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Creativity Quote by Tina Turner

"Well, these days, if you're away five years, you might not be able to get back"

About this Quote

There is a whole era of celebrity reinvention packed into that offhand warning. Tina Turner isn’t talking like a philosopher; she’s talking like a road-tested survivor who’s watched the culture’s attention span shrink from albums to moments. The line lands because it’s shaped like casual conversation - "these days" - but it carries the cold math of modern fame: disappearance isn’t rest, it’s risk.

On the surface, it’s about career momentum. Step away for five years and the world doesn’t hold your place. Underneath, it’s a comment on how the industry metabolizes people, especially women, as if they’re perishable goods. The clock doesn’t just tick louder; it starts sounding like a verdict. Turner knew what it meant to be underestimated, written off, and then forced to return not as a nostalgia act but as an essential artist. Her own comeback story - breaking from Ike, rebuilding in midlife, making "Private Dancer" a global reboot - gives the quote its bite. She’s not speculating; she’s reporting.

The genius is the double meaning of "get back". It’s literal (touring, travel, borders), but it’s also existential: once the narrative moves on, you may not reclaim your identity in the public mind. In a media environment that rewards constant visibility, Turner’s line reads like a grim pep talk: protect your continuity, because the machine won’t. It’s pragmatic, slightly ominous, and very Tina - plainspoken truth with an edge of thunder.

Quote Details

TopicLong-Distance Relationship
SourceHelp us find the source
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Citation Formats

APA Style (7th ed.)
Turner, Tina. (2026, January 15). Well, these days, if you're away five years, you might not be able to get back. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/well-these-days-if-youre-away-five-years-you-169754/

Chicago Style
Turner, Tina. "Well, these days, if you're away five years, you might not be able to get back." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/well-these-days-if-youre-away-five-years-you-169754/.

MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Well, these days, if you're away five years, you might not be able to get back." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/well-these-days-if-youre-away-five-years-you-169754/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.

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About the Author

Tina Turner

Tina Turner (November 26, 1939 - May 24, 2023) was a Musician from USA.

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