Will Oldham Quotes

In an ideal world, records would be filed in record stores by title rather than by artist, as they are in video stores. I think it's better to identify with the work rather than the people who make the work. You can put your faith in a piece of work, but not in a group of people you don't know.

people work faith world artist records

The songs are not meant to be real life. They're meant to have a psychic - rather than a factual - bearing on the listener. It's rare that a song grounded in reality moves me because I don't feel like I'm getting the whole story. Songs are made to exist in and of themselves, like a great James Jones or Robert Louis Stevenson novel - they're not autobiographical, and yet there's a reality in every single page. It's real life of the imagination.

life imagination real reality songs song story feel exist james single great made

It's nice to be able to backtrack and not be embarrassed by the music you used to listen to.

music nice listen

The first music I bought when I was nine or 10 was pop music from the '50s and '60s, like The Everly Bros., Elvis, Del Shannon, The Flamingos, The Platters, whatever I could get my hands on. And then some musical things, like Camelot, Singing in the Rain and Hair.

music singing rain hands things hair pop

I figure it's okay to make certain rules, whether or not people despise you for it at the time.

rules people thetimes time

Too much emphasis is put on American roots music when people try and place me. You know, I grew up listening to punk.

places listening people music

I think that America in general is piratical. Every time we accept a paycheck for doing almost nothing, allowing us to live above the poverty line, we're engaging in piracy.

poverty thetimes time

Sometimes we need to tell ourselves that we're not going to do certain things, just in order to stay sane.

order