Ben Harper Quotes & Sayings

There's no room in my life for religion. Religion is separation and segregation of God. How can you segregate the Almighty? — Ben Harper

We figured you could download live shows for days, so we decided to go for a cream-of-the-crop approach, but not just take the best vocal or the best performances. — Ben Harper

Just because you have a hit doesn't mean you're good [at music]. Just means you got a hit. — Ben Harper

The advice I have for new artists is this - write great songs and play them live as often as possible. Get residencies all over town and crush it. — Ben Harper

Folk is bare bones music. — Ben Harper

What started as a whisper
Slowly turned into a scream
Searching for an answer
Where the question is unseen
I don't know where you came from
And I don't know where you've gone
Old friends become old strangers
Between the darkness and the dawn — Ben Harper

Sometimes I think to talk too much about music almost cheapens it. — Ben Harper

Right now I'm listening to a lot of different things but I listen to a lot of classical music. Eventually I would like to compose and perform classical. — Ben Harper

My family owns a music store in Claremont, California, called The Claremont Folk Music Center. — Ben Harper

My choice is what I choose to be. — Ben Harper

The woman in you is the worry in me. — Ben Harper

Make sure the fortune that you seek is the fortune that you need. — Ben Harper

As long as the songs are strong, I think you can express yourself in any style and have it be soulful and have it be your own voice. — Ben Harper

I grew up with the Blind Boys' music. My family owns a music store in Claremont, California, called The Claremont Folk Music Center. I grew up with a heavy diet of gospel, folk, and blues because those are kind of the cornerstones of traditional American music. — Ben Harper

Of all the states of emotion I've ever been in, music takes me to the strongest state of emotion the quickest, of any other sort of state of mind I've ever been in or been put in by any substance or circumstance, music brings me to an emotional state of being faster than anything I've ever known — Ben Harper

Every single time I step into the studio, I say, 'Can I still do this? Do I still have it? Have I ever had it?' I suppose there's a good amount of self-loathing that goes into any form of artisanship. — Ben Harper

It will make a weak man mighty. it will make a mighty man fall. It will fill your heart and hands or leave you with nothing at all. It's the eyes for the blind and legs for the lame. It is the love for hate and pride for shame. That's the power of the gospel. — Ben Harper

With so many people to love in my life, why do I worry about one? — Ben Harper

Every man's actions belong to him. — Ben Harper

There's only one proper way a song should go, but you've got to be patient enough to let them come together time wise. Sometimes it's lightning in a bottle and you got the song. But oftentimes it shows up. — Ben Harper

If you don't like my fire, don't come around cuz I'm gonna burn one down. — Ben Harper

If you're gonna live, then live it up. If you're gonna give, then give it up. If you're gonna walk the Earth, then walk it proud. If you're gonna say the word, you got to say it loud. — Ben Harper

The music is in the lead here, and a large part of this, I have no idea what I'm doing. I feel a closer bond with the craft of songwriting, stronger than I ever have. — Ben Harper

You can't just say I love you, you have to LIVE I love you — Ben Harper

Take my hand when you are worried Take my hand when you're alone Take my hand and let me guide you Take my hand to lead you home. — Ben Harper

That happens every time I get behind a guitar, regardless of what I'm saying, 'cause music is freedom and being free is the closest I've ever felt to being spiritual. — Ben Harper

You're definitely a different person at different stages in your life. — Ben Harper

People who try to define their spirituality sometimes are annoying, 'cause the spirit is something you feel and let guide you and humbly respect. — Ben Harper

We went for the best overall feel on each song. There are no musical overdubs at all. It's a true live record; it's one of the few true live records out there. — Ben Harper

There's something in everyone only they know. — Ben Harper

The spirit is what guides my life, and I'm humbly on my knees in thanks for guidance and direction every day. But God is not something to be preached, it's something to be lived. — Ben Harper

It turns out that there is something more magnificent than nature. It's love. — Ben Harper

