Being in love was not the most important thing to me; being respected was.

Good music is very close to primitive language.

I don’t know anything about music. In my line you don’t have to.

Music is a beautiful opiate, if you don’t take it too seriously.

Too many pieces of music finish too long after the end

Never play the same thing twice.

Sometimes you have to play a long time to be able to play like yourself.

When in doubt, sing loud.

There’s a basic rule which runs through all kinds of music, kind of an unwritten rule. I don’t know what it is. But I’ve got it.

Composers should write tunes that chaufeurs and errand boys can whistle.