I always try to write a song, I never just want to write a record. Originally I was not writing songs for myself. Songwriting is my gift from God.

Once you're a Motown artist, you're always a Motown artist

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day

I don't ever balk at being considered a Motown person, because Motown is the greatest musical event that ever happened in the history of music

As human beings, we're very materialistic and have all this stuff - furs and cars and diamonds and money.

If you feel like loving me, if you've got the notion, I second that emotion.

The only thing you're taking out of here is your spirit and your soul, so we need to be conscious to try and develop that part of ourselves, because we're all spiritual creatures.

Songwriting is my gift from God

One thing I can say about the Motown acts is that we were a family. That's not a myth

Mistakes, I know I've made a few. But I'm only human, you've made mistakes, too.

I will bring you a flower from the floor of the sea to wear in your hair.

Granma's name was Bonnie Bee. I knew that when I heard him late at night say, 'I kin ye, Bonnie Bee, ' he was saying, 'I love ye, ' for the feeling was in the words.

Life is too short, and sometimes brutal, and in the end we have only each other... Nothing else matters.

For all those people, who took advantage of my kindness. Thank you. I won't drop to your level. I'll simply smile and move on.

Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice.

What's the point of being sad?" he says. "We're here now.

For a man to act himself, he must be perfectly free; otherwise he is in danger of losing all sense of responsibility or of self- respect.

The wonderful thing about food is you get three votes a day. Every one of them has the potential to change the world.

A brave captain is as a root, out of which, as branches, the courage of his soldiers doth spring.

The fact that the Church is convinced of not having the right to confer priestly ordination on women, is now considered by some as irreconcilable with the European Constitution.

I've done approximately 15 films, and most of the things I've done have either been stunt or costume work.