Aretha Franklin
I think women and children and older people are the three least-respected groups in our society.Collection: Society
For many years, I've wanted to do one, and I've always mentioned it to the chieftains, and they would say things like, 'Oh well. Christmas albums don't sell,' and things like that. But that's not the point. Christmas albums are important. The music is important. The season is important.Collection: Christmas
Women absolutely deserve respect.Collection: Women
When God loves you, what can be better than that?Collection: God
There is no way in the world anyone else could do my wedding other than myself, along with whomever I select to do various things.Collection: Wedding
I've met my share of guys who have insulted and assaulted my intelligence with their stories and games. I say hello and goodbye!Collection: Intelligence
Sam Cooke had a huge influence on me. He left the gospel field at one point and went into the secular, and he had this huge hit, 'You Send Me.' Irma, my older sister, and I heard 'You Send Me' on the radio while we were driving through the South one night. We had to stop the car. We got out and danced around the car out on the highway.Collection: Car
My faith always has been and always will be important to me.Collection: Faith
You cannot define a person on just one thing. You can't just forget all these wonderful and good things that a person has done because one thing didn't come off the way you thought it should come off.Collection: Good
Music changes, and I'm gonna change right along with it.Collection: Music
My mentor was Clara Ward of the famous Ward gospel singers of Philadelphia. And my dad was my coach. He coached me. And just my natural love for music is what drove me.Collection: Dad
I was in my dad's church, his Baptist church, and I think the first song I ever performed was 'Jesus Be a Fence Around Me.'Collection: Dad
Everybody wants respect. In their own way, three-year-olds would like respect, and acknowledgment, in their terms.Collection: Respect
Every birthday is a gift. Every day is a gift.Collection: Birthday
Music does a lot of things for a lot of people. It's transporting, for sure. It can take you right back, years back, to the very moment certain things happened in your life. It's uplifting, it's encouraging, it's strengthening.Collection: Life
We all require and want respect, man or woman, black or white. It's our basic human right.Collection: Respect
I don't feel one's personal medical condition is everybody's business. It just isn't something you advertise, and it's not open to discussion.Collection: Medical
It really is an honor if I can be inspirational to a younger singer or person. It means I've done my job.Collection: Inspirational
Many of my friends were there at Motown. The studio was only a few blocks from where my dad's home was, where we lived.Collection: Dad
We've come a long way, but there is still a lot of discrimination.
Sometimes, what you're looking for is already there.
Being the Queen is not all about singing, and being a diva is not all about singing. It has much to do with your service to people. And your social contributions to your community and your civic contributions as well.
Be your own artist, and always be confident in what you're doing. If you're not going to be confident, you might as well not be doing it.
If a song's about something I've experienced or that could've happened to me it's good. But if it's alien to me, I couldn't lend anything to it. Because that's what soul is all about.
I think it would be a far greater world if people were kinder and more respectful to each other.
I sing to the realists; people who accept it like it is.
People really don't have to give you anything, so appreciate what people give you.
The duet with Frank Sinatra, 'What Now My Love,' is one of my favorites.
Columbia was a wonderful label for me. Wonderful. The records I made there garnered me an audience. I won a number of polls during the years that I was at Columbia. The Downbeat Jazz Poll. Leonard Feather, who was a huge critic back in the day, different polls that he had. The Playboy poll, a number of polls. So the music was great.
Parents have to really talk to their children before they leave home.
Politics are not my arena. Music is.
I guess I could've been a prima ballerina. Or a nurse. Aretha Nightingale!
I'm a big woman. I need big hair.
Certainly, gospel was my background - is my background.
Christmases past, my sister Carolyn and I - we'd been waiting for Santa all night. Nothing! Where is this man?
In terms of helping people understand and know each other a little better, music is universal - universal and transporting.
I still have perfect diction!
When I first started, I wore Ceil Chapman gowns. I've been wondering for years what happened to the Ceil Chapman line of clothing.
Being a singer is a natural gift. It means I'm using to the highest degree possible the gift that God gave me to use. I'm happy with that.
Beyonce is a very hard-working woman. Astrologically, for whatever it's worth, she's a Virgo - like Michael Jackson, a hard worker.
You could call my piano my trademark, or one of my trademarks.
I love all music.
Prince is gone. But the music will go on.
I just got into Mike Tyson. My security people kept saying, 'Haven't you seen him yet?' Well, I finally did, and he's got a real knockout punch.
I'm not ever going to retire. That's - that wouldn't be good, for one, just to go somewhere and sit down and do nothing. Please. No, that's not moi.
I'm the lady next door when I'm not on stage.
Don't say Aretha is making a comeback, because I've never been away!
Falling out of love is like losing weight. It's a lot easier putting it on than taking it off.
Most of what I wear, I select myself. You can't please everybody, and as long as I'm comfortable with what I wear, I think that's what's important.
Let's start with the church. As you know, it's my background, it's a natural setting for me and it's definitely my roots.