P. J. Harvey Quotes

We don't analyze our lyrics.

A right balance between music and lyrics is important. Music complements lyrics.

It is jazz music that called me to be a musician and I have always sang the songs that moved me the most. Singers, like Frank Sinatra and myself, we interpret the songs that we like. Not unlike a Shakespearean actor that goes back to the greatest words ever written, we go back to the greatest songs.

The hardest of all the arts to speak of is music, because music has no meaning to speak of.

I actually hate lyrics, and I hate it when they're quoted in reviews. I don't think they matter that much; it's the sounds of words - not the words - that I look for.

I'm in love with the way that Ella Fitzgerald delivered a lyric. She would deliver a lyric with the kind of clarity that would make you wonder why it was written, and make you think about the writer. I think every writer hopes an Ella of any genre or anytime gets a hold of their work and works the song like that.

Nothing I do is ever void of melody. I know it might seem like I'm doing a lot of rapping, but I'm always utilizing tone and trying to find a key signature. So, I don't look at myself as a rapper.

People tend to put too much focus on the lyrics. It's not the be-all and end-all of our songs.

Songwriting is an art unto itself, not to be confused with performing.

I write music to both the situations and the lyrics in plays.

Singing is just a feeling set to music.

I like writing for individuals with really rich musical personalities.

When you write a song you have an idea of how it should be sung but it doesn't work out that way if someone else records it.

I think every good song tells a story, as ambiguous and vague as it may be. And if you know what a song is talking about, it can only help your performance.

I was kind of known as a ballad singer. People would send ballads. Some of them would go over my shoulder and float off the top of my head, and I just didn't feel anything. Then I would hear a song that would absolutely shake me.

I think it's always interesting how music means different things to different people, and people who overthink it are looking to in some ways show off with music, versus people who just respond to a song and decide to sing it.

My songs are self-explanatory... somebody pointed out to me that... my songs pretty much speak for themselves.

But when you get music and words together, that can be a very powerful thing.

Some people try and tell you what the songs are about and it bores me to death.

My father speaks for himself, through his music.

Not only was it enough to be a cover band, it was perhaps the highest calling. After all, if you could play music recorded by others, stay true to the original, and still add fire and flare, why not?

I've sung other people's music all my life.

My music is based on melody and when I play the piano, it's as if I'm singing with them. When you try to transform that into a vocal, there was very little adjustment.

The music is the main thing and it's just as easy to write acceptable words.

The words of the songs speak for themselves.