If I'm reading about a river or the trees or the wind blowing or the stars at night, if you can hear that in the music in some way, you've wedded the two and your imagination takes off. To be able to hear that in music is really important.

Leave every place you go, everything you touch, a little better for your having been there.

A lot of my life happened in great, wonderful bursts of good fortune, and then I would race to be worthy of it.

I hate the word wholesome.

You never feel lonely if you're writing, because you're living with all these characters in your head.

I would like to make one thing quite clear. ... I never explain anything.

When in doubt, stand still.