Once I was condemned to three months' absolute silence. As I could not speak, I wrote a book.

For my convalescence, I had to exercise my voice only with vowels. It is a medical rule after a long loss of voice.

I do believe that if you haven't learnt about sadness, you cannot appreciate happiness.

I have been so lucky to receive so much love from those who enjoy my music, that I feel I have to give as much of it as I can back to children.

When I was very young I was the ugly duckling. I had a lot of complexes. My sister was wonderful and I was nothing.

When you want something very dearly, you make the time.

The Berlin Wall go down, that was the most wonderful thing that could happen, absolutely. I celebrated with everybody in Berlin that day when the Wall was down.

One of the most wonderful memories in my life was when I sang at the Opera House in Sydney. I will never forget that. It is one of the most beautiful Houses I have ever sung in my life.

When I started to work with UNICEF, it was a new way of giving some love and care to the world.

UNICEF has made the most rewarding thing that I have ever done in my life.

It's nice to look good, but the most important thing is to be you.

There are few nicer things than sitting up in bed, drinking strong tea, and reading.

Riff needed the pain in his body to mask the pain inside. Once he'd enjoyed the pain only because it brought pleasure with it, but that distinction had gotten lost.

Never take a solemn oath. People think you mean it.

When success comes, people can try to trick you or take advantage of you.

Anyone who endorses violence, hatred or oppression is not welcome in America and never, ever will be!

Now I can stand up on the stage again like I used to after five years of sitting down while I sang.

I dunno what my 23 infantile years in America signify. I left as soon as motion was autarchic -- I mean my motion.

In the snow outside my window I see a small green frog, one eye blinking and the other wide open, unmoving, looking at me. I know this is God.

The key to successful aging is...to pay as little attention to it as possible.

I think both you and I, we live in a world of fiction and stories.