Joan Jett Quotes

Powerful Joan Jett for Daily Growth

About Joan Jett

Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin on September 22, 1958) is an iconic American rock musician, songwriter, and producer. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she developed a passion for music at an early age, inspired by artists like The Rolling Stones, T. Rex, and the MC5. At just 15, Jett formed her first band, The Runaways, with guitarist Lita Ford. The all-female group found success in the mid-1970s, paving the way for future generations of female rockers. However, creative differences led to the disbanding of The Runaways in 1977. Undeterred, Jett formed a new band, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, in 1979. Their breakthrough came with the release of "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" in 1980, which became a global hit and solidified Jett as a rock legend. Other notable songs by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts include "Crimson and Clover," "Bad Reputation," and "Light of Day." Jett's music career has spanned over four decades, making her one of the most influential female musicians in the history of rock 'n' roll. She is known for her electrifying stage presence, raw vocals, and fierce independence. In 2015, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Runaways. Away from music, Jett is an advocate for various causes, including animal rights and LGBTQ+ rights. She founded the non-profit organization Little Sisters of the Underground, which provides support to young women in the arts. Joan Jett continues to perform and record music today, inspiring generations of rockers with her rebellious spirit, unapologetic attitude, and timeless hits.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"I don't give a damn about my reputation."

This quote by Joan Jett reflects her rebellious spirit, indifference to societal norms, and a strong focus on personal beliefs and actions rather than the opinions of others. It suggests that she values authenticity over what others think of her, choosing instead to live life on her own terms without concern for maintaining a polished or favorable public image.

"Rock and roll is the music of rebellion. It has been since Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, and it still is today."

The quote by Joan Jett emphasizes that rock and roll music inherently embodies a spirit of defiance and nonconformity, a trait that has been present since its inception with icons like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, continuing through to the modern era. This association with rebellion arises from rock's ability to challenge societal norms, express individuality, and foster a sense of camaraderie among those who feel misunderstood or marginalized.

"The harder I work, the luckier I get."

The quote "The harder I work, the luckier I get" emphasizes that hard work and dedication, rather than mere chance or good fortune, are key factors in achieving success. It suggests that those who put in a tremendous amount of effort and perseverance are more likely to be rewarded with opportunities and positive outcomes, effectively making them appear "lucky." In essence, the quote underscores the importance of hard work as a catalyst for good fortune and highlights the idea that success is often the product of determination and diligence.

"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not."

This quote by Joan Jett emphasizes the importance of authenticity and self-expression over conforming to societal expectations or hiding one's true nature to gain acceptance. It signifies a strong stance against false approval and highlights the value in being oneself, even if it invites rejection or criticism from others. The message encourages individuals to remain unapologetically true to their identity, rather than compromising who they are for temporary acceptance or love that isn't based on genuine understanding and appreciation.

"If you don't take a chance, you'll never know what might have been."

The quote emphasizes the importance of taking risks in life. It suggests that one should not remain complacent with known circumstances, but instead, venture into the unknown to discover new possibilities and experiences. This quote encourages individuals to step out of their comfort zones to achieve their full potential and realize what they truly can accomplish.

Other people will call me a rebel, but I just feel like I'm living my life and doing what I want to do. Sometimes people call that rebellion, especially when you're a woman.

- Joan Jett

My Life, Doing, Other, Rebel

A lot of people ask me why I don't expand and explore other musical areas, but I like the plain three- and four-chord rock-and-roll that I call the the semi-blues.

- Joan Jett

Explore, Other, Musical, Rock-And-Roll

I don't know if I miss it per se, but I do miss the fact that there just doesn't seem to be any rock 'n' roll out there anyplace. Everything does seem kind of tame. It's even hard in Manhattan to go out and find a good band to go see.

- Joan Jett

Good, Fact, Roll, Tame

I think what I'm going to do is get more balance in my life to still be able to go out and play the hard rock 'n' roll and do what I like to do in music.

- Joan Jett

My Life, Play, Think, Hard Rock

We all make judgments on people, but some are much more brutal than others. It's easy to say, 'Ya know, I'm not crazy about what she's wearing,' but you don't have to be nasty about it, and you don't have to be public about it.

- Joan Jett

Some, About, Ya, Nasty

Life is strong and fragile. It's a paradox... It's both things, like quantum physics: It's a particle and a wave at the same time. It all exists all together.

