Jimmy Webb Quotes & Sayings

Even if chords are simple, they should rub. They should have dissonances in them. I've always used a lot of alternate bass lines, suspensions, widely spaced voicings. Dfferent textures to get very warm chords. Sometimes you're setting up strange chords by placing a chord in front of it that's going to set it off like a diamond in a gold band. It's not just finding interesting chords, it's how you sequence them, like stringing together pearls on a string ... Interesting chords will compel interesting melodies. It's very hard to write a boring melody to an interesting chord sequence. — Jimmy Webb

I believe strongly in inspiration, inspiration literally meaning 'full of the spirit.' I do believe that it comes to you. — Jimmy Webb

I've been fortunate that when Frank Sinatra was in concert, he would say, 'Here's a song by a wonderful young songwriter, Jimmy Webb,' and I'd be in the front row and stand up. That gets people talking about you. — Jimmy Webb

I rode all around Hollywood listening to Donna Summer, looking out the window - all by myself - just going, 'I'm number one!' It's a pretty extraordinary feeling. — Jimmy Webb

You reach a certain point in your life where they things you do and say do make a difference. — Jimmy Webb

It's very hard for me to think about my songs and attribute some significance to them. — Jimmy Webb

What has worked before is never as good as something that has never been tried before, even if it doesn't work. — Jimmy Webb

As I've grown - dare I say it - older, I had hopes of indulging my dreams of being a sailor. — Jimmy Webb

We as songwriters are in the same position as a professional fisherman. Our fishing grounds are kind of fished out. — Jimmy Webb

The creative processes are so mysterious. — Jimmy Webb

The people who are making money are the ones who are writing and singing their own songs. — Jimmy Webb

When we go somewhere in New York, I'm known as Mr. Savini. — Jimmy Webb

I like words. I like the way they clash around together and bang up against each other, especially in songs. — Jimmy Webb

America's criminal justice system has deteriorated to the point that it is a national disgrace. — Jimmy Webb

Songwriting is Hell on Earth. If it isn't, then you're doing it wrong. — Jimmy Webb

You certainly don't hear any country music on pop radio today. But for a while you did, and it was a lovely thing to have all the different genres of music cohabitating the Top 40 - the folk sound, The Beatles, the British sound, the Motown sounds, that kind of light country - it was a welcome relief after a few hard rock records. Everyone was sharing the airwaves, and I think it was a beautiful time for American music. — Jimmy Webb

Particularly in my early days, I did very little rewriting. — Jimmy Webb

I think it's prima facie evidence for the existence of God because for me to grow up and actually end up working with Glen Campbell is almost unbelievable. — Jimmy Webb

In the end all that matters is climbing and pushing your personal limits. No matter the grade, if you climb something that was hard for you, then that's sick. — Jimmy Webb

I usually know what kind of song I'm after. I know what I'm trying to do when I start. I don't always get there. But I try to visualize what it's actually going to be. — Jimmy Webb

When I started out, I was absolutely awful, I had no voice, I didn't have a lot of stage presence and most of the interpretive intensity that I brought to the experience was actually terror. — Jimmy Webb