“A kiss that is never tasted, is forever and ever wasted.”

You’ve got to have something to eat and a little love in your life before you can hold still for any damn body’s sermon on how to behave.

There’s no damn business like show business – you have to smile to keep from throwing up.

I hate straight singing. I have to change a tune to my own way of doing it. That’s all I know.

The only reason they’re out there is to see me fall into the damn orchestra pit.

Sometimes it’s worse to win a fight than to lose.

When Lester plays, he almost seems to be singing; one can almost hear the words.

The whole basis of my singing is feeling. Unless I feel something, I can’t sing.

I’ve been told that nobody sings the word ‘hunger’ like I do.

I don’t think I’m singing. I feel like I’m playing a horn, What comes out is what I feel.

You can’t copy anybody and end with anything. If you copy, it means you’re working without any real feeling.

And when you’re poor, you grow up fast.

Don’t be in such a hurry.

I never had a chance to play with dolls like other kids. I started working when I was six years old.

I never hurt nobody but myself and that’s nobody’s business but my own.

I can’t stand to sing the same song the same way two nights in succession, let alone two years or ten years.

Somebody once said we never know what is enough until we know what’s more than enough.

One should see any opportunity to serve as a rare and precious gift, and never waste such an opportunity.

To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose. To throw away what you no longer need is neither wasteful nor shameful.

It is folly to waste labour about trifles.

Knowledge without understanding is useless.

Passion is universal humanity. Without it religion, history, romance and art would be useless.

But dear, even dandelions are viewed as weeds in a rose garden.

Your prayers are your light; Your devotion is your strength; Sleep is the enemy of both. Your life is the only opportunity that life can give you. If you ignore it, if you waste it, You will only turn to dust.

It wasn’t all in vain, all the lives laid to rest your sacrifice made it possible to keep fighting.