Never play a thing the same way twice.
If you don’t understand it, don’t mess with it.
I don’t get involved in politics. I just blow my horn.
It’s getting almost so bad a colored man hasn’t got any country.
My life has always been my music, it’s always come first, but the music ain’t worth nothing if you can’t lay it on the public. The main thing is to live for that audience, ’cause what you’re there for is to please the people.
You will never know what the meaning of Jazz is if ask what it means.
The way they are treating my people in the South, the government can go to hell!
Unless you know what it is I ain’t never going to be able to explain it to you.
If you still have to ask, shame on you.
I see trees of green, red roses too. I see them bloom for me and you. And I think to myself what a wonderful world. I see skies of blue and clouds of white. The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night. And I think to myself what a wonderful world.
Love is talkative passion.
It ain’t whatcha say, it’s the way howcha say it.
There’s a thing I’ve dreamed of all my life, and I’ll be damned if it don’t look like it’s about to come true-to be King of the Zulu’s parade. After that, I’ll be ready to die.
Music is either good or bad, and it’s got to be learned. You got to have balance.
There is no such thing as ‘on the way out’ as long as you are still doing something interesting and good; you’re in the business because you’re breathing.
White folks still in the lead.
We don’t play slow and we don’t play fast, we play half fast.
I got a simple rule about everybody. If you don’t treat me right – shame on you.
You’ve got to be good or as bad as the devil.
You either have it or you don’t. You play your horn just like you sing a song or a hymn. If it’s in your heart, you express yourself in the tune.
The best I can do is stay happy.