan (1991)
Barack Obama (1961) 44th President of the United States of America
Comments at a campaign rally in Tampa; Florida (20 October 2008) http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2008/10/20/394027.html <br class="br">2008
Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–1968) American clergyman, activist, and leader in the American Civil Rights Movement
1960s, Why I Am Opposed to the War in Vietnam (1967)
Context: I have not lost faith. I'm not in despair, because I know that there is a moral order. I haven't lost faith, because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. I can still sing "We Shall Overcome" because Carlyle was right: "No lie can live forever." We shall overcome because William Cullen Bryant was right: "Truth pressed to earth will rise again." We shall overcome because James Russell Lowell was right: "Truth forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne." Yet, that scaffold sways the future. We shall overcome because the bible is right: "You shall reap what you sow." With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our world into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to speed up the day when justice will roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream. With this faith we will be able to speed up the day when the lion and the lamb will lie down together, and every man will sit under his own vine and fig tree, and none shall be afraid because the words of the Lord have spoken it. With this faith we will be able to speed up the day when all over the world we will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we're free at last!" With this faith, we'll sing it as we're getting ready to sing it now. Men will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. And nations will not rise up against nations, neither shall they study war anymore. And I don't know about you, I ain't gonna study war no more.
“It was all my identities, all rolling in over me.”
Ram Dass book Be Here Now
Be Here Now (1971)
Context: I recall starting to "come down" and this huge red wave rolled in across the room. … It was all my identities, all rolling in over me. I remember holding up my hand and saying, "NO, NO, I don't want to go back." It was like this heavy burden I was going to take on myself. And I realized I didn't have the key — I didn't know the magic words, like "Abracadabra" or "Hocus Pocus" or whatever it was going to be that would stop that wave.
Barack Obama (1961) 44th President of the United States of America
2015, Bloody Sunday Speech (March 2015)
Context: With effort, we can roll back poverty and the roadblocks to opportunity. Americans don’t accept a free ride for anybody, nor do we believe in equality of outcomes. But we do expect equal opportunity. And if we really mean it, if we’re not just giving lip service to it, but if we really mean it and are willing to sacrifice for it, then, yes, we can make sure every child gets an education suitable to this new century, one that expands imaginations and lifts sights and gives those children the skills they need. We can make sure every person willing to work has the dignity of a job, and a fair wage, and a real voice, and sturdier rungs on that ladder into the middle class. And with effort, we can protect the foundation stone of our democracy for which so many marched across this bridge –- and that is the right to vote.
Marcel Proust book In Search of Lost Time
Par l’art seulement, nous pouvons sortir de nous, savoir ce que voit un autre de cet univers qui n’est pas le même que le nôtre et dont les paysages nous seraient restés aussi inconnus que ceux qu’il peut y avoir dans la lune. Grâce à l’art, au lieu de voir un seul monde, le nôtre, nous le voyons se multiplier, et autant qu’il y a d’artistes originaux, autant nous avons de mondes à notre disposition, plus différents les uns des autres que ceux qui roulent dans l’infini et qui, bien des siècles après qu’est éteint le foyer dont il émanait, qu’il s’appelât Rembrandt ou Vermeer, nous envoient encore leur rayon spécial.<p>Ce travail de l’artiste, de chercher à apercevoir sous la matière, sous de l’expérience, sous des mots, quelque chose de différent, c’est exactement le travail inverse de celui que, à chaque minute, quand nous vivons détourné de nous-même, l’amour-propre, la passion, l’intelligence, et l’habitude aussi accomplissent en nous, quand elles amassent au-dessus de nos impressions vraies, pour nous les cacher entièrement, les nomenclatures, les buts pratiques que nous appelons faussement la vie.
Source: In Search of Lost Time, Remembrance of Things Past (1913-1927), Vol. VII: The Past Recaptured (1927), Ch. III: "An Afternoon Party at the House of the Princesse de Guermantes"
Cathy Cassidy (1962) British author of young adult fiction
Source: Lucky Star