Quotes from Nellie McKay

In high school, I was always into Jerry Lee Lewis, and they decided they needed a piano player for the jazz band. I had my little boogie-woogie thing that I did, so I did my little boogie-woogie thing. I had a very high-pitched voice.

I really don't care what people say. It's amazing that feminism continues to exist at all, considering how much counter-feminism is out there.

My mom. She really encouraged me. That's the trouble with education: Unless you have a really supportive parent, you get left behind.

I was approaching adolescence. For some reason, I guess my mother thought it would be less crazy out in the suburbs, which it wasn't. I just think adolescence is hard for anyone.

I feel like you should always be questioning the genre you're doing. If you're doing something that sounds like a lullaby, it can be good to make it about someone stalking someone.

I have trouble with any kind of focus or concentrating, or getting anything done at all, really.

You know, if I can survive marching band, I can survive anything.

I'm glad if people can listen to some music and maybe fix some prejudices of their own, just by thinking.

I'm pretty indiscriminating, and I have awful taste, generally.

In New York City, when they develop something, they never use the old buildings. It's so wasteful. Why not use what's there?

I never know how to get off the phone, so I'm terribly admiring of people who can.

I love writing for dancers. You don't have to worry about the lyrics. I think to write words without music must be so frustrating. It must be always be so good, so perfect.

I'm not sure I know how to make music anymore. Maybe you're given a window into things for a time, and beyond that maybe it goes away. Why should you expect it to stay?

You know, I wanted to get married, and so I - but I, you know, I realize no matter what you want, it's kind of a fantasy.

I used to play in the subway. If everyone tossed in a quarter, at the end of the day it would add up. It shows you aren't invisible. And it's better than being ignored, or kicked in the head, or worse.

Toronto's a delightful city.

I'd love to give my music to someone who really likes to wow the crowd. I feel like half the time I just want to hide in the dressing room!

It's always so nerve-wracking being up there on stage. It's even harder playing in your hometown - and I have a couple of home towns - but, you're playing for all the people you knew in high school, so it causes no small degree of panic in my mind.

I don't listen to much rap, really. I can rarely listen to a whole record of it, because musically, it's very formulaic, and oftentimes it doesn't have the best hooks on every track.

Love is such a fleeting emotion. It's such a small part of the things you do in your life.

In the hierarchy of instruments, if you're a harpist, you're considered someone with a brain much more than if you're a singer.

I think there are nice things about every era. I wish we could just take the nice things.

I thought I had a talent for alienating people, but I have no idea what it is that doesn't go over.

I tried to be just a singer of standards when I was starting out. And there was nothing special enough about my voice to make it that far. So I feel a bit like Rod Stewart. Once you've had that rock career, people will give you that chance where otherwise they might not.