Quotes from Lucinda Williams

Back in the 1960s, I saw Peter, Paul and Mary. I was at that age, about 14, and I was mesmerized.

You can't really praise somebody's work and then criticize the process.

Sade's stuff is real deceptive. She's got stuff about prostitutes, poverty and people on the streets.

I'm fascinated by the whole concept of snake handling. When you read about the Pentecostal snake handlers, what strikes you the most is their commitment.

Above all, the listener should be able to understand the poem or the song, not be forced to unravel a complicated, self-indulgent puzzle. Offer your art up to the whole world, not just an elite few.

Offer your art up to the whole world, not just an elite few.

The perfect man? A poet on a motorcycle.

People let their own hang-ups become the obstacles between them and personal happiness.

Back in the 1960s, I saw Peter, Paul and Mary. I was at that age, about 14, and I was mesmerized.

I'm not just a doormat. I'm not just being stepped on all over the place. If you look at the bulk of my material, it's about trying to find some strength through that.

I just broke up with my boyfriend, and I've been spending more time alone than I'd like.

If you come into success too soon, you'll burn out and be finished before you know it. If you let the maturation process happen naturally, you'll be happier with yourself in the end.

Blood spilled out from the hole in your heart Over the strings of your guitar The worn down places in the wood That once made you feel so good Drunken Angel

First thing, I throw on some jeans, a T-shirt and my Keds sneakers and make coffee. That is actually my favorite time of day. That is when I do my songwriting, when I am in writing mode.

Just because I'm talking about something that might have been a sad or painful situation doesn't mean that I'm sad or tortured 24 hours a day any more than anybody else is.

My approach to recording and all that is pretty organic. It just has to do with all the songs I wrote; go in and record them.

Of course, I'm older now. I'm in a different place in my life than when I wrote the songs for 'Car Wheels' or 'Essence' or whatever. Different things were going on.

So few people are truly themselves when they're in the spotlight.

Some of their best songs don't have bridges and choruses. So that made me think I should trust my instincts. My songs were okay, I figured. I didn't need to change anything.

Sometimes I might borrow something from a song I started a long time ago and see if I can grab something.

The more I separate myself from my upbringing, the more I appreciate what it's done for me.

The old jazz singers or old blues singers, you always just saw them kind of sitting down and singing. They weren't worried as much about their voice sounding perfect. They would make the song kind of fit their voice.

The way I look at life, whatever I'm doing at that time in my life is going to be reflected in my songs, for the most part.

There's so many other things to write about than unrequited love.