Sometimes it's worse to win a fight than to lose.

I hate straight singing. I have to change a tune to my own way of doing it. That's all I know.

Don't threaten me with love, baby. Let's just go walking in the rain.

Dope never helped anybody sing better or play music better or do anything better. All dope can do for you is kill you - and kill you the long, slow, hard way.

I don't think I ever sing the same way twice. The blues is sort of a mixed-up thing. You just have to feel it. Anything I do sing is part of my life.

People don't understand the kind of fight it takes to record what you want to record the way you want to record it.

There's no damn business like show business - you have to smile to keep from throwing up.