Beth Orton Quotations

When I first started writing, a friend said I should be careful because I'm letting people know how to reach right in and play with my workings. And they do!

Therapy is like telling your nightmares when you're a kid; they lose their power to hurt and control.

I just like the child's nightmares and therapy, once an experience has found the light of day I'm no longer under its spell, I'm free to tell it. I hope in telling honestly I can in some way help other people to do so also.

I was born on a pig farm in Norfolk. We grew up in the city called Norwich in Norfolk, then I moved to London when I was thirteen.

I have a friend who says the best boyfriends are ones with intimidating, good-looking older brothers. The boyfriends try harder because they're so insecure. Maybe I'm the female equivalent.

I don't read music; I taught myself guitar.

I've also been writing with my guitarist, Ted Barnes, and he's amazing. Writing with him has taught me a lot about my own writing process, in the sense that it's incredably personal to write with someone else from scratch.

When I'm on a roll nothing makes me happier or feel more satisfied, like plugging in, life makes sense.

I get a feeling, on a guitar, and I sort of mess around until something resonates with me, and then I just find that what happens is that a melody comes, and with that, words.

My manager said the next best inspiration to heartbreak is travel, and it's true.