True music must repeat the thought and inspirations of the people and the time.

Why should I limit myself to only one woman when I can have as many women as I want?

Writing music is not so much inspiration as hard work.

Summertime And the living is easy Fish are jumpin' And the cotton is high Oh, your daddy's rich And your mama's good lookin' So hush little baby now don't you cry One of these mornin's You're gonna rise up singin' Then you'll spread your wings And take to the sky But til that mornin' Ain't nothin' can harm you With your daddy And your mammy standin' by.

My people are Americans. My time is today.

When I'm in my normal mood, music drips from my fingers.

The composer does not sit around and wait for an inspiration to walk up and introduce itself...Making music is actually little else than a matter of invention aided and abetted by emotion. In composing we combine what we know of music with what we feel.