It's always helpful to put things down on paper. That's why I started writing.

Brett Young

Categorized in : Always Things Down Writing

My parents' example of a loving, caring relationship, I think, has affected my songwriting a ton and allowed me to start writing love songs that people could connect to without sounding like you're being cheesy, because they're coming from a real place, something that I saw coming up. I think they're a huge influence on my songwriting.

me you love relationship

There's a fundamental difference between how often men remember to say 'I love you' and how often women want to hear 'I love you.' For the most part, it's on the guy. He's not withholding it intentionally. It's just that we kind of miss the point sometimes, that even in the most nonchalant way, telling the person how you feel is important.

i-love-you women love men

I don't know what it is in me that refuses to quit, but I think it's kind of like, dare to dream.

think know me dream

If something's gonna make you happy, and you know it's gonna make you happy, and it's what you want more than anything in the world, don't let someone else discourage you and talk you out of doing it just because they're doubters.

someone you happy world

I moved to Nashville with the same kind of mindset that I had in L.A., and that is to make sure you don't get outworked by anybody and make sure you're always writing songs and take every opportunity to play that you can.

you play writing opportunity

I've always been pretty in touch with what I'm feeling.

touch pretty feeling always

I'm still obsessed with the beach whenever I'm home; when I'm on the beach, it feels like home to me.

like me home beach

It's really hard to chase a lofty dream.

chase really hard dream

There is a lot of California in my... sound, and a ton of it is the laid-back nature of Southern Californians and the beach.

california nature sound beach

My first concert was Boyz II Men and Mariah Carey.

mariah-carey concert first men

Californian artists are kind of willing to push the limits a little bit further just because that's kind of our mentality in that state.

just-because push just limits

If I want people to connect to my words and my stories, I need to tell them where they came from. Because then, when you break into song, they have kind of a blueprint for why I wrote that song, so they can come to it with something they went through that helps them connect to it.

words you song people

It is such a surreal feeling to have my first single go No. 1!

first feeling go single

I've never seen my dad come home from work and not walk straight to my mom and ask her about her day.

walk day work home

It's funny how God will change your plans for you when he's ready.

you change god funny

In Nashville, everybody just wants to write the best songs. So it's a very inviting songwriting community.

write best just community

I've never been that comfortable with the acting thing. It's difficult for me to separate what's really going on. If there's kissing, that's kissing. I'm not acting; I don't know how.

never know me difficult

I try not to take any liberties when it comes to being factual. Sometimes you have to, just to make the song sound good. But I feel like, personally, if you've lived it, then you shouldn't stretch the truth. It should be that experience.

good you experience truth

My very first tattoo was a crown of thorns around my upper left arm that I have since gotten covered up, because I got it right before Pamela Anderson came out with 'Barb Wire.'

crown right thorns tattoo

Country music isn't about being better than the guy next to you - it's just making sure that you keep working hard enough to deserve the position that you get in.

better you music country