Every time I finish a song... most of the time it's in my own head, like this sounds too much like a… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
My dad, who plays guitar and piano and was in cover bands, along with my older brother, Matt, taught me guitar and… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
I think there's a weird self-affirmation thing that happens in popular music in general. It seems like every song I hear on… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
I understand why people get desensitized and roll their eyes when they hear a protest song, or even a politician making some… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
I have a terrible memory in general, but one thing I've always been able to remember is my songs. — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
We're going to sing about things that matter to us. The balancing act is to present these ideas but also make the… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
To outsiders it probably seems like splitting hairs, but to me, Bright Eyes is a simply the collaboration between myself and Mike… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
Pronouns really don't matter in a song - 'I' or 'he' or 'she' or even subscribing a lyric to an inanimate object. — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
I don't really premeditate what I write my songs about; you know, they just kind of happen, and I can't start writing… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
When you write a song, the goal is not to convey the details of your life. You should write a memoir or… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
And your eyes must do some raining if you're ever gonna grow / When crying don't help, you can't compose yourself /… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
It's very strange when people get so focused on what a song means, what actual events inspired a song. That gets people… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
To me, a political song is also a personal song. Most political activism has been driven by empathy for other people and… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
Each Desaparecidos's song has a seed that it came from. We're trying to take that and broaden it out and make it… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
Since the songs were written over a five-year period, I think these are little snapshots. Some people call it political or topical,… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
I think there are some songs that stand the test of time better than others for sure. I think some songs go… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
For a song I was bought Now I lie when I talk With a careful eye on the cue card. Onto a… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
When I try to explain to people the big influences in my life, or at least when I first started, the most… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
If there's a song that stops meaning anything to me, then I'll quit playing it. — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
All those experiences were a chance to learn more about music. Playing with the Valley band is like such a "live" band.… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
I've never conceptualized much of what I write about. Maybe, once I'm onto something, I'll conceptualize a finished record. I want the… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
I love story songs. It's just, for me, they're harder to write, and sometimes they sound too intended or something. — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
The best feeling I ever get is when I finish a song, and it exists, and it didn't exist before, and now… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
I try to make all my songs good. I don't ever write one to finish one. A lot of protest songs end… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
Every time I finish a song... most of the time it's in my own head, like this sounds too much like a Townes Van… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
Because the truth is that gossip is as good as gospel in this town. You can save face but you won't ever save your… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
I've given up trying to understand what people think about me. It seems like a lot of people don't like the music we make… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
You can't manufacture inspiration, so a lot of it is still a waiting game for me. There's still a lot of mystery to songwriting.… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
In a way, to have whatever people talk about as "crossover success," I think it means you start making bad music. I mean, when… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
Men with purple hearts carry silver guns and they will kill a man for what his father has done. But what my father did,… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
There's a major underlying idea as you grow up that you need to just save your money and get that affordable housing at the… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
I've been part of running a label since I was a kid, so I understand how it works. But the more and more I… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
I'm ripe for the picking for the Scientologists - one of those creeps. Someone's got to find me. Some little weird cult can just… — Conor Oberst Copy Share Image