The very thing that drives you, can drive you insane Got a head full of thought crimes and a number with no name Got an eleventh hour Jesus and a mouth full of blame A casket lined with silver dollars and a number with no name. — Ben Harper

My band is the best band in the world, period. So, I insist on every song being better then it is on the record. So by the end of the tour, we have to be playing the song better then how it's recorded. — Ben Harper

You can run away from home But you can't run away from your pain I sit here alone There's always someone else to blame. — Ben Harper

In my life I have been blessed In my life I have been cursed I have lived the best of times I have suffered the worst Do you know which road you're traveling? Do you know where you want to be? With so many roads to travel, There's just one can set you free. — Ben Harper

Now I love to feel that warm southern rain, Just to hear it fall is the sweetest sounding thing. And to see it fall on your simple country dress It's like heaven to me I must confess. — Ben Harper

Like a soldier standing long under fire, any change comes as a relief. — Ben Harper

My main concern when travelling around the world is finding a place to skateboard! — Ben Harper

Let us burn one from end to end, and pass it over to me my friend ... — Ben Harper

They say time will make all this go away. But it's time that's taken my tomorrow, and turned them into yesterday. — Ben Harper

I get diminishing returns when I bore myself in an interview. — Ben Harper

Some things You have to let be lost Some battles, some battles You have to leave unfought. Then the truth just wastes away In all we dare not say. And in all we can't explain But I faithfully remain. — Ben Harper

It's not easy for a mother and son to sing a duet. You can't just sing about anything. — Ben Harper

I just want to keep doing what I feel. — Ben Harper

Life is short and if you're looking for extension, you had best do well. 'Cause there's good deeds and then there's good intentions. They are as far apart as Heaven and Hell. — Ben Harper

I refuse to make uninspired music. — Ben Harper

If you don't like my fire, then don't come around. Cause I'm gonna burn one down. — Ben Harper

These eyes weren't made for crying, this love wasn't made to waste. These arms weren't made for battle, but to share in your embrace. — Ben Harper

I write songs and I sing them from the deepest part of my existence and I hope they connect with the deepest part of yours. — Ben Harper

I love being on the road, I love playing. — Ben Harper

Hiding is not an option and you're going to step out and you're going to make mistakes. I'm going to look stupid. I'm going to say things I want to retract. I'm going to sing notes I wish I could have back, there's just no getting around the stumble, but if you stumble enough times you're going to fall off the edge and have no choice but to freakin' fly. — Ben Harper

I'm really looking forward to, not more of the same, but a continual growth. — Ben Harper

What enables me to believe in anything is hope. — Ben Harper

We're always moving forward in different places physically and psychologically. — Ben Harper

I want to try to not be the child that had to go through too much too young. I want to be who I am now and not who I was then. — Ben Harper

I can't not put myself in the shoes of every person I pass. — Ben Harper

You can kill a lot of time if you really want to put your mind to it Or leave it all behind and never really have to go through it — Ben Harper

I really feel there's no limitation on what this band can do in the studio or on the stage. That's an empowering feeling - that we can bring a song to life. — Ben Harper

Sometimes I may be totally arrogant, sometimes I may totally be the most humble guy you've ever met, sometimes I may be in between. But that's life. Who isn't like that? What's the big deal if I had an arrogant moment. — Ben Harper

I wish you were here so we could walk and talk in the soft rain. — Ben Harper

Sometimes I feel I know strangers Better than I know my friends Why must a beginning Be the means to an end? The stones from my enemies These wounds will mend But I cannot survive The roses from my friends. — Ben Harper

The only way that you can find any semblance of a rule, or make any semblance of your own rule, is to tear up the rulebook. Throw it out, burn it, throw it away, and make your own rules. — Ben Harper

Time is really for those who really need it. I mean, I deal with it. A lot of people are slaves to the second, minute hand. I can't do that! — Ben Harper

