I talked to the record company about what I had in mind. They said they wanted something lush. I figured the best thing to do was let them hear what I had in mind.

I was originally like a punker, know what I mean, like the punks are today, I'd spit in a minute.

It's the same thing now. When I go onstage the young people scream and holler as much as the older generation.

People always say 'Etta, you know what your problem is? You're neither fish nor fowl. There is no place to rack you.' When I would go in a record shop, you might find one or two records by me in different stacks.

When I'm singing the blues, I'm singing life.

See, I don't like places where people can't dance - don't like clubs or theatres where a bunch of bourgeois people sit around tip, tip, tipping their fingers.

A few years ago, I thought, I'll never make it. I started to go to the doctor to help me lose weight.