I like writing melody without an instrument. It's just so - it's more like the choreography of a bee; you just go.

It's the same with men as with horses and dogs, nothing wants to die.

There's no prayer like desire.

I’ve always believed that the way you affect your audience is more important than how many of them are there.

Most changes in music, most exciting things that happen in music, occur through a miscommunication between people "I thought you said this." Poetry comes out of that too.

There's always free cheddar in the mousetrap, baby.

If you can make a little painting for the ears with a few words, well, I like words; I like cutting them up and finding different ways of saying the same thing... I get into a spell, and it all comes easy. I don't labor over it. I go inside the song, I think you make yourself an antenna for songs, and songs want to be around you. And then they bring other songs along, and then they're all sitting around, and they're drinkin' your beer, and they're sleeping on the floor. And they are using the phone, they're rude, thankless little f---ers.