- Joan Jett

Strong, Quantum Physics, Quantum

Shaving my head was a millennium ritual, to not let it pass as just another New Year's Eve. A lot has happened to me in the last couple of years, personally and spiritually. I wanted to mark it for myself.

- Joan Jett

New, Last, Couple, Eve

If you're secure in yourself, and even if you're not secure in yourself, you don't need to bully.

- Joan Jett

Yourself, Need, Even, Bully

You want to have butterflies in your stomach, because if you don't, if you walk out onstage complacent, that's not a good thing.

- Joan Jett

Butterflies, A Good Thing, Complacent

So now 20 years later people want us to get together so they can take shots at all these old babes trying to get back some youth. I mean come on; I've been there. I know what the press would do.

- Joan Jett

Get Together, Some, Been, Babes

You got nothing to lose. You don't lose when you lose fake friends.

- Joan Jett

Lose, Nothing, Fake Friends, Fake

I've been doing this stuff for so long it's the one aspect of my life that I've paid attention to and really sort of not paid attention to the rest of it.

- Joan Jett

Rest, My Life, Been, One Aspect

Aggressive, tough and defiant may describe me, but that leaves the impression I'm mean and I'm not. People expect me to have fangs.

- Joan Jett

Tough, People, May, Aggressive

And you have a record company behind it, this is a key too, you need people to fight for your records, at least a little bit. So if you have a great song, it's catchy, and you've got a little bit of help, I think that's all you need. But there hasn't been that in music.

- Joan Jett

Behind, Been, I Think, Catchy

I remember times when I was at shows and the person onstage locked eyes with me. And in that moment, everything was right with the world. I think that's part of my job, to create these thousands of moments every night. And for the rest of their life, they can say, 'You guys looked at me,' or 'You sweated on me,' or 'I got your gum.'

- Joan Jett

I Remember, I Think, Part, Locked

When I came back to it, we amicably separated from Warner Bros. I just picked up where I left off, trying to write the rest of this record. It took awhile to get out.

- Joan Jett

Back, Out, Picked, Warner Bros

Factory farming is one of the biggest contributors to the most serious environmental problems. The meat industry causes more greenhouse gas emissions than all the cars, trucks, planes and ships in the world.

- Joan Jett

Environmental, More, Factory, Ships

I really wanted it to be organic and coming from my heart. So, I think maybe the initial thought of wanting to go in that direction, I had to wait until things happened in our world and in our country that fired me up enough where the words came out organically.

- Joan Jett

Wait, Country, Wanting, Organically

Girls see these defined roles they're supposed to follow in life, but when I was a young child, my parents told me I could be anything.

- Joan Jett

Young, Could, Roles, Defined

I had a blast doing the Warped Tour, but it's good to be home, for sure.

- Joan Jett

Doing, Sure, Had, Blast

Well, I'll tell you, I don't know how aware teenagers are of me. I think it really depends on the teenager and how well-versed in music they are and what kind of music they like.

- Joan Jett

Think, Depends, I Think, Teenager

The media says that equality for women has arrived, but if you look around, you still don't see girls playing guitars and having success with it.

- Joan Jett

Media, Still, Having, Guitars

I've done some acting and a lot of different things, but mostly it's the music.

- Joan Jett

Some, Lot, Mostly, Different Things

Anyone who wants to know who I am can just read my lyrics - I've always written about who I am.

- Joan Jett

Always, About, Read, Lyrics

I think there's nothing better than seeing a three-chord straight up rock 'n' roll band in your face with sweaty music and three minute good songs.

- Joan Jett

Think, Nothing, I Think, Sweaty

We always play clubs. It's not something that I feel above. Those are my favorite shows because they're intimate, they're tight, their sweaty, they're hot. You're close to the people. Those are my favorites.

- Joan Jett

Play, Feel, Favorites, Sweaty

The follow your dreams thing is really important because so many people are railroaded into taking other paths by their family, their friends, people who should be supportive going, 'What are you talking about?' Even just seemingly regular career paths, but if it's not what people expect for you they kind of react funny.

- Joan Jett

Career, Other, Supportive, Regular

It's easier to sit there and say you don't like feminists because they don't have a sense of humor.

- Joan Jett

Sense Of Humor, Feminists, Sit

Before I settled on music, I wanted to be an archaeologist, an astronaut, all sorts of really diverse things.

- Joan Jett

Music, Astronaut, Wanted, Diverse

I love sports. I love animals. I love kids. I want to save the world. So how do I combine all those things? I don't know.

