identity function with an echo side effect

[bolega]

After searching google groups and emacs apropos extensively, I could
not find a function, perhaps I am missing one that can return
identically return its argument and has a small side effect of echoing
the argument in some place such as for example

the mini buffer or the point at which C-x C-e is typed.

For example, calling this function "echo" , usage would look like
this :

(cdr ( echo (cdr (echo (cdr (echo '(a b c d)))))))

echo:
'(a b c d) or (a b c d)  (I am not sure which would be appropriate)
(b c d)
(c d)

result:
(d)

Is there a need for quotes to prevent evaluation of alphabets at any
phase ?

Thanks.