My upbringing was very straightforward suburban working class upbringing.

Quote by Billy Bragg

Topics: Billy Bragg Quotes

By the time I was 19, punk had occurred. It had a completely different cultural...

By the time I was 19, punk had occurred. It had a completely different cultural...

The most important thing for anyone, I think, is to be engaged, whether you're an...

The most important thing for anyone, I think, is to be engaged, whether you're an...

I'm still batting away on my politics for the Labour Party. I'm much further to...

I'm still batting away on my politics for the Labour Party. I'm much further to...

I'm trying to make a case for those people who don't have a sense of...

I'm trying to make a case for those people who don't have a sense of...

I enjoyed so much working with the guys from Wilco, and riffing off of them,...

I enjoyed so much working with the guys from Wilco, and riffing off of them,...

That taught me one lesson which is that you're naive to believe that bands can...

That taught me one lesson which is that you're naive to believe that bands can...

Were it not for the Clash, punk would have been just a sneer, a safety...

Were it not for the Clash, punk would have been just a sneer, a safety...

Even with politics, stuff comes around again. Woody Guthrie would recognize America today.

Even with politics, stuff comes around again. Woody Guthrie would recognize America today.

My theory is this; I'm not a political songwriter. I'm an honest songwriter.

My theory is this; I'm not a political songwriter. I'm an honest songwriter.

I came into this whole business by going to see Rock Against Racism gigs with...

I came into this whole business by going to see Rock Against Racism gigs with...

In that sense, I became politicized because the people in the coal mining villages who...

In that sense, I became politicized because the people in the coal mining villages who...

Most of the people that I went to school with - I went to secondary...

Most of the people that I went to school with - I went to secondary...

I try and write honestly about what I see around me now.

I try and write honestly about what I see around me now.

We read our own political content into The Clash, and they accepted it.

We read our own political content into The Clash, and they accepted it.

So, in some ways, the political songs tend to be a bit more like reportage,...

So, in some ways, the political songs tend to be a bit more like reportage,...

Being spokesman for a generation is the worst job I ever had.

Being spokesman for a generation is the worst job I ever had.

All musicians start out with ideals but hanging on to them in the face of...

All musicians start out with ideals but hanging on to them in the face of...

There are quite a few honest songwriters out there writing about relationships and their own...

There are quite a few honest songwriters out there writing about relationships and their own...

I've had songs written during the Falklands war, and during the first Gulf war I...

I've had songs written during the Falklands war, and during the first Gulf war I...

I was in a little punk band and we put out a few punk records...

I was in a little punk band and we put out a few punk records...