- Joan Jett

Love, Sports, Want, Combine

When you're onstage and the audience is smiling and singing and bopping along and you're all on the same level, it's the best feeling in the world. It may sound dumb and corny to say it, but it's like pure love.

- Joan Jett

Love, Dumb, Sound, Same Level

I bought one of those Learn How to Play Guitar Chords By Yourself and it shows you the diagram where to put your hands and I took that in my room, sat with my singles and learned how to play guitar.

- Joan Jett

Play, Hands, Took, Diagram

Women are still second-class citizens.

- Joan Jett

Still, Second-Class, Women Are

Nobody knows what anticipation is anymore. Everything is so immediate.

- Joan Jett

Nobody, Anymore, Immediate, Anticipation

Performance-wise, you really need to be down in the trenches; you need to do the hard work, for a lot of reasons: To build yourself as a performer, to get a sense of the audience, to work hard and to wonder, 'Do I really want to do this?'

- Joan Jett

Audience, Performer, Reasons, Trenches

Even though everybody's lives are different, in general we're all human beings, and we go through the same things: disappointments, the pleasures of life, life and death. That's always been a really big part of the show to me, making sure the audience feels connected, and that carries through to the album.

- Joan Jett

Big, Through, Feels, Disappointments

You follow any family around, you're going to see elation, you're going to see disharmony.

- Joan Jett

Follow, See, Going, Elation

I do not knowingly kill any living thing - including insects or rodents - and I thank my food for sustaining me.

- Joan Jett

Living, Sustaining, Insects

I love to engage with people who come to see us.

- Joan Jett

Love, See, I Love, Engage

Pop music is not a threatening style of music.

- Joan Jett

Music, Threatening, Pop, Pop Music

I feel like it's my job to carry the torch.

- Joan Jett

Feel, Carry, Like, Torch

I sure saw a lot of kids that I'm sure didn't know a lot about us, or we were definitely new to them. The kids who came up to me afterward, we'd talk about music, sign a lot of autographs. So I'm sure we made a lot of new fans.

- Joan Jett

Sign, About, Lot, Autographs

Def Leppard is obviously a different band that we are, but the music work well tighter. And the audiences seem work well together too. We are opening, but we're having a good time.

- Joan Jett

Work, Having, Obviously, Opening

I'm having fun opening up. Sort of struggling to get the audience into it. It's good. It makes you fight. Not fight like antagonistic. But fight for what you believe.

- Joan Jett

Audience, Like, Having, Opening

Only because The Runaways were my baby and there's no reason to get it back together except to totally have fun. If that's not the goal, then I don't want to do it.

- Joan Jett

Goal, Have Fun, Reason, No Reason

I'm concentrating on staying healthy, having peace, being happy, remembering what is important, taking in nature and animals, spending time reading, trying to understand the universe, where science and the spiritual meet.

- Joan Jett

Peace, Happy, Concentrating, Taking

My job is intense. It's very physical.

- Joan Jett

Job, Very, Physical, Intense

I wouldn't say no to other kinds of musical opportunities. I guess that it just depends on what it was or what it required me to do, and if I felt that it compromised my own soul.

- Joan Jett

Depends, Other, Musical, Compromised

People like to tear you down. People are always going to take shots. You've just got to go for it.

- Joan Jett

Go For It, Always, Like, Tear

Obviously, some people are thick, and they're not gonna see what they don't want to see.

- Joan Jett

See, Some, Gonna, Thick

I left my family, and I left my brother and sister, and I went and lived my dream. I saw everybody, but is it ever enough?

- Joan Jett

Brother And Sister, Saw, Sister

I figured out it was a social thing, what women were allowed to do. At a very young age, I decided I was not going to follow women's rules.

- Joan Jett

Young, Social, Very, Young Age

I think I was born strong-willed. That's not the kind of thing you can learn. The advantage is, you stick to what you believe in and rarely get pushed out of what you want to do.

- Joan Jett

Strength, Think, I Think, Strong-Willed

I like the way black looks. I think I look better in darker clothes. And maybe the fact that I wear black so much makes me more aware of putting people at ease. The black is sort of the bad-guy guise, so I work overtime to make people comfortable.

- Joan Jett

Fact, Ease, I Think, Darker

I think I look better in darker clothes. And maybe the fact that I wear black so much makes me more aware of putting people at ease.

