I don't think people care about the mechanics of songwriting.

People, whether they know it or not, like their blues singers miserable. They like their blues singers to die afterwards.

John could write a mean song. He had a lot of venom in him. Whereas I had a happy childhood.

It's like a novelist writing far out things. If it makes a point and makes sense, then people like to read that. But if it's off in left field and goes over the edge, you lose it. The same with musical talent, I think.

The world don't need any more songs... As a matter of fact, if nobody wrote any songs from this day on, the world ain't gonna suffer for it... There's enough songs for people to listen to, if they want to listen to songs. For every man, woman and child on earth, they could be sent, probably, each of them, a hundred songs, and never be repeated... Unless someone's gonna come along with a pure heart and has something to say. That's a different story.

As far as songwriting, my inspirations came from love, life and death, and viewing other people's situations.