I can picture the color of the song, or the shape of it, or who it is that I'm trying to appeal to, in the song, and what I'm trying to, almost, reinforce my feelings for. And I know that sounds sort of vague and abstract, but I've got a handle on it when I'm doing it.

I'm mortified to be on the stage, but then again, it's the only place where I'm happy.

God is in heaven, and we all want what's his. But power and greed and corruptible seed seem to be all that there is.

I can be jubilant one moment and pensive the next, and a cloud could go by and make that happen.

Ain't nothing too discreet about the disease of conceit.

People are going to say, ‘Well, it’s not very truthful.’ But a songwriter doesn’t care about what’s truthful. What he cares about is what should’ve happened, what could’ve happened. That’s its own kind of truth. It’s like people who read Shakespeare plays, but they never see a Shakespeare play. I think they just use his name.

The Duke [John Wayne] was a massive figure. He looked like a heavy piece of hauled lumber, and it didn't seem like any man could stand shoulder to shoulder with him.