Bob Dylan

He not busy being born

Is busy dying

From his song "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)," which was released on his 1965 album, Bringing It All Back Home.  Dylan has stated that this is one of the songs that means the most to him, and he has often performed the song in concert.  A Dylan biographer described the song as a "grim masterpiece," and I have to agree.

Jimmy Carter used the lines quoted above in his acceptance speech at the 1976 Democratic National Convention, and Al Gore told Oprah Winfrey in 2000 that this was his favorite quotation.

Roger McGuinn of the Byrds covered the song for the 1969 movie, Easy Rider.