Quotes About Songwriting

I just love that whole Brill Building era. I will always regret not being there. That's where I belong.

But then you have to write a song, so at that point, I picked up the reins and started to write lyrics.

When I can write a song in a way where I feel like other people can relate to it, and I can take it past being cathartic just for me, that's when I know I can share it. Otherwise, I'd just feel like it's selfish.

I wanted to write songs from the ground up, I wanted to sit at a piano and build around that. But I still have a lot of love for hip-hop, so I want to do more collaborations in that sense.

I admire John Prine and his way with words.

I think taking a hookline of a hit song and making a new song is fun.

I'm really good at writing 'almost hits'.

If you look at the big rock hits I've had - 'High on Emotion,' for example - the songs I write have to have a real meaning. There has to be depth.

I've never dated anyone in Hollywood - or anyone famous, for that matter. I don't know that I'm ever gonna write a song that you will know who it's about.

I'm very grateful, but at the same time, I'm glad all this happened when I'm 36 instead of 26 because I - I'm just such a homebody, and I just want to write songs and make the best record that I can.

I always write what feels really true and honest and me.

I don't know what it is really... I think I'm just good with hooks.

I write all my hooks.

My favorite song that I wrote is 'Love Line.' This was my first song that I wrote lyrics for, and I really wanted to express the feeling when you're in love and hoping the other person feels the same way.

Sometimes you write songs that don't all fit together. What do you, just throw them away? This might be a chance for growth and learning. It could be a horrible fall-on-your-face kind of experiment.

When I write a song with somebody else in mind, it's putting the cart before the horse. The way I write best is when I allow the song to tell me what it wants to be.

I love being in the studio, and I am a huge fan of live music. Without writing good stuff in the studio, you have nothing to play live.

It's a humbling and amazing journey when you write a song in your bedroom, and you've got no money, and you're trying to write a song based on where you're at right at this moment.

It is a humbling experience when you travel around and you meet people all over the world and I take all that into consideration when I am writing songs at home.

I consider myself a bit of a comedian. I write a lot of humorous songs.

You're not gonna write a hundred songs and have a hundred entirely different ideas. It's a matter of finding the ones that are the freshest and most unique.

I'm not Prince or Rivers Cuomo, who brags about having hundreds of great songs.

Jimmy Van Heusen was a top security test pilot in World War II as well as being a great songwriter. He was absolutely incredible. Van Heusen inspired me to write music.

I wasn't worried about flash or persona... It's all about writing a good, solid song.