123 Quotes by Lyle Lovett

I’ve always thought that writing isn’t really that hard. It’s having a good idea that’s hard.

I’m not the kind of writer that can wake up and say, “Okay, I’m gonna write a song today,” and have that song be the kind I would want to record. The songs of mine that I end up liking are songs that come from real experience. They’re like chapter titles in my life.

I’ve been lucky to be able to make the records I’ve wanted to make. The record company has never pressured me to cut certain songs.

Fortunately, I’ve never had a job.

I enjoyed hearing people do their own songs. I became attracted to singer-songwriters. I became interested in them as people; was curious about what they wanted to say.

When someone tells me what he or she was doing the first time they heard a song of mine, then I’ve done a good job. If my song becomes about your life, then I’m successful.

I’m really in no danger of being perceived as a famous movie actor!

Beyond hoping that someone will like one of my songs, I don’t think about how a song will be received. I just hope that, when somebody hears one of my songs, they’ll want to hear it again.

Singing your own songs is all about individual expression.