“When I write, there are times — not always — when I hear John (Lennon) in my head, I’ll think, OK, what would we have done here?, and I can hear him gripe or approve.”

I think the minute you’re full up and have had enough to eat, then that’s time to retire.

Lyricists play with words.

When we were kids growing up in Liverpool, all we ever wanted to be was Elvis Presley.

I feel like the sixties is about to happen. It feels like a period in the future to me, rather than a period in the past.

I definitely did look up to John. We all looked up to John. He was older and he was very much the leader; he was the quickest wit and the smartest.

If I were dead, I would be the last to know.

I just always enjoy it; if you really enjoy what you do, you don’t want to stop.

I took my brains out and stretched them on the rack, now I’m not too sure I’m gonna get them back.

I’m still looking to write a great song. You always are. You know, you never think, ‘Well, that’s enough that’s good enough.’

Buy, buy, says the sign in the shop window; Why, why, says the junk in the yard.

I had this song called Helter Skelter, which is just a ridiculous song. So we did it like that, ‘cuz I like noise.

To this day, if I ever meet grownups who play ukulele, I love ’em.

Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m sixty-four?

Putting two songs together, I’ve always loved that trick when it works.

No matter how accomplished or how many awards you get, you’re always still thinking there’s somebody out there who’s better than you.

I used to think anyone doing anything weird was weird. Now I know that it is the people that call others weird that are weird.

The bent of our time is towards science, towards knowing things as they are.

It is all right when God sends us the approval of our fellow men; however, we must never make that approval a motive in our life.

Focus on impact, not approval. If you believe you can change the world, which I hope you do, do what you believe is right and expect resistance and expect attackers. Keep calm and carry on!

Abstinence is approved of God.

I am dragged along by a strange new force. Desire and reason are pulling in different directions. I see the right way and approve it, but follow the wrong.

I have never wished to cater to the crowd; for what I know they do not approve, and what they approve I do not know.

I try more and more to be myself, caring relatively little whether people approve or disapprove.

I would love to have an ocean of love right now. That said, the number-one rule of acting is, ‘Do not seek approval from the audience.’ People don’t realize that. You can’t do stuff to get applause. You have to live in the truth.