You can build up expectations for a song before you record it, and then it's like nothing's good enough in the studio.

I've done my share of busking, and it's fun until it isn't. There are musicians in the subways that will make you cry, they're so good.

I think I'm still a little too intense for my own good sometimes.

Every time I get up in the morning, melodies occur to me and I start trying to shape lyrics to melodies.

I guess I'm attracted to more archaic words because they can be imbued with more meaning, because their definition is elusive.

My favorite literature to read is fairly dry history. I like the framework, and my imagination can do the rest.

Sometimes I think I don't have much choice in the matter. It's just what happens, and I'm following my instincts the whole time.

Songwriters can sort of get away with murder. You can throw out crazy theories and not have to back it up with data or graphs or research.

All the folks I play with come from jazz backgrounds or at least appreciate spontaneity within the parameters of a pop song.

I am, in some sense, a writer. Even though I kinda downplay the word thing, I do enjoy writing sometimes.

I think when I was pretty young I got really into the tone of my instrument and I remember just playing one note for an hour to just kind of feel the resonance of the violin.

I feel like I'm just a woman like every woman. We have our doubts, which is better, because I always prefer to stay humble about everything.

We will die a slow death over the next two years as this oil creeps ashore.

We are too quick to put labels on things. It is my profession. I get up and paint. Everyone wants to put a label on it, but I am a free spirit, so I fight against that.

My heart, to put it more simply, got nostalgic for the present. Always a bad sign.

I cannot imagine why we should be at the expense to furnish wit for succeeding ages, when the former have made no sort of provision for ours.

every story written is marks upon a page The same marks, repeated, only differently arranged

Whatever may be guru - he may be a lunatic or a common person. Once you have accepted him, he is the lord of lords.

Whether you like it or not, the last few years I'd be the first one to tell you I haven't been the Pedro Martinez that I'm used to being.

There is a true glory and a true honor: the glory of duty done--the honor of the integrity of principle.

We are for ever trying to make our weakness look like strength, our sentiment like love, our cowardice like courage, and so on.