Ben Harper Quotations

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone - it's possible. But creatively, it's more like painting: you can't just use the same colours in every painting. It's just not an option. You can't take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.

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.

I get diminishing returns when I bore myself in an interview.

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

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

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

Genetics do play a role in how you consciously or subconsciously manifest your true self.

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.

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.

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

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.

Sometimes I think to talk too much about music almost cheapens it

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.

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.

I grew up with a heavy diet of gospel, folk, and blues because those are kind of the cornerstones of traditional American music.

I just want to keep doing what I feel.

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

You have to do what you believe in

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I really feel like the sky is the limit with the Innocent Criminals today.

The Blind Boys are truly the deepest well of American musical heritage you can discover.

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

I love being on the road, I love playing.

I refuse to age disgracefully in rock 'n' roll.

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

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

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

My head works in music, so there's always music there.

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.

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.

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.

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

As a songwriter, I don't rush. I may sit on lyrics for two years before the music hits.

I can change the world With my own two hands Make a better place With my own two hands Make a kinder place.

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.

The lifetime we've left behind with strangers Promises and lies both have their dangers. I just can't be wrong enough and I can't hide for long enough So far away, but I still feel your pain.

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.

Children come running to the truth But you've got to peel the skin to get the fruit And while one's living high another's grieving But what's sweet by morning is bitter by the evening Oh - What's sweet by morning is bitter by the evening.

I dont know if hell exists, but there sure as hell are some people who dont belong in heaven.

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

I'm more afraid of falling than I am of flying high. I'm not as scared of dying as I am of growing old. Every battle has its glory and its consequence.

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.

They say time will make all this go away. But it's time that has taken my tomorrows and turned them into yesterdays.

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

We've all got stardust in our bones...

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

It's so hard to do and so easy to say but sometimes you just have to walk away

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

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

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 your alright with me.

There's something in everyone only they know.

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

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

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.

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

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

It was a huge deal, a huge musical discovery that became life lessons learned. You can't return from having an experience like that. The Blind Boys are truly the deepest well of American musical heritage you can discover.

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.

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

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!

The woman in you is the worry in me.

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

There's so much there, there's so much to heal for.

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

It just takes a pebble to bring down a good man.

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.

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.

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.

Now that you've grown up You can finally learn to be a child We made it to the end of the world But we'll never make it out alive.

Don't be discouraged by writer's block. Writer's block just means you need to listen to other music.

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

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.

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

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.

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

Every man's actions belong to him.

If you're gonna live, then live it up.

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

If interviews are just interviews or if music is just music, why are we even doing it? You only get so many hours in a lifetime, man.

Folk is bare bones music.

I refuse to make uninspired music.

Love for me is my North Star. It's the highest form of grace. And I love that there's different levels and different ways of showing it, and different representations of it. Whether it's love shown to a stranger, love to a sibling, your child, your parents, your partner.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

You're living life in real time, man, and we' ve got a good amount of work to do for each other. Hiding is not an option and you're going to step out and you're going to make mistakes.