Richard Thompson Quotes

Life is just as deadly as it looks, but fiction is more forgiving.

I probably wrote three-quarters of the songs without an instrument in my hands.

I just like to entertain myself by sitting down and writing songs.

I think the reason kids get into drugs and smoking is they don't have anything to do.

The best thing you've got going for you is individuality.

I like the idea of playing in unison with yourself.

I'm glad there are a lot of guitar players pursuing technique as diligently as they possibly can, because it leaves this whole other area open to people like me.

It's amazing what some people read into songs.

Well, first of all it's entertainment. That stops us becoming too pretentious or thinking we're great artists.

It's fun to sing sad songs. And it's fun to listen to sad songs. Enjoyable. Satisfying. Something.

I'm a fool with a size one head/
I'll change this heart of mine/
This time, this time

The thing I do, really, is a communication with audiences more than any achievement through records.

I have to remind myself not to set boundaries.

Sitting around home I mostly play acoustic. I've got seven or eight guitars of various sorts, including a baritone. Sometimes at home, because a guitar is just lying around, that's the guitar I pick up rather than actually choosing something. I try to plan ahead for my laziness by leaving interesting things scattered about. If I leave a baritone guitar lying around, that's the one I'll pick up, and I'll start writing baritoney things.

When you stand up acoustic in front of an audience, you really are a man without any clothes on. And that can be fun - it depends how much of an exhibitionist you are, I suppose. I quite enjoy it.

Did the tea-time of your soul
Make you long for wilder days
Did you never let Jack Kerouac
Wash over you in waves?

I think it's absolutely possible to write a song and go somewhere where no one's been before, uncharted territory. In terms of content, I see limitations where there should be none. I know there are things I wouldn't write about, but that shouldn't be the case. You should be able to make a song out of anything, out of any situation.

But music can save your life sometimes. It probably saved me from working in a bank or something. That's a kind of salvation right there.

There is in fact a controversy over Darwin's theory. Clearly both theories have religious implications. But this is not about God.

I try to look for the good in everybody, regardless of the way they're labeled.

There are only three white blues singers
Geoff Muldaur is at least two of them.

I want people to come to my music without prejudice. I want them to get the music first. And who I am isn't that important. If they like the songs to me that's a good thing.