I've never written a political song. Songs can't save the world. I've gone through all that.

If I had rubies, riches, and crowns, I'd buy the whole world and change things around.

Here's the thing with me and the religious thing. This is the flat-out truth: I find the religiosity and philosophy in the music. I don't find it anywhere else.

In writing songs, I've learned as much from Cezanne as I have from Woody Guthrie.

You should always take the best from the past, leave the worst back there and go forward into the future.

Johnny's in the basement Mixing up the medicine I'm on the pavement Thinking 'bout the government.

I like the fans, but I don't feel an obligation that I have to be an example to them, like say maybe a baseball player would, or a football player or maybe some other type of musicians. I don't feel I have to really set an example that somebody else has to live up to.