1995 Interview

Page 11: Song Writing

JOHNSON: Can you tell us a little bit more about your inspiration for song writing? Is that a true habit of yours?

PHILLIPS: No, no. [Laughs] No, it’s not. It’s a true habit of Michelle’s.

McKENZIE: [Laughs]

PHILLIPS: Michelle’s very witty. Summing up everything in one line, a one-liner. I think she said it for the first time about five years ago, actually, at a dinner party. Oh yes, John, the greatest vocal arranger has also mastered the art of turning tragedy into publishing. So since then, it’s sort of spread around everywhere.

JOHNSON: Well, it’s gonna be spread around a lot, because we put it in theCD-ROM.

PHILLIPS: [Laughs] She’s done it again, see. [Laughs] Those are the happy times in my life, the songs.

JOHNSON: Really?

PHILLIPS: Yeah. Not the tragedy. If I told you the tragedy parts, we’d all sit here and cry.