The songwriting style, to me, is superior... there was a certain amount of joy in it, no matter how sad the song is. You get joy in listening to these Buddy Holly or Roy Orbison sad lyrics. I'm attracted to songs that have balance between the darks and the lights and giving them all equal opportunity.

On songwriting styles of the post-World War II era, in an interview with Bob Boilen on All Songs Considered (17 November 2006) (NPR)