Quotes from Gilbert O'Sullivan

I thought my singing and songwriting were good, but nothing different. Then you're presented with this picture image that contradicts the impression you get from listening to the record.

I do believe that any conflict has a better chance of being resolved if two people can come face to face.

Lennon and McCartney became great songwriters because they were prepared to listen to and learn from all types of music.

There are two types of session guitar players. One reads and only plays what the 'dots' say. The other adds that something special and plays notes and solos you dream of. Big Jim Sullivan was such a player.

I always tell people that I went through long hair. I was a typical art school scruff. It was good then.

Nothing Rhymed,' my first single in England, was a nice ballad, which I thought would sound like a songwriter typical of the day - denim, jeans, long hair, early 20s.

I bought my mum a new house when the money started to come in; it's that old cliche.

I always want to keep moving musically and trying new things.

When I started out I thought just hearing one of my records on the radio would be magical. Fortunately, that naivety has always stayed with me. Because when you've had massive success and it tapers off people lose interest in you. So you have to work even harder to generate interest.

I see myself in competition with Blur and Oasis. But everyone else just sees me as this guy with a history.

I couldn't live without Radio 1. They condemned me to oblivion, but they're what I grew up with.

I'd go to meetings with record companies - CBS, Decca, EMI. They'd tell me to wear a pair of jeans and grow my hair and look normal. And I'd say, 'Sod that,' and storm out. And I do think that belligerence is important when you're young.

It's very easy to think about rhymes and just usage of words that sound good but don't mean anything. Basically, I try to put into song the way people actually talk.

I do like to write about dark subjects.

I've always been a bit of a loner.

I think if every song I had was, 'I love you, you love me,' there would be a problem.

I think I'm a good lyricist.