Time & Perspective Quote by Rick Wakeman

"I was born in 1949 - which seems like a long time ago... Actually, it is a long time ago, when I think about it"

Rick Wakeman, Musician

About this Quote

Wakeman’s joke lands because it’s built like a prog riff: an ornate setup, a little pause for effect, then the blunt chord that undercuts the whole thing. “Seems like a long time ago” is the polite, conversational version of aging, the kind of line you offer to keep nostalgia light and non-threatening. Then he yanks the curtain back: “Actually, it is a long time ago.” The humor isn’t just self-deprecation; it’s a small rebellion against the culture’s demand that older artists stay eternally “classic” without ever being allowed to be old.

As a musician whose career is tangled up with the 1970s mythos of excess, virtuosity, and big gestures, Wakeman is also puncturing the romance of the era. Fans like to treat birth years and debut dates as badges, a timeline you can tour for comfort. He turns that impulse into a punchline: the past isn’t a vibe, it’s arithmetic. The ellipsis does real work here, mimicking a stage aside - the moment you can see him hearing himself talk, realizing he’s about to drift into sentimentality, and choosing comedy instead.

Subtext: aging isn’t tragic, but pretending it’s not happening is ridiculous. Context: a rock landscape obsessed with reunions, legacy acts, and “still got it” narratives. Wakeman offers a more human posture: yes, time passed; yes, it’s funny; yes, I’m still here.

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About the Author

Rick Wakeman

Rick Wakeman (born May 18, 1949) is a Musician from United Kingdom.

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