“I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs. I’ve been on both sides of it all, I guess. So there’s not one specific event or thought that I’m dealing with or drawing from necessarily.”

My first attempt at real music was when I was 13. My first signed band was when I was 21; that failed. I got another deal at 26; that failed, and then I was broke.

I have a lot of questions and I don’t have that many answers. So what better place to exercise those thoughts than the lyrics, I guess.

I find that a lot of times when family members get bronchitis or the flu or something like that, I’ll kind of skate through and be really lucky and not get that sick.

I want to surround myself with the people I care about and that has a lot to do with what love is. It’s surrounding yourself with the people you do love and trust, and that kind of thing.

If you’re waiting around for something to be handed to you or win the lottery, chances are nothing is ever going to go down, you know, so you got to make it happen on your own.

Some people are more affected by, I hate to use the word “success,” but I don’t know what else to say, but some people are more affected by that than others.

I’ve had the same friends I’ve always had. I mean, I’ve lost a few over the years.

I’ve always found it pretty difficult to write a happy song. Since I was a kid, when I pick up my guitar it’s been hard for me to write some sort of bubblegum lyrics. It’s not really ever been my route.

I don’t know that I can say what exactly love means to me because it would be hard to put that into perspective.

I’ve always found it pretty difficult to write a happy song.

You don’t put out music unless you have a sense that people will maybe like what you’re doing or you’re standing for something artistically.

I really love music and I want to make it better the best I can.

Look, one of the things that I know for sure is that none of us truly knows. That’s it. It’ll hit you later.

My drummer is my favorite drummer in the world, and he also happens to be the funniest person you’ll meet.

Let’s say I’m at a party and I don’t like the feeling I’m getting, I’ll just leave. Why do I have to be there?

I’m my own worst critic and harshest critic and I just want to put honest music out there.

Everybody, soon or late, sits down to a banquet of consequences.

I shall be glad to lie down with my fathers in honor. It is human at least, if not divine.

Unlike Europe, China can’t be intimidated. Europe backs down if the United States looks at it the wrong way.

I’ve never been one to look up the ladder. I’ve always looked down the ladder. As long as there’s one guy down there, I’m fine.

If I sit down to write a joke about, whatever, the polluted Gulf of Mexico, it comes out mundane to me.

If you ask the government to solve all of your problems, it’s a bit like asking your wife to cook and clean, to raise the children, to hold down a second job to help with the family finances, to keep her parents happy and well and keep your parents happy and well, and to also – to do the lawn and clean the gutters.

Oh, from what heights of blessing it is possible for a man to fall! To what depths of sin a man can descend, even with all that spiritual background!

Deep down in the Christian’s life, always and all the time, there is to be a “no” to every demand that the flesh may make for recognition, and every demand that the flesh may make for approval.