But if you're doing something, show up everyday, and something good might happen - it's not going to happen if you don't show up.

In England, in France, in no other country would a black man have a chance to get elected. There's no two ways about it. Our country [USA] has been better about dealing with immigration and people who are different from each other than any other country in the world, that I know of.

There's a million white people better qualified than a black man to be president of America.

I started recording because I was always complaining about the records that I was getting of my songs. At least if I did them and messed them up, I wouldn't have anyone else to blame.

I've worked with a band, and it's nice to have someone to travel around with, but I didn't like it as well on stage.

I've often written about places that are totally different from anything I know. Sometimes they turn out better.

Writers have always liked my stuff, pretty much. That's what I wanted - I think my goal wasn't to get rich and famous, necessarily, though I cared about that. I always thought, "Oh, this could be a hit," or "that will sell records." But the first thing I wanted was that people who knew a lot about music, or had taste-making qualities, they would like my stuff. Writers, people like that.