The Top 5 Jeff Buckley Quotes
What are the top 5 Jeff Buckley quotes? This question had a friend and I going at it pretty good the other day. For anyone that doesn’t know, Jeff Buckley is one of the most critically acclaimed artists of our time. But that really means nothing. What is more impressive is the massive following of super loyal fans that he has managed to amass, and how he did it with only one studio release. Of course we never did get to see his proper sophomore effort (Sketches is really a collection of demos) before his tragic death, but what he left with us is some of the most magic music of the 20th century. Now, he has some great lyrics, but what really makes them so momentous is the delivery of his vocal performance; the way he sings those lyrics. But we are not stopping at lyrics, he also has a good collection of his thoughts on life that he left for us. So what are the 5 best Jeff Buckley quotes? Here is the consensus that my buddy and I came up with, in no particular order. See if you agree.
5. “… kiss me out of desire, but not consolation” – from “Last Goodbye”, Grace, 1994.
This is one of those examples of how his performance lends greatness to the lyrics. This is from one of the emotional high points of the song.
4. “If you feel blocked, do not turn to others, but look inside, in silence, for the enemy of your progress” – Jeff Buckley
This one is interesting. It is credited to Jeff, but also to Ralph H. Blum’s The Book of Runes. The gist of the message is that often we and not others are the source of the difficulties and obstacles that we face.
3. “I don’t write my music for Sony. I write it for the people who are screaming down the road crying to a full-blast stereo.” – Jeff Buckley
I think this is why he garnered such a strong cult following. He was on a major label, but his music in some ways was very much indifferent to the big label cookie-cutter machine. Look at “Corpus Cristi… ” for example.
2. “Too young to hold on, and too old to just break free and run.” – Jeff Buckley “Lover, You Should Have Come Over”, Grace, 1994
Many too old-too young sentiments have been bandied about through the years, but Jeff seems to encapsulate the feelings of a young man who wants the benefits of commitment without the willingness to accept responsibility.
1. “Your soul can fly outward, stringed to your ribcage like a shimmering kite in the shape of an open hand. Be still and listen to the evidence of your own holiness.” – Jeff Buckley
What can you say about that one? If only world leaders considered the significance of this quote…