Unions have been the only powerful and effective voice working people have ever had in the history of this country.

Don't take yourself too seriously. And take yourself as seriously as death itself.

But I think that your entire life is a process of sorting out some of those early messages that you got.

You need two things to remain very, very present. You need to continue to write well and engage yourself in the issues of the day. And you have to continue to make good, relevant records.

Basically, I was pretty ostracized in my hometown. Me and a few other guys were the town freaks- and there were many occasions when we were dodging getting beaten up ourselves.

Adult life is dealing with an enormous amount of questions that don't have answers. So I let the mystery settle into my music. I don't deny anything, I don't advocate anything, I just live with it.

Mister, I ain't a boy, no I'm a man, and i believe in a promised land.