I've always littered my songs with jokes. You might need to dig a little deeper to find the humor, but I would totally object to being some kind of distraught personality. I've never tried to attach myself to that.

Thank god we don't know a lot about William Shakespeare or Moses or Homer or Lautréamont. These are the best guys we got, and their art is powerful because they're mysterious. Once biographical information contaminates your consciousness, it's impossible to erase it and look at someone's work the same way again.

Folk art has never been much about politics; it's about action and utility.

I think it's worthwhile to expand your comfort level and just do something awful. I wasn't trying to make music for money.

I was just a folk singer. I cut my teeth on the streets, you know.

I couldn't write a political song. There's just opinion; it's all arbitrary anyway. It's all subjective.

People just wanna see someone talking about themselves constantly. I'm not interested in that.