The hardest song to write is a protest song, a topical song with meaning.

Instead of getting hard ourselves and trying to compete, women should try and give their best qualities to men - bring them softness, teach them how to cry.

It seems to me that those songs that have been any good, I have nothing much to do with the writing of them. The words have just crawled down my sleeve and come out on the page.

I have hope in people, in individuals. Because you don't know what's going to rise from the ruins.

People say I'm such a pessimist, but I always was. It never stopped me from doing what I had to do. I would say I'm a realist.