I believe the time will come when the whole definition of pop music will change. It will get to the point where a song will not be a good song until it has a high level of creativity in writing and performance. In other words, in order to be popular, songs will have to meet these high standards.

It is difficult to retain your standards with the pressure of trying to make money, which always has its rules...It's hard to walk the tightrope of doing what you think is your best and making money at it.

This is the world you have made yourself, now you have to live in it.

I have a cultured manner of speaking.

I was always a politician from the day the civil rights people chose me as their protest singer.

Once I understood Bach's music, I wanted to be a concert pianist. Bach made me dedicate my life to music, and it was that teacher who introduced me to his world.

Tomorrow, I might be in a different mood and you wouldn't recognize my voice.