- Joan Jett

Think, Ease, I Think, Darker

Beyond just writing about falling in love and out of love and wanting to do certain things and going out and partying and all the things that I grew up writing about, I want to write about deeper things.

- Joan Jett

Love, Falling, Wanting, Deeper

Cutting meat out of your diet is the best thing you can do for animals and your own health.

- Joan Jett

Health, Own, Cutting, Meat

A lot of the songs I've recorded are songs I write.

- Joan Jett

Songs, I Write, Lot, Recorded

I'm not necessarily intimidated by really jocky guys. I can talk football with them, you know what I mean?

- Joan Jett

Football, Them, Necessarily, Guys

I want to be singing to everybody, and I want everybody to think that I'm singing to them. Guys, girls and everyone in between.

- Joan Jett

Singing, Think, Everybody, Guys

Partly, I like a bad reputation. But I also want a reputation of being a good person.

- Joan Jett

Bad, Person, Like, Partly

You know, I have a really tough time finding new bands.

- Joan Jett

Time, New, Know, Tough Time

I have a tough time judging myself.

- Joan Jett

Time, Myself, Judging, Tough Time

We were really grown up for our age and it was an incredible special band.

- Joan Jett

Special, Incredible, Were, Band

Disharmony is natural in any band.

- Joan Jett

Natural, Any, Band

Blackheart Records being 25 years old represents staying power and the fact that we weren't able to get a record out through conventional means, so we had to create this record company to put out our records if we wanted to be a band that had records to give out to their fans.

- Joan Jett

Fact, Through, Records, Band

People are very sincere in their praise, and you can't take it lightly.

- Joan Jett

Very, Take, Lightly, Sincere

One of the mistakes I made was believing that the rock n' roll genre as a genre was much more free than the whole pop or R&B scene.

- Joan Jett

More, Made, Roll, Genre

God, I always just think of myself as a jeans and T-shirt kind of person.

- Joan Jett

Think, Kind, Always, T-Shirt

You know I don't care if the world thinks I'm smart or not.

- Joan Jett

World, Know, You, Thinks

My guitar is not a thing. It is an extension of myself. It is who I am.

- Joan Jett

Myself, I Am, Extension, Guitar

Rock 'n' roll music is what gets me off.

- Joan Jett

Music, Rock, Rock N Roll, Gets

So it was out of necessity that Blackheart was born. I think it's great that now, 25 years later, we're not only putting out our own music, but are able to put out music by other bands. That's really exciting for us.

- Joan Jett

Other, I Think, Putting, Necessity

I know music is subjective.

- Joan Jett

Music, Know, Subjective

I'd like to just be a little bit more open to making mistakes and not worrying about it so much.

- Joan Jett

Making Mistakes, Making, Worrying

If you really believe in yourself, you cannot listen to other people.

- Joan Jett

Yourself, Other, Cannot, Listen

For me the challenge isn't to be different but to be consistent.

- Joan Jett

Challenge, Me, Different, Consistent

I'm not a list person.

- Joan Jett

Person, List

I don't know if I get recognized necessarily, though I do get looked at a lot - but I don't know if it's because of who I am, or if people just think I look weird.

- Joan Jett

Think, Though, Looked, Recognized

I plan to stay in music. I plan to keep making records.

- Joan Jett

Music, Making, Records, Plan

My parents taught me I could be anything in the world I wanted to be.

- Joan Jett

World, Could, Wanted, Taught

I think it's important to have mystique.

- Joan Jett

Think, Important, I Think, Mystique

I was in drama, wanted to be an actor.

- Joan Jett

Actor, Wanted, Drama

I grew up in a world that told girls they couldn't play rock 'n' roll.

- Joan Jett

Play, Rock, Rock N Roll, Grew

Why there aren't people out there willing to have fun playing rock 'n' roll. I just don't get it.

- Joan Jett

Have Fun, Roll, Willing, Rock

I like to hang out with my friends. I love music. I like to go to the movies. I like to eat. I like to cook.

- Joan Jett

Love, Like, Hang, Cook

I leave for the show at least an hour ahead, and I do some vocal warm-ups, and that's pretty much it.

- Joan Jett

Some, Pretty, Hour, Leave

Things work in cycles.

- Joan Jett

Work, Things, Cycles

I'm a good person.

- Joan Jett

Good, Person, Good Person

I love school. I was a great student.

- Joan Jett

Love, School, I Love, Student

People don't want to see women doing things they don't think women should do.

- Joan Jett

Doing, Think, See, Women

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