I am exceedingly lucky that my voice, along with perfect pitch and perfect rhythm, was given me at birth.

Ice cream was my undoing, and six chocolate milk shakes in a row were nothing to me at one time.

Every small town has its dramatic group, its barber-shop quartet, every home has music in one form or another.

During the presidential primaries of 1940, I received a request from the Democratic National Committee to sing God Bless America before the speeches.

There's no second chance on stage, and I was trained to make the most of my first chance.

I must work hard to make my singing above reproach; there must be no faults which hard work would take care of.

My singing is part of me, like my stoutness, or my light hair, or my poor eyesight.

after several months of probation work, standing on my feet some ten to twelve hours a day, I decided that as a nurse I was a pretty good entertainer.

I was always daydreaming about singing in big productions on Broadway.

And when all is said and done, there is no greater success in the world than just being happy.

Intelligent analysis of the composer's intention and strict adherence to it automatically ensures sincerity.

Even cats have questions – like “Can’t you see my bowl is empty?” or “Why don’t you turn off the ***! rain now?” From their perspective we are gods!

I'm always telling my students that the weirdest thing is the truth. I mean, the fact that we get up in the morning and put on clothes is weird.

Human growth is not like rhubarb. It can be nurtured and encouraged but it cannot be forced.

I think dressing nowadays went from trying to fit in to wearing something to try to stick out.

Only the great can afford to have great defects.

We are animal in our blood and in our skin. We were not born for pavements and escalators but for thunder and mud.

We are all strong-willed, forceful personalities and the President encourages vigorous debate.

They think I'm being serious when actually I'm a very big clown. But you have to know me to see that. I'm constantly cracking up and cracking everybody else around me up.

Mickey Mouse should be in the public domain by now. What a better world it would be if other people were doing things with Mickey Mouse!

I laugh at people who say things like 'I'm a good person, I just do bad things.' No, that's not how it works. What you do IS who you are.