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Dave Matthews Quotes

Powerful Dave Matthews for Daily Growth

The saddest part of the human race is we're obsessed with this idea of 'us and them,' which is really a no-win situation, whether it's racial, cultural, religious or political.

- Dave Matthews

Obsessed, Religious, Which, Cultural

South Africa gives me a perspective of what's real and what's not real. So I go back to South Africa to both lose myself and gain awareness of myself. Every time I go back, it doesn't take long for me to get caught into a very different thing. A very different sense of myself.

- Dave Matthews

Caught, Very, South, Different Thing

Nothing is black or white, nothing's 'us or them.' But then there are magical, beautiful things in the world. There's incredible acts of kindness and bravery, and in the most unlikely places, and it gives you hope.

- Dave Matthews

Nothing, Black Or White, Unlikely

I think some people would say that I do overwhelm the words with the music, and sometimes thank goodness I do.

- Dave Matthews

Think, Some, I Think, Overwhelm

Being a white South African, I enjoyed the better things that that country gave to a small percentage of its population.

- Dave Matthews

Small, Country, South, Percentage

So often we talk about saving the planet, but what we really mean is to save the planet the way it is, so we can live here. So that is can sustain us. Because the planet doesn't need to be saved. It doesn't care if all the squirrels, elephants, and trees die and there's just a couple of amoebas floating around at the poles.

- Dave Matthews

Die, Here, Couple, Elephants

We give the podium to a lot of people who shouldn't have the podium. The message that's delivered the loudest and in the most entertaining way is the one that we're going to put on because that's what we want. We want ratings more than we want to deliver information. That's just where the culture's gotten.

- Dave Matthews

Entertaining, Gotten, Loudest

Being able to scream at the top of my lungs in front of people is very therapeutic. It is a great gift for me to be able to do that.

- Dave Matthews

Gift, Scream, Very, Therapeutic

I fear that our true motivation is about oil and our own flailing economy; about the failure to destroy Al Qaeda and about revenge.

- Dave Matthews

Motivation, Revenge, Own, Qaeda

I'm a fairly tormented artist, and I'm less willing to indulge myself in self-pity, outside of songwriting.

- Dave Matthews

Artist, Outside, Willing, Tormented

A guy and a girl can be just friends, but at one point or another, they will fall for each other... maybe temporarily, maybe at the wrong time, maybe too late, or maybe forever.

- Dave Matthews

Too Late, Will, Other, Temporarily

The world and the universe are far more wonderful if there's not a puppet master.

- Dave Matthews

World, More, Far, Puppet

The idea of God as a fatherly figure who looks down on us and worries about how we're doing or takes sides when we have fights - it's more irritating than Santa Claus. The world and the universe are far more wonderful if there's not a puppet master.

- Dave Matthews

Doing, Idea, About, Puppet

When I listen to my favorite songwriters, they have such simple melodies and chords. I occasionally manage to stop at the right time, but all too often I keep on going until I have way too many notes and words. But that's just what I do.

- Dave Matthews

Melodies, Notes, Songwriters, Right Time

When I write the set, I try to create something that will not only be interesting for the audience, but will have a flow for the band, too, so we don't get boring.

- Dave Matthews

Audience, Set, I Write, Flow

We have to be active about kindness and about peace. I've always fantasized that it would be great if there was a Department of Peace.

- Dave Matthews

Peace, Always, Would, Department

It is criminal to put our servicemen and women in harm's way and to put the lives of so many civilians on the line for the misguided frustrations of the Bush administration.

- Dave Matthews

Line, Harm, Lives, Frustrations

Good music is good music, and everything else can go to hell.

- Dave Matthews

Music, Go, Else, Everything Else

I think I am a very kind person. I think I'm joyful, but I could be kinder and I could be more joyful. I do believe peace is a state of grace, and not the absence of violence.

- Dave Matthews

Think, I Think, Very, Kinder

The reason I play music is to touch people - for selfish reasons, as well. It feels good to make someone else feel something, whether it's a kiss, a painting, good idea or it's a song.

- Dave Matthews

Play, Reason, Feels, Play Music

Well, I've been in a few car wrecks.

- Dave Matthews

Car, Well, Been, Wrecks

I can't believe that we would lie in our graves wondering if we had spent our living days well. I can't believe that we would lie in our graves dreaming of things that we might have been.

- Dave Matthews

Living, Dreaming, Been, Wondering

We've never played at this place before. This place is big, and I'm kinda nervous, so we're going to make it feel small by pretending we're in a... bedroom. We'll hang off the edge of the bed, take off our shoes and get naked!

- Dave Matthews

Small, Big, Bed, Bedroom

I definitely like the oddballs. There's a song called 'Little Thing,' which is the only song that I have recorded that has no words. And it's the one that I get past my critic inside me.

- Dave Matthews

Song, Like, Which, No Words

Success turns a lot of people off. I have a pretty solid sense of joy and respect that irritates people, and can irritate me, too.

- Dave Matthews

Sense, Pretty, Solid, Irritates

If I find something I like, I'll chase it and see what comes out the other side. Once a song gets momentum and gets away from you, that's a good sign.

- Dave Matthews

Song, Other, Side, Good Sign

I do still get shocked every once in a while when I catch my reflection when I'm walking past a glass building, but it's in my mind about getting older and finding out what I'm going to look like as it unfolds - or as it folds, depending on where the marks and scars land.

- Dave Matthews

Getting Older, About, While, Marks

I found there's a fairly blatant racism in America that's already there, and I don't think I noticed it when I lived here as a kid. But when I went back to South Africa, and then it's sort of thrust in your face, and then came back here - I just see it everywhere.

- Dave Matthews

Kid, Here, South, Thrust

So often we talk about saving the planet, but what we really mean is to save the planet the way it is, so we can live here. So that is can sustain us.

- Dave Matthews

Here, Planet, About, Sustain

We look to our leaders once we elect them to either lead us in the right direction or at least not crush us.

- Dave Matthews

Leaders, Them, Least, Elect

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