Dyin' is a pain in the ass.

The reading of the song is vital. The written word is first always . . . first. Not belittling the music, but it really is a backdrop. To convey the meaning of a song you need to look at the lyric and understand it.

With few exceptions, every major pop singer in the US during her generation has been touched in some way by her genius. It is Billie Holiday who was, and still remains, the greatest single musical influence on me. Lady Day is unquestionably the most important influence on American popular singing in the last twenty years.

For what is a man, what has he got. If not himself, then he has naught.

Oh, I just wish someone would try to hurt you so I could kill them for you.

If I had done everything I'm credited with, I'd be speaking to you from a laboratory jar at Harvard.

For my money Tony Bennett is the best singer in the business.