Dave Matthews
So often we talk about saving the planet, but what we really mean is to save the planet the way it is, so we can live here. So that is can sustain us.
I use God in my songs a lot but I don't have a relationship. I don't know what that means.
If I find something I like, I'll chase it and see what comes out the other side. Once a song gets momentum and gets away from you, that's a good sign.
My songs are like a three-legged dog - you have to get to know them to have any love for them.
I don't think everything is going to get peachy ever. But I think we have to fight for what we believe in.
In so many areas of life, I'm a spaz and incompetent.
When I look at how fortunate I've been, being a musician... my response to being overpaid is that I should pay it back to my community in some way.
I've never been much of a craftsman, in an educated way. But I think just the experience of writing makes the avenues I follow a little more efficient in some ways. At the same time, when you're young, you're a little more fearless, and there's less of an internal critic.
I've always been obsessed by visual art as I have been by music personally, but that doesn't mean anything professionally.
For me, in songwriting, I have a route I can take. Maybe there's some forks, I can go this way, this way. But I know those roads. I still have the experience behind me.
I definitely like the oddballs. There's a song called 'Little Thing,' which is the only song that I have recorded that has no words. And it's the one that I get past my critic inside me.
The idea that we're somehow centrally important to the planet's existence is pretty comical - although I'd like us to be.
I think I am a very kind person. I think I'm joyful, but I could be kinder and I could be more joyful. I do believe peace is a state of grace, and not the absence of violence.
We look to our leaders once we elect them to either lead us in the right direction or at least not crush us.
Turns out, not where, but who you're with that really matters.Collection: Friendship
But then there are magical, beautiful things in the world, and there's incredible acts of kindness and bravery and in the most unlikely places, and it gives you hope.Collection: Beautiful
Take what you can from your dreams, Make them as real as anything...Collection: Inspirational
Because life is short but sweet for certainCollection: Life
What I want is what I've not got, but what I need is all around me.Collection: Needs
Troubles, they may come and go, but good times, they're the gold.Collection: Gold
Would you not like to be, sittin' on top of the world with your legs hanging free?Collection: World
Always walk where you like your steps.Collection: Steps
We have to do much more than believe if we really want to change things.Collection: Believe
When I don't say a word and you know exactly what I mean.Collection: Mean
Come and relax now, put your troubles down. No need to bear the weight of your worries, just let them all fall away.Collection: Fall
I hate to admit it, but we're badass.Collection: Badass
Don't convince yourself you're over, don't convince yourself you're done, just because the things around you seem heavy, doesn't mean you can't get off this ground.Collection: Life
Life it seems a struggle between what we think and what we seeCollection: Struggle
I'm not going to change my ways just to please you, or appease you.Collection: Way
Every day things change, but basically they stay the same.Collection: Things Change
You crush me with the things you do, I do for anything too...each moment the more I love you.Collection: Life
I don't want to die, obviously, but really, the wonder of life is amplified by the fact that it ends.Collection: Want
Probably most of the time I watch children's movies because my kids are on the bus, so it requires them.Collection: Children
In many instances, we are much better at fixing our mistakes after we've made them. In some situations, it is easier to sweep things under the rug and forget about them.Collection: Mistake
I find a therapy in playing music, in many different ways. At this point, I'm incredibly grateful for the relationship that it's given me with the men that I play music with. It's a great journey, and I'm really grateful for that. And also, being able to scream at the top of my lungs in front of people is very therapeutic.Collection: Grateful
San Francisco has a flowers-in-your-hair kind of vibe, while Chicago's got this very funny, big-city/small-town coolness to it.Collection: Flower
I know I have a very unusual style of playing, where other more recognized and technically proficient players might look at me and wonder what the heck I'm doing. The purpose of my learning to play the way I do was more to accompany my singing. I figured out a style where I'm mentally playing the drums over a simple melody.Collection: Simple
You and me have a better time than most can dream of, better than the best.Collection: Friendship
I don't touch electric guitars. It's just not my thing - I stick with acoustic guitars only.Collection: Guitar
Why won't you run in the rain and play, let the tears splash all over you?Collection: Running
Look, Here are we, On this starry night staring into space, And I must say, I feel as small as dust, Lying down here...Collection: Lying
Everything good needs replacingCollection: Needs
Nine planets round the sun, only one does the sun embrace. Upon this watered one, so much we take for granted; So let us sleep outside tonight, lay down in our mother's arms, for here we can rest safely ... One sweet world around a star is spinning One sweet world And in her breath I'm swimming, and here we will rest in peace.Collection: Mother
The melodies are always the most important part to me. I am pulled more to the groove than the chord progression. After you find the groove, you find the most simple chord progressions and then sit inside that groove.Collection: Simple
Lying under this spell you cast on me Each moment The more I love you.Collection: Lying
I am who I am who I am who am I Requesting some enlightenment Could I have been anyone other than me?Collection: Who I Am
People are not very pro-active in general, I think, because we are too busy rushing blindly towards our own goals.Collection: Thinking