You know, I'm not comfortable with people whose politics are static in a democracy.

I don't believe that songwriting has to be profound, but I truly believe that it's a crime for you to go outta your way for it not to be.

I'm constantly warning people that are involved in my life that I can go busk and make a living. I can make my rent in New York City in the subway, I promise, if I'm forced to.

I ain't ever satisfied.

You make decisions, and that's what separates art from some other pop music. It doesn't mean that you can't make an embarrassing amount of money, for a borderline Marxist, doing something that you love, but it does mean that this huge pool of money that was out there when I started making records in the '80s is gone.

I just had a child on purpose at age 56, I'm pretty f---ing optimistic.

I don't care what's happening in the mainstream of country music. I haven't in a long time.