“You have certain writing tools but generally creating something from nothing makes one quite mad and Cynthia and I are quite mad you know.”

We became the songs we wrote.

One other thing, if it’s possible, as songwriters, you should also develop yourself as record producers.

There’s so much fear involved in trying to do something you don’t know how to do that drugs and alcohol can become a big part of your life if you have an addictive personality or are very unsure, which most songwriters are.

I think that most writers who wait until they’re inspired to write are just waiting for the fear to subside.

I get a different kind of lyric from someone else that might make me go in a different musical direction.

I also used to work in the Catskill Mountains as a bus boy, and I performed in talent shows.

It’s amazing how a competitive nature can turn a negative into something positive.

It’s very hard to teach someone how to write a song if to begin with there’s no creative crop to harvest.

You have to be very brave in that first writing session.

Probably most successful songwriters have an innate songwriting ability.

No matter what you do, you’ll never run away from you.

If I waited for inspiration every time I sat down to write a song I probably would be a plumber today.

I quit college. I was studying architecture for about a year.

Cynthia’s lyrics always expressed the feelings people felt but they couldn’t express themselves.

I know at the beginning of our careers, my wife and I were gut wrenchingly competitive.

I’ve written songs sober and I’ve written songs high.

The best way to protect both the policemen and the community going forward is by creating a system that’s just, where everyone feels safe.

Music allows a person to express their deepest thoughts, thoughts that cannot be expressed with just words.

I was very much in my room with my marionette stage, you know, creating these incredibly boring things that I felt were so fascinating, and forcing my relatives to come, and charging money for them to see my little productions.

Animation is about creating the illusion of life. And you can’t create it if you don’t have one.

Creating a life that reflects your values and satisfies your soul is a rare achievement.

Don’t expect a great day; create one.

I wanna keep creating those situations for myself so I don’t have to be out front all the time. Then when I do have to be out front, I can do it to the max.

We’re creating a TV show of Scrooge, starring Jamie Farr, with Buddy Hackett as Scrooge.