When I hear somebody like Hayes Carll write a song that's touching and poignant and sad and funny all at the same time, it motivates me to step my game up and try to figure out a way to get more different emotions into one line or one song.
The emotions in a song - the anger, aggression - have got to be legitimate.
I often have an argument with people. I say name me a classic song that's not sad in some kind of way. And even if you can, you'll have to search pretty far.
I don't really connect with super-sad, somber songs.
'Haaye ve' is a very special song that evokes many emotions.
I like 'Bewitched' off the first album because it's one of the happiest songs I've ever written and, as any writer will tell you, happy songs are a million times more difficult to write than sad songs.
I always tell people that it's so much harder to make a happy song than a sad one.
I try to make an album that reflects what I love about country music. It's not just all about happy parties all the time. There are some sad songs.
