Natalie Merchant Quotes

I would say I'd rather dig a ditch, you know, do hard, manual labor than write lyrics.

I go to the river from time to time to ponder over the crazy days in my life. Watch the river flow, ease my mind and soul where I go.

I've had a large gay following for many years and have been quite aware of that.

Poetry comes alive to me through recitation.

I can't remove the autobiographical slant from the things I write. You always bring yourself into what you're writing.

I've always considered it a great privilege to be a musician, I've never lost sight of that.

I wish I had appreciated my youth - I should have worn tighter clothing when I could have!

I was shy. Bookish. The kind of 13-year-old girl who, instead of having a boyfriend, would have a crush on a dead, 19th-century author!

Have I been wrong? Have I been wise to shut my eyes?

By calling it a memoir, I meant is as a collection of memories. I thought it was (a more) artful (title) than documentary.

I think I have a really diverse audience. I've had people from all sorts of sexual persuasions.

I'm on this search trying to figure out exactly who I am and what I have to say to people.

It's funny, I remember doing the Johnny Carson show, and, uh, I couldn't afford my rent.

I don't think women's prisons are environments for dance routines, and I don't think mass murder is humorous.

It's really wonderful to be able to be nobody, and then have a moment when I can be somebody, and then go right back to being nobody again.

I think I don't invest so much time in thinking about people's sexuality. I just take people as individuals.

I'm going to be shaking my booty when I'm 55.

For your kindness, I'm in debt to you. For your selflessness, my admiration.

I don't want to live in a culture of despair. I'd like to live in a culture of hope.

I've never sold my publishing. I have 100% control of all of my publishing and that includes everything, every use of my songs.

Be true to yourself, and, um, don't worry about some large companies' quarterly profit index.

TV holds a close second to cars for destroying our society. It's a failed experiment.

The research phase was really fascinating - I'm not a closeted nerd, I'm an out-of-the-closet nerd.

I've raised my daughter with no television.

Have I been blind, have I been lost, inside myself and my own mind?