I think all songs should have weather in them. Names of towns and streets, and they should have a couple of sailors. I think those are just song prerequisites.

and when they pulled her from the wreck, you know, she still had on her shades

You want soldiers who, when they get to a river after a long march, don't start rooting for their canteen in their pack, but just dive right in.

If I want to walk out in the desert and heat up a can of beans on a fire, I still can. In those movies like Gattaca or whatever, the space age stuff is always all there is. But in the world there is never just one way of living. It's more like a big junkyard. Put it this way: I'm not afraid I'm going to end up on a space station in aluminium-foil underwear.

Don't look back, because someone might be gaining on you.

I sold a quart of blood and bought a half a pint of scotch

Children make up the best songs, anyway. Better than grown-ups. Kids are always working on songs and throwing them away, like little origami things or paper airplanes. They don't care if they lose it; they'll just make another one.