You have to know when to strike and when to retreat.

Meaning of the quote

This quote means you need to know when to take action and when to hold back. Sometimes it's best to go for what you want, but other times it's better to wait and let the right moment come. Being able to decide the right time to move forward or step back is an important skill.

About John Oates

John Oates is an American musician best known as one half of the classic rock and soul duo Hall & Oates. He is a talented guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer, and has co-written many of the duo’s biggest hits, including ‘Sara Smile’ and ‘Maneater’. Oates has also had a successful solo career and been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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More quotes from John Oates

If it wasn’t for music, I doubt whether we’d be friends.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

I think people were just starving for good material because they just weren’t getting it on the radio.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

You have to know when to strike and when to retreat.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

I couldn’t begin to name names… in general I have found racers to be some of the most competitive people on the planet… and some of the nicest as well.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

If Daryl stopped touring it would be a big part of him missing.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

Sometimes, it’s just great to bring new people into the mix.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

The thing is, we’ve changed our style but we’ve never changed the actual roots of what we’ve done.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

I just like playing with the band and doing what I do.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

We’ve been together since we’ve been teenagers. I can go away and disappear for two years, and when we get back together, it’s like nothing ever has changed.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

I wish I could see over crowds and small groups of people.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

If I stopped touring tomorrow, it wouldn’t change my life.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

In our relationship, we don’t have that situation. I don’t require what he needs, and he doesn’t require what I need. I know what I do; I have an amazing life that nobody knows about.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

Well, because we’re so different as people. And it’s that difference that probably also makes it easy to stay together, because we don’t get in each others way.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

It’s the music that brings us together.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

To me, when a great band is playing together, it’s amazing for me.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

Swimming upstream in the music business is a hard thing to do.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

We should have an easier name to pronounce.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

We collaborate together. We work with other people. We work by ourselves.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

If you look over the years, the styles have changed – the clothes, the hair, the production, the approach to the songs. The icing to the cake has changed flavors. But if you really look at the cake itself, it’s really the same.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

I like playing on stage, don’t get me wrong.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

I do a lot of things behind the scenes. I do a lot of things that don’t hit the headlines.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

I was just glad to meet somebody outside of my group of small town friends who was into music. Somebody else who had aspirations to do something more than sing at a record hop.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

If something that needs to be done that we don’t feel confronting, we do it through the manager.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

Well, before we met I had heard and seen him sing so I knew he was good.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates

I have a great family, I live an amazing life.

John Oates

American musician and member of Hall & Oates