I am harder on myself than anyone else could be.

My singing is part of me, like my stoutness, or my light hair, or my poor eyesight.

As soon as I began to earn what might be called fairly large sums, I bought a car and began to explore the country around New York.

During the presidential primaries of 1940, I received a request from the Democratic National Committee to sing God Bless America before the speeches.

Intelligent analysis of the composer's intention and strict adherence to it automatically ensures sincerity.

I have personally believed in every product I have ever advertised.

I have been extremely lucky with reviewers and critics throughout my career.

In 29 years, I had recorded over 2,200 songs. I was amazed.

In nearly all ballads, the words set the mood and meaning, while the music intensifies or enhances them.

I have never known stage-fright at any time.

I am continually embarrassed by people who point me out as an example of what can be done without training.

Every small town has its dramatic group, its barber-shop quartet, every home has music in one form or another.

I was always daydreaming about singing in big productions on Broadway.

This nation loves singing and loves acting.

I could see myself in a white nurse's uniform, working unnoticed for many years and at last dying, unknown, unmarried and unsung.

If rock-and-roll is well done, there's nothing so terribly wrong with that kind of music. But the lyrics are another story.

I am exceedingly lucky that my voice, along with perfect pitch and perfect rhythm, was given me at birth.

I must work hard to make my singing above reproach; there must be no faults which hard work would take care of.

An entertainer should in his public performance keep himself out of any controversy, political or otherwise.

I could not separate myself off stage from myself on stage, as so many actors can.

I just can't read music.

It is important that the audience should understand every syllable of every word, for only then can they grasp the meaning of the song.

I am harder on myself than anyone else could be.

I have always examined closely the motives of any group for which I am asked to raise money.

I vowed that whenever my family needed me, I would give up everything to go to them, no matter what. The show must go on was meaningless to me.

Ice cream was my undoing, and six chocolate milk shakes in a row were nothing to me at one time.

Since I have been singing for so many years, I don't always need to approach a song quite so laboriously and meticulously.

It's up to the audience. It always has been.

Many people submit to excessive appetites without realizing that they do not need to eat so much food.

It became obvious in 1957 that I was endangering my health by carrying so much weight.

There's no second chance on stage, and I was trained to make the most of my first chance.

Most of the people who act and sing do so for their own pleasure and that of their friends and family.

I learn my songs by ear.

I know I'm fat and I know my hair is straight, but I can sing.

Public and employer opinion often defeat society's best interests with a prejudice against middle-aged women.

Because of my voice, speaking words which had been carefully chosen, women had used money they had set aside for other purposes to buy war bonds.

I shall always respect the composer. If I embellish, it is his idea I am embellishing.

Middle-aged women have greater stability, they are more loyal, and their capacity for steady work is greater than that of younger women.

I sometimes get that wonderful sympathy between me and the audience, telling me I've reached their hearts. And when I do, the thrill is mine.

There's a fine line between stubbornness and the positive side of that, which is dogged determination.

I don't spend much time listening to the records when they're done. Usually I let go of it. Especially in the Eighties and Nineties - they were like product, almost.

A book is either autobiography or a novel.

Fashion is in my blood. Growing up, I was always clacking around the house in my mother's shoes.

Have you seen a duck gliding smoothly on water? Does it ever look like it is paddling furiously underneath the surface? I don't have to show that I am working very hard.

A round of golf is the ideal antidote to stress.

People don't understand that when I grew up, I was never the most talented. I was never the biggest. I was never the fastest. I certainly was never the strongest. The only thing I had was my work ethic, and that's been what has gotten me this far.

I used to routinely turn down things that might compound the impression that I was some kind of vacuous blonde. But now, when I look back, I think I should have done them because I would be very rich - being taken seriously isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Never expect a loan to a friend to be paid back if you want to keep that friend.

What I love the most is getting on the ice and just popping in a fabulous CD and skating - all by myself, the rink completely empty, just me and the music.