My choice is what I choose to do,
And if I'm causing no harm, it shouldn't bother you.
Your choice is who you choose to be,
And if you're causin' no harm, then you're alright with me. — Ben Harper

Fearlessness, absolutely. Discipline. You also need open-minded creativeness that lets everything in. You never want to lose a word or a phrase, yet every one should count. Always the best language possible. And, finally, knowing when to leave it alone. Stop when it's done. — Ben Harper

Forever always seems to be around when it begins, but forever never seems to be around when it ends — Ben Harper

There's no love like a lost love and no pain like a broken heart. — Ben Harper

When it comes to writers and poets, for me it's Vinicius de Moraes. He's one of the greatest lyricists ever. — Ben Harper

Don't let what you have to heal from blind you to how much there is to heal for. — Ben Harper

We've all got stardust in our bones ... — Ben Harper

As long as someone else controls your history the truth shall remain just a mystery — Ben Harper

So it's not so much that I set out to do something different, it's just that the songs themselves require their own individual voice and attention. — Ben Harper

Try it first And you'll see its a blessing And it's not a curse — Ben Harper

I refuse to age disgracefully in rock 'n' roll. — Ben Harper

I'm a living sunset, lightning in my bones. — Ben Harper

I knew a girl, her name was Truth. She was a terrible liar. — Ben Harper

If I fall, I fall. I'll rise up like anybody else. — Ben Harper

But I would never insult the people that love this music and I would never insult the blessing of music in my life and I would never insult myself by playing uninspired music. — Ben Harper

I want to try to be who I am today, not who I was yesterday. — Ben Harper

When your whole world is shaken from all the risks we have taken, Dance with me, dance with me into the colors of the dusk. — Ben Harper

Every time feels like my first time. And I just find that the process of it feeds into one's own self-obsession. — Ben Harper

If it comes out sounding like Dixieland jazz or classical or punk or rock or even slightly metal, that's because that's where I'm going to find inspiration. — Ben Harper

I've never made a record that didn't sound better than what was in my head - that's sort of my rule. — Ben Harper

Life's the longest picture you're ever gonna take. — Ben Harper

If I'm inspired and music inspires me, then I will continue to play it. — Ben Harper

I grew up listening to spiritual music, Blind Willie Johnson and folk. — Ben Harper

Wish there was something that I could say or do, I can resist anything but the temptation from you. But I'd rather walk alone than chase you around, I'd rather fall myself then let you drag me on down. — Ben Harper

I don't know how to not become every person I walk by. — Ben Harper

There's so much there, there's so much to heal for. — Ben Harper

You look like gold. I've been fooled before, but now I know I've made the mistake in the past. But now I, now I know the difference from gold and brass. — Ben Harper

Could've sworn I heard you say Amen this morning, showing some kind of sign that you believe. Did it fall from your tongue without warning? Or just another trick to fall from your sleeve? — Ben Harper

The good news is at this point as I get older, the load has gotten heavier but my shoulders have gotten wider because I've gotten happier so it's a damn good thing. — Ben Harper

I'm not going to do the Ben Harper house record or the Ben Harper drum 'n' bass record. — Ben Harper

All that we can't say is all we need to hear. — Ben Harper

I don't kid myself in thinking that I'm on the front lines. I know the people who are on the front lines. I mean there are people in some freakin' significant places making on-the-ground social front line change. I've marched. I've put feet on the ground for what I believe and what I'm against with no compromise. And there are people who are risking a whole hell of a lot more than me to make change, that's for damn sure. — Ben Harper

There is a difference between a great producer and somebody who is a big advocate of your music. Just because you're a big advocate for a band doesn't mean you need to be in the studio with them, and at the same time - we don't need to get into this conversation - you can write a hit, but it might not hit. — Ben Harper

It just takes a pebble to bring down a good man. — Ben Harper

We've changed our reflections, but inside we're just a child. — Ben Harper

Music is the last true voice of the human spirit. It can go beyond language, beyond age, and beyond color straight to the mind and heart of all people. — Ben Harper