They wasn't gonna give you nothin'. I didn't care as long as they let me play my music. Cash on the spot... You cheat me and I'm gonna get me some money, too.

I just get an idea and then all of a sudden I've got a song.

In my career, people in the record business have been rockin' in the same ol' boat. They all crooks - I'll say it clear and loud - especially the big ones.

When I die, they'll bury the blues with me. But the blues will never die.

Since you knew they was goin' to cheat you anyway, I recorded under any name with all of 'em.

I been doing the same things as in my younger days, when I was coming up, and now here I am, an old man, up there in the charts. And I say, well, what happened? Have they just thought up the real John Lee Hooker, is that it? And I think, well, I won't tell nobody else! I can't help but wonder what happened.

I want to play music when I want, write a song if I want or watch a baseball game if I want.