Nellie McKay Quotes

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Nellie McKay

Profession : Musician

Birth : April 13, 1982

I used to play in the subway. If everyone tossed in a quarter, at the end of the day it would add up. It shows you aren't invisible. And it's better than being ignored, or kicked in the head, or worse.

Nellie McKay

I thought I had a talent for alienating people, but I have no idea what it is that doesn't go over.

Nellie McKay

I have trouble with any kind of focus or concentrating, or getting anything done at all, really.

Nellie McKay

I'm not sure I know how to make music anymore. Maybe you're given a window into things for a time, and beyond that maybe it goes away. Why should you expect it to stay?

Nellie McKay

In high school, I was always into Jerry Lee Lewis, and they decided they needed a piano player for the jazz band. I had my little boogie-woogie thing that I did, so I did my little boogie-woogie thing. I had a very high-pitched voice.

Nellie McKay

In the hierarchy of instruments, if you're a harpist, you're considered someone with a brain much more than if you're a singer.

Nellie McKay

I don't listen to much rap, really. I can rarely listen to a whole record of it, because musically, it's very formulaic, and oftentimes it doesn't have the best hooks on every track.

Nellie McKay

Love is such a fleeting emotion. It's such a small part of the things you do in your life.

Nellie McKay

You can criticize something you strive for, and you can avoid something you dream about.

Nellie McKay

I tried to be just a singer of standards when I was starting out. And there was nothing special enough about my voice to make it that far. So I feel a bit like Rod Stewart. Once you've had that rock career, people will give you that chance where otherwise they might not.

Nellie McKay

I love writing for dancers. You don't have to worry about the lyrics. I think to write words without music must be so frustrating. It must be always be so good, so perfect.

Nellie McKay

In New York City, when they develop something, they never use the old buildings. It's so wasteful. Why not use what's there?

Nellie McKay

If we went back to the basics of vegetables, legumes, grains - the things closer to the Earth - it's a lot better for the Earth and for other people. We can feed more people, we can feed the starving people.

Nellie McKay

It's always so nerve-wracking being up there on stage. It's even harder playing in your hometown - and I have a couple of home towns - but, you're playing for all the people you knew in high school, so it causes no small degree of panic in my mind.

Nellie McKay

I'd love to give my music to someone who really likes to wow the crowd. I feel like half the time I just want to hide in the dressing room!

Nellie McKay

If you look through the century, certain things have gotten better and certain things have gotten worse. I wouldn't say overall that things have gotten better. I think you could say things have gotten worse, but I don't think you could say that things have gotten better. Overall. You can't say that.

Nellie McKay

I guess you deal with what you get.

Nellie McKay

There's a side of me that identifies with Aileen Wuornos.

Nellie McKay

I think there are nice things about every era. I wish we could just take the nice things.

Nellie McKay

You know, I wanted to get married, and so I - but I, you know, I realize no matter what you want, it's kind of a fantasy.

Nellie McKay