Pastoral Resources

Every song is something that I've been through or an emotion I've felt - like falling in love or heartbreak.

Throughout my career, if I have done anything, I have paid attention to every note and every word I sing - if I respect the song. If I cannot project this to a listener, I fail.

Morrissey wrote to me and said, I have a song for you and if we release it as a single, you'll be on the charts for the first time since 1972, I said, what time, where?

The one hit song that I have tremendous gratitude for is Boots, because it has a life of its own. It's like being identified with a brand name.

Morrissey wrote a really gorgeous song for me. I'm crazy for that man. And he thinks I'm hip!

Dad really had little to do with the songs, except to perform them.

Then all of a sudden, Quentin Tarantino comes along and puts a song from 40 years ago in one of his films and they've suddenly discovered you. That was a real gift that Quentin gave me.

I hate negative songs; I won't sing them. It doesn't matter if it's sold 2 million more albums.

It's part of the calling to at least do a few songs in the show that give people some hope. There's so much hurt in this world and... music is such a great healing balm and a great way to forget your troubles.

He that spareth the rod hateth his son.

My daughter is a freshman in college and my son is - well, our daughter and our son - is a sophomore in college. So they come home on selected weekends, they come home on vacations and they're home in the summer, although they have jobs.

But to make a long story short, I decided that I was going to run, and I announced that I was going to run for president in Florida, I would be the favorite son from Florida, and that would stop Johnson and Kennedy from dividing up the state.

Your sons weren't made to like you. That's what grandchildren are for.

We always feel pretty creative as far as writing songs. We write them together; we just get in a room, or on occasion in Flea's garage. We just sort of improvise, like jazz musicians.

There are a lot of bad worship songs, in my opinion, but there are a lot of good ones, too.

I played with Eddie Taylor's son, Tim Taylor and Carey Bells son Lurie Bell.

Up till now I wrote the songs on my acoustic guitar alone with the Lord. Then I would take the song and share it with my family and then we all would figure out instrumentation together.

Since I have been singing for so many years, I don't always need to approach a song quite so laboriously and meticulously.

In 29 years, I had recorded over 2,200 songs. I was amazed.

I learn my songs by ear.