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I grew up listening to spiritual music, Blind Willie Johnson and folk.

Ben Harper

My family owns a music store in Claremont, California, called The Claremont Folk Music Center.
BEN HARPER

Country Family Own Stores
What started as a whisper Slowly turned into a scream Searching for an answer Where the question is unseen I don’t know where you came from And I don’t know where you’ve gone Old friends become old strangers Between the darkness and the dawn
BEN HARPER

Darkness Dawn Friends Old
Children come running to the truth But you’ve got to peel the skin to get the fruit And while one’s living high another’s grieving But what’s sweet by morning is bitter by the evening Oh – What’s sweet by morning is bitter by the evening.
BEN HARPER

Morning Running Sweet
All that we can’t say is all we need to hear.
BEN HARPER

Empathy Humanity Needs
Distance is temporary, but our love is permanent. This may be the last time I see you, but if you keep me in your heart, together we shall be eternal; if you believe, we shall never part.
BEN HARPER

Believe Distance Relationship
I can change the world With my own two hands Make a better place With my own two hands Make a kinder place.
BEN HARPER

Better Hands Place Two World
I just want to keep doing what I feel.
BEN HARPER

Doing Feels Want
I refuse to age disgracefully in rock ‘n’ roll.
BEN HARPER

Age Disgrace Refuse Rocks
The music is in the lead here, and a large part of this, I have no idea what I’m doing. I feel a closer bond with the craft of songwriting, stronger than I ever have.
BEN HARPER

Ideas Stronger Ties
I’m more afraid of falling than I am of flying high. I’m not as scared of dying as I am of growing old. Every battle has its glory and its consequence.
BEN HARPER

Dying Fall Flying High
You can’t just say ‘I love you,’ you have to live ‘I love you.’
BEN HARPER

Emotion Express Feel Live Love Say
In my life I have been blessed In my life I have been cursed I have lived the best of times I have suffered the worst Do you know which road you’re traveling? Do you know where you want to be? With so many roads to travel, There’s just one can set you free.
BEN HARPER

Blessed Want Worst
Sometimes it’s lightning in a bottle and you got the song. But oftentimes it shows up.
BEN HARPER

Bottle Lightning Often Show Sometimes Time
If you’re gonna live, then live it up.
BEN HARPER

Gonna Live Up
What enables me to believe in anything is hope.
BEN HARPER

Anything Believe Hope
You’re definitely a different person at different stages in your life.
BEN HARPER

Different Person Stage
The woman in you is the worry in me.
BEN HARPER

Evil Misogyny Worry
I really feel like the sky is the limit with the Innocent Criminals today.
BEN HARPER

Criminals Sky Today
As a songwriter, I don’t rush. I may sit on lyrics for two years before the music hits.
BEN HARPER

May Music Two Years
The Blind Boys are truly the deepest well of American musical heritage you can discover.
BEN HARPER

Boys Heritage Musical
Love for me is my North Star. It’s the highest form of grace. And I love that there’s different levels and different ways of showing it, and different representations of it. Whether it’s love shown to a stranger, love to a sibling, your child, your parents, your partner.
BEN HARPER

Children Sibling Stars
Don’t be discouraged by writer’s block. Writer’s block just means you need to listen to other music.
BEN HARPER

Block Mean Needs
Every single time I step into the studio, I say, ‘Can I still do this? Do I still have it? Have I ever had it?’ I suppose there’s a good amount of self-loathing that goes into any form of artisanship.
BEN HARPER

Loathing Self Steps Suppose
If you don’t like my fire, then don’t come around. Cause I’m gonna burn one down.
BEN HARPER

Causes Fire Philosophy
I don’t know how to not become every person I walk by.
BEN HARPER

Become Easy Person Walks
These eyes weren’t made for crying, this love wasn’t made to waste. These arms weren’t made for battle, but to share in your embrace.
BEN HARPER

Battle Eye Relationship
People say, “How do you write songs?” I say, “Patience.” I may have a track that’s hot, but no words. I’ll just let it sit for years, because I know they’re going to meet. They’ll find it.
BEN HARPER

Meet Song Writing Years

I grew up listening to spiritual music, Blind Willie Johnson and folk.

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I grew up listening to spiritual music, Blind Willie Johnson and folk.

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