I think the nature of songwriters is that they are philosophers, and philosophers have a bent towards poetry and songwriting, so I think that the two run around together. The nature of a songwriter could be philosophical. Looking for universal ideas, a way to say things, get the story across as a means of entertaining, provoking thought.

A monkey was the President, though maybe not the first. And there was peace and harmony throughout the universe.

Is this really Butte, Montana, or just existential blues?

After I retired and came off the road, I gathered up all my musical instruments and suddenly, I wanted them all to be perfect.

Songwriting is as much a craft as a talent.

Old dogs care about you, even when you make mistakes.

I knew a lot of chords, but they weren't the chords that came with the melody that came with the idea I had for the song. Melodies are simple things. If you see a train wreck, there's a melody. If you see a little daisy blowing in the breeze, there's a melody.