ByQuotes

Clarence Clemons Quotes

Powerful Clarence Clemons for Daily Growth

Rock-and-roll, to me, is very serious because we deal with the young people. We deal with people who need something, and that's the same thing that a preacher does. He feeds you something that you need spiritually in your soul and in your makeup.

- Clarence Clemons

Makeup, Deal, Very, Rock-And-Roll

As a horn player, the greatest compliment one can get is when a person comes to you and says, 'I heard this saxophone on the radio the other day and I knew it was you. I don't know the song, but I know it was you on sax.'

- Clarence Clemons

Song, Other, Knew, Horn

I'll never be rude to another news person. It's a tough job, a thankless job. You really have to get out there and grovel to get your story.

- Clarence Clemons

News, Another, Your, Thankless

I hung out in the Baltimore area a lot. My biggest memory was playing football against Morgan. That was, like, 'Forget about it,' that was a really big thing. They used to kick our butts all the time.

- Clarence Clemons

Memory, Big, Baltimore, Morgan

I wanted an electric train for Christmas but I got the saxophone instead.

- Clarence Clemons

Saxophone, Electric, Wanted, Train

Small clubs aren't as lucrative, but spiritually, they're my favorite places to play. It's a homey kind of thing. I refer to it as the Church of What's Happening Now.

- Clarence Clemons

Small, Play, Kind, Refer

To me, music is a river. I have lived my life beside the river. Every day, I get up and look at the river. I watch it and notice when it rises and falls.

- Clarence Clemons

My Life, Look, Every Day, Beside

Before the Berlin Wall came down, we played behind the Iron Curtain and sang, 'Born in the U.S.A.,' and I thought, 'We're all going to die. The man is going to get us all killed.' But then you saw all these kids with the American flag and German flags together and singing the song, and it was, wow, like 'We Shall Overcome.'

- Clarence Clemons

Die, Behind, German, Iron Curtain

We had to play both ways on the field, so I was offensive center and defensive end.

- Clarence Clemons

Play, Offensive, Both Ways, Defensive

To me, the sax is rock n' roll, even though electric guitars kind of pushed it aside for a while.

- Clarence Clemons

Kind, Electric, Though, Guitars

I didn't think I'd ever be a Michael Jackson fan. But... watching him move, watching him dance, is so encouraging for me. Because, in my mind, I can do all that stuff.

- Clarence Clemons

Mind, Think, Encouraging, None

Going through all of this physical stuff, it's been a tough job. But I've loved every second of my life.

- Clarence Clemons

My Life, Through, Been, Every Second

When you go backstage at a Bruce Springsteen show, you don't see a circus.

- Clarence Clemons

Go, See, Show, Backstage

When you learn a Bruce Springsteen song, it's like learning to ride a bike. You don't forget it.

- Clarence Clemons

Song, Learn, Like, None

I was a born rock n' roll sax player.

- Clarence Clemons

Rock, Born, Rock N Roll, Sax

I take my job as a rock and roll sax player very seriously. To do it the way that I must do it, I must be in good condition. The better shape you're in, the harder you can rock.

- Clarence Clemons

Rock And Roll, Shape, Very, Sax

Now that I am much older, I have had a number of sax players tell me I was responsible for them playing sax. Some of them I have admired over the years.

- Clarence Clemons

Some, Over, Admired, Sax

I'd rather somebody punch me in the face than drop my sax.

- Clarence Clemons

Face, Drop, Rather, Sax

I visualize what I do before I do it. Visualizing makes me better.

- Clarence Clemons

Better, Before, Visualizing, Visualize

I got into the soul music, but I wanted to rock. I was a rocker.

- Clarence Clemons

Music, Rock, Rocker, Soul Music

It's love. It's two men - two strong, very virile men - finding that space in life where they can let go enough of their masculinity to feel the passion of love and respect and trust. Friendships are based on those things, and you seal it with a kiss.

- Clarence Clemons

Love, Trust, Very, Let Go

The word spiritual, not the word religious, is the key.

- Clarence Clemons

Spiritual, Word, Religious, Key

I have no agenda - just to be loved.

- Clarence Clemons

Loved, Just, Agenda

When I walk on stage, it's the 'healing floor.' No matter how bad I'm hurting, I get out there and do it.

- Clarence Clemons

Bad, Matter, Out, Hurting

More than 50 percent of kids who play an instrument go on to college, yet music education programs at the inner city public schools who need them most continue to be hit hard with budget cuts.

- Clarence Clemons

Education, College, Play, Budget

Through all the hardships and all the operations and all the hospitals, all that stuff each part of my life, there's been some goodness, some greatness that comes in here and helps me to be strong, to continue what I'm doing.

- Clarence Clemons

My Life, Through, Here, Helps

Asbury Park's a special place for me. It's where I really began playing.

- Clarence Clemons

Me, Special, Began, Special Place

In the mental calmness of a spiritual life, I have found that the answers to the whys in our lives are able to come to you. In my music I find the same thing.

- Clarence Clemons

Answers, Same Thing, Lives, Calmness

How many ways can you cut a steak? How many ways can a chord go? I've been in this business so long, I know how to cut it.

- Clarence Clemons

Steak, Been, Cut, Chord

Being involved in the well-being and advancement of one's own community is a most natural thing to do.

- Clarence Clemons

Well-Being, Most, Involved, Natural Thing

If you're searching for quotes on a different topic, feel free to browse our Topics page or explore a diverse collection of quotes from various Authors to find inspiration.