If you enjoy the fragrance of a rose, you must accept the thorns which it bears.

Have you ever wondered why young people take to music like fish to water? Maybe it's because music is fun. Plan and simple. It opens up their minds to dream great dreams about where they can go and what they can do when they get older.

There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry toward religious beliefs... begins.

A certain administration which I won't call by name took the arts out of the schools, and that left the brothers out on the street with nothing, so they went to the turntables and started rhyming. Then they had a way to express themselves, and that's the birth of hip-hop.

If you enjoy the fragrance of a rose, you must accept the thorns which it bears.

Know the business, learn the business, own something.

All the time I was writing hit songs with my partner David Porter, I always had the yen to perform. Sure did. And when the opportunity came, I took it. The first album, 'Presenting Isaac Hayes,' didn't do so hot, but it was like a prelude for what was to come.

Elvis was a giant and influenced everyone in the business.

Guys in slavery sang praises to the Lord to deliver them from bondage.

I first heard African drum rhythms and chants at the movies. Then, when I had the opportunity to go to Africa and visit the villages, I heard the real, raw, true rhythms and realised the origins of the old Negro spirituals I grew up with in the South.

I influence people, hopefully on the positive side.

I think the kids today need to hear more about morals and values.

I used to stand in front of the mic and cry.

I was a pop freak. I love music. Of course, I knew soul because I grew up in it. Writing it and everything. I love soul. But I love a tune that has some meat in it. Something I could hang my hat on. Because music is universal. Therefore, I felt no boundaries.

I'd always loved strings. When I was in high school and saw strings playing on stage, an orchestra or a symphony, all those bows moving at the same time... wow.

I've been around a long time, and when I was at the top of the hill, I was very ahead of my time! Evidence of that is that my music is still current today - you know, rappers sample it all the time. So, rather than compromise my artistic integrity, I concentrated on movies.

Just, you know, you can't put bread in a cold oven. You know, you've got to take your time. You've got to heat it up. So that's what, that's what I like to do with my music. I like to build it, and build it into a maddening, exciting crescendo.

Religious beliefs are sacred to people, and at all times should be respected and honoured.

Self-expression is always a right, but it's still not there to be abused.

The rappers have gone in and created a lot of hit music based upon my influence. And they'll tell you if you ask.

There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins.

There's always hurdles. So I just keep moving, just constantly redefining myself. That's how you stay in the race.

There's something about live players that you cannot get with machines: With live musicians, you can strike a groove, you can feed off each other... And, even though somebody might make a slight mistake, it's all real!

You never know how deep love grows till you lose it. And you never never never realize its true for you until its gone.

Self expression is always a right but its still not there to be abused.

I think the bar is higher these days in terms of audience expectations of authenticity.

Want to know a Secret? Someone out there can't stop thinking about you.You are Beautiful. Don't ever believe differently.

I don't care what political party is controlling China right now. All I know is we are all Chinese.

And one more thing.

In school, I could hear the leaves rustle and go on a journey.

When you're playing a character, I think it's always better not to judge that character.

That's the great thing about 'Corrie': it is an ensemble cast, and it didn't rest on one person's shoulders by any means.

The topic 'Farm Wisdom' is not a gospel doctrine or scriptural topic, although I found considerable scriptural support for the lessons learned on the farm.

The gangster is the man of the city with the citys language and knowledge with its queer and dishonest skills and its terrible daring carrying his life in his hands like a placard like a club.

I feel very connected to poets across the country.

When you go to a concert, part of being there is that you're all hearing the same thing. It's about being in a crowd. If you go to a gig and there are two people there, then it's not the same thing.

It's better to use a curse word than to hurt somebody else, I find.

Live action writers will give you a structure, but who the hell is talking about structure? Animation is closer to jazz than some kind of classical stage structure.

I was an editor for supplemental math, science, and literature programs for the primary grades and became very well versed in elementary curriculum, particularly PreK-2.

An archeologist is the best husband any woman can have the older she gets the more interested he is in her.

For me, there are no my people and strangers, no bad people and good people. All people are equal for me.

He brought a sensibility and a hard-edged reasonableness to operating restaurants that had a lasting impact on me and still affects how I run all our restaurants today. The passing of 'Restaurant Man' - the original gangsta 'Restaurant Man,' my father - was the passing of an era. No one can replace him.

It takes a lot to get people talking in airplanes. But once they start talking, you just can't shut them up.

I don't read reviews because if they're bad I'm devastated and if they're good I get a big head.

There is a lot to celebrate about that little Babe who was laid in a manger. Christians celebrate Christmas because they are thankful for the promise of salvation, which was delivered in human flesh and named Jesus.

Somebody gets to be smart and somebody gets to be dumb. If we win, it'll be because of the president. And if we lose, it'll be because of me.

If you're playing with a number of people, there are all sorts of textures, all kinds of possibilities you can get into. So why just play a theme together and then take solos?

If you break your knee, you have therapy on your knee, and it's the same for your heart.

Rob Hardy is such a great director.