You have to be taught to be second class; you're not born that way. But the slanting process is so subtle that you frequently don't realize how you're being slanted until very late in the game.

In my early days I was a sepia Hedy Lamarr. Now I'm black and a woman, singing my own way.

As much as I try, when I open my mouth, Lena comes out, And I get so mad.

I want to sing like Aretha Franklin. Before her I wanted the technical ability of Ella Fitzgerald.

I've seen so much. And I've heard so many great performers. There are performers now that couldn't work back in the days when I came along.

I don't have to be an imitation of a white woman that Hollywood sort of hoped I'd become. I'm me, and I'm like nobody else.

It's ill-becoming for an old broad to sing about how bad she wants it. But occasionally we do.