What songwriting does better than almost anything is empathy - it's incredibly empathetic. The reason people sat around in bars when they were bummed out and listened to country songs is because it made them feel better in the long run. Steve Earle More Quotes by Steve Earle More Quotes From Steve Earle I don't believe that songwriting has to be profound, but I truly believe that it's a crime for you to go outta your way for it not to be. Steve Earle profound believe way I'm not a racist, but I do have to work at not being a racist, because of where I grew up. Steve Earle racist Every day on Earth is another chance to get it right. Steve Earle another-chance motivation earth I have a low tolerance for mediocrity in music and life. I'm into pain and joy and the in-between doesn't interest me. Steve Earle tolerance pain joy What's important is you wake up in the morning and something doesn't exist, and when you finish you day's work something is in the world that wasn't there before. Steve Earle wake-up important morning I don't separate writing songs from poetry and short fiction. In the area where I work in my house, there's a word processor and a guitar. Steve Earle guitar writing song All we do as songwriters is rewrite the songs that have impressed us till we find our own voice. It's part of learning the craft. Steve Earle crafts voice song You see things differently at 40 than you do at 31. Especially if you got to 40 the way I did. Steve Earle ifs way Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world, and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that. Steve Earle cowboy boots coffee I don't really think in terms of obstacles. My biggest obstacle is always myself. Steve Earle obstacles fear thinking Me, I'm spiritually retarded, I need to be knee deep in water with a fly rod in my hands, that's about as close to God as I get. Steve Earle sea lakes hands To me, religion is an agreement between a group of people about what God is. Spirituality is a one-on-one relationship. Steve Earle groups agreement people My therapist says that I choose women that I couldn't possibly succeed in a relationship with because I really want to be alone. Which sounds complicated and convoluted to me, but I don't know. Maybe she's right. There's a part of me that wants that. Steve Earle succeed complicated If I can get Me out of the way, I can do anything. Steve Earle ifs can-do way The reason music became so powerful to our generation is that it's art you can consume in your car, and we were driving around a lot. Steve Earle our-generation powerful art I don't care what's happening in the mainstream of country music. I haven't in a long time. Steve Earle care long country People hate good books to be over. I wish I could write a 700-page book. Steve Earle hate writing book America's criminal justice system isn't known for rehabilitation. I'm not sure that, as a society, we are even interested in that concept anymore. Steve Earle criminals justice america You can go out and find ways to make your own record and get it out there now. If you really want to, you can be heard. Keep things simple. Learn to go out and play solo. That's a really really good thing to learn, if you're a singer-songwriter. Don't be dependent on a band because you may not always be able to afford one. Steve Earle band simple play Maybe I'm not as big a star as Bruce Springsteen because I'm not as good. I don't know. It doesn't matter. I still have an audience of a certain size. I think it's one of the things I'm luckiest. Steve Earle size stars thinking
