Carly Simon

Music brought me closer to the idea of God.

Fear came in so much in my life that it did everything but completely stop me.

There was a lot of charm in just living in a big family compound of a house. My two uncles, who were into jazz, lived in the basement, and one of them, Uncle Peter, taught me my first songs on the ukulele.

I think I had the best of James [Taylor]. I mean, I was so in love with him. Not with blinders on – I was in love with him because he is a remarkable man, and he gave me a tremendous amount.

When I’m feeling anxious or depressed, I do find it helps to reach for a pen and paper. There is something about writing things down, that hand-eye combination, that makes me feel calmer.

There are a few things that were just sheer, unadulterated joy, like the birth of my children.

There are times when you want to go where you used to go and you can’t go there. So I’m back to Count Basie lifting his hand. And I find you can stop that show with one note just like you can with a hundred.

Once I could play what I heard inside me, that’s when I was born.

Dog spelled backward is God. That’s pretty heavy.

[In 1969] I think lyrics have always been important to any serious writer of music.

I’ve tried all my life to avoid copying. If I can’t be myself, there’s no point being in Jazz.

Jazz is an idea that is more powerful than the details of its history.

To the person who uses music as a medium for the expression of ideas, feelings, images, or what have you; anything which facilitates this expression is properly his instrument.

You can play a shoestring if you’re sincere.

There’s always this sound out there that’s just a little beyond my reach and that just sort of keeps me going.

Jazz to me is a living music. It’s a music that since its beginning has expressed the feelings, the dreams, hopes, of the people.

In order to be honest with myself, I have to reveal more of who I am. This is a part of the improv process.

I have been doing music all my life so everyday when I get up I expect music will be part of it.

A kiss that is never tasted, is forever and ever wasted.

You must surrender whatever preconceptions you have about music if you’re really interested in it.

I’m not thinking about what needs to be on the radio. I’m not thinking about anything other than – I’m just going to let this music come out of me and not have any sort of preconceived notion of what I should do. I’m just going to do it.