For a long time the only time I felt beautiful-in the sense of being complete as a woman, as a human being, and even female-was when I was singing.

The ultimate of being successful is the luxury of giving yourself the time to do what you want to do.

Art is the only thing you cannot punch a button for. You must do it the old-fashioned way. Stay up and really burn the midnight oil. There are no compromises.

I am here and you will know that I am the best and will hear me. The color of my skin or the kink of my hair or the spread of my mouth has nothing to do with what you are listening to.

Accomplishments have no color.

Who I am is the best I can be.

I have never given all of myself, even vocally, to anyone. I was taught to sing on your interest, not your capital.

Be black, shine, aim high.

If you're not feeling good about you, what you're wearing outside doesn't mean a thing.

You should always know when you're shifting gears in life. You should leave your era - it should never leave you.

I prefer to leave standing up, like a well-mannered guest at a party.

How come a boy can be so stupid, but a Daddy, who actually used to be a BOY himself, can be so wonderful?

How can you tell somebody who is pursuing happiness that they're somehow not American when that was the very first promise that America made?

That was your delusion, not my reality.

He who sees what is done in secret, rewards in the light

If somehow every volunteer vanished tomorrow, so much of this country would come to a standstill: schools, hospitals and libraries. You can't name an institution that doesn't depend on volunteers.

It is important to be involved in everything.

He lit a lamp in broad daylight and said, as he went about, "I am looking for a human."

You have to wake up a virgin each morning.

Ambition is the death of thought.

I always said that I'm not into mass-marketing things. If there's one thing that looks cool, that's fine by me. I'm not interested in a whole bunch of stuff.