Under my contract with Capitol, I have complete freedom to do just about anything I want in my own way.

Any good music must be an innovation.

I'm not an intellectual composer.

I write emotional music.

Regardless of who originally made it popular, any hit song becomes a challenge to the ingenuity and imagination of other musicians and performers.

I aim my arrangements at what will fit and colorfully frame the song in the best way possible.

I did the Broadway album unfortunately in a year when there were no hits.

I love doing concert music.

When I want 30 musicians in the orchestra, I get 30.

That was when the Spanish came in and conquered the Aztecs. I thought that was a clever thing.

In a sense, a hit belongs to the person who made it popular, but if a tune is good enough to attain tremendous success, then it certainly deserves more than one version, one treatment, one approach.

The strongest men who exist are always someone else's strength.

A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs jolted by every pebble in the road.

Jessica Lange is a sweetheart, the nicest lady in the world. She has a Poodle named Jack.

I will not last forever. But I am damn well going to know I have been here.

You scared of that pip-squeak? Dude, you got a lot to learn. Freakin' Newbies.

I hate to lose more than I like to win.

Accustomed long to contemplating love and compassion I have forgotten all difference between myself and others

Your mental attitude attracts to you everything that makes you what you are.

I just try to live my life and do my thing.

You put on a pair of Louboutins and the world changes colour.