“You can walk away from your mistakes You can turn your back on what you do Just a little smile is all it takes And you can have your cake and eat it too.”

I remember reading about how the decline of the steel industry had been affecting the Lehigh Valley, and I decided that’s what I was going to write the song about.

People pay a lot of money to go see shows now, they don’t wanna know about your technical problems, or if you’re not feeling good, they don’t wanna know we have a glitch. It’s their night, you better do something to earn that money.

Where have you been hanging out lately honey? You can’t dress trashy ’til you spend a lot of money.

When I look at great works of art or listen to inspired music, I sense intimate portraits of the specific times in which they were created.

my belonging to relief society has renewed, strengthened, and committed me to be a better wife and mother and daughter of God. my heart has been enlarged with gospel understanding and with love of the Savior and what He’s done for me. so to you, dear sisters.

In every heart there is a room, A sanctuary safe and strong, To heal the wounds from lovers past, Until a new one comes along

Yes, they’re sharing a drink they call loneliness But it’s better than drinkin’ alone.

Discipline is knowing what to do. Knowing when to do it. Doing it to the best of your abilities. Doing it that way every single time.

Shut up before I drop yo ass off at Koreatown. Now hold on, America, don’t start writing no letters. I’m just kidding. But am I lying?

Faith and fear both demand you believe in something you cannot see. You choose.

My voice is like a car that I get into and drive but I don’t know where I’m going. And I record everything.

You enrich humanity with the profound expression of these feelings. … My songs are like my kids.

I always loved music, so I would probably either be in a band with another group of people, or an arranger, a producer, a musicologist, a music history guy, something to do with music. Either that, or I would probably be in jail. Or dead.

There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision.

Don’t wait for answers, just take your chances. Don’t ask me why.

Even when I was struggling and had horrible day jobs and wanted to be successful but wasn’t finding my way in.

My policy on cake is pro having it and pro eating it.

I like birthday cake. It’s so symbolic. It’s a tempting symbol to load with something more complicated than just ‘Happy birthday!’ because it’s this emblem of childhood and a happy day.

Your mind now, moldering like wedding-cake, heavy with useless experience, rich with suspicion, rumour, fantasy, crumbling to pieces under the knife-edge of mere fact. In the prime of your life.

I love cakes. Chocolate and coconut cakes. I love that combination!

When I go back in to re-record a line. I’m the icing on the cake, but the cake is the thing.

Nine times out of ten, I’m trying to meet someone else’s expectations, whether it’s the director or the writer or the animator

The most dangerous food is wedding cake.

If life is a birthday cake let my face be smeared with its icing of cognac and kindness.