Songs suffer at the mercy of the performer.

I had a very unusual contract. Most artists actually pay for their record dates and it comes out of their royalties. I paid for nothing.

I just learned my lyrics and tried not to bump into the trumpet player. That was my philosophy.

I wasn't driven. I just really loved what I did.

I'll probably never put out another album because I'm a tough critic of my work, and I don't think I could come up to those standards any more.

I've got a computer, but I won't go near it.

Songwriting is an art unto itself, not to be confused with performing.

The world is a pile of grunge.

There was never anything like it before in history. It was a different kind of joyous, happy screaming.

Whatever fame came did so not because I sought it.

When rock came in, I wasn't bitter about it. I was puzzled.

You knew after eight bars that you were hearing something just absolutely new and unique.

I had four or five years in school training as a soprano. I fell into pop singing because of economics. I got out of high school and had to go work, and they weren't hiring opera singers.