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

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.

I recorded my hair this morning, tonight I'm watching the highlights.

Hair is also a problem. I remember once, when I was reporting from Beirut at the height of the civil war, someone wrote in to the BBC complaining about my appearance.

I hated Chris, my brother. I would pull his hair and kick him, until one day my father gave him permission to fight back. I'll be apologizing to him for the rest of my life.

I really don't like when things are all polished and perfect - the perfect love story and the hair is perfect.

I dyed my hair blonde in that movie, so my head doesn't match my grill.

I like to sing in the car with the windows rolled down and hair blowing all over my face.

When I was 12, every little girl in Russia was trying to wear her hair like mine and playing tennis.

I have the biggest hair in the world - and that's official!

You know, I do not think it is necessarily looks, I do not think I am the prettiest girl... Everyone has something that is their asset, some have the hair, some have the cheekbones, others have the lips. But once you know what is your asset, then you should capitalize on it.

If you look over the years, the styles have changed - the clothes, the hair, the production, the approach to the songs. The icing to the cake has changed flavors. But if you really look at the cake itself, it's really the same.