Aretha Franklin Quotes

Be your own artist, and always be confident in what youre doing. If youre not going to be confident, you might as well not be doing it.

We all require and want respect, man or woman, black or white. It's our basic human right.

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.

If you disrespect everybody that you run into, how in the world do you think everybody's supposed to respect you?

Soul is a constant. It's cultural. It's always going to be there, in different flavors and degrees.

I sing to the realists, people who accept it like it is. I express problems. There are tears when it's sad and smiles when it's happy. It seems simple to me, but for some people, I guess feelin' takes courage.

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.

People really don't have to give you anything, so appreciate what people give you. And just don't let that go to your head, whatever it is they give you.

When God loves you, what can be better than that?

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me.

Trying to grow up is hurting. You make mistakes. You try to learn from them, and when you don't, it hurts even more.

The man who gets me is getting one hell of a woman.

Falling out of love is like losing weight. It's a lot easier putting it on than taking it off.

Women have broken through the glass ceiling, and they're now more and more in the power seats.

Music changes, and I'm gonna change right along with it.

My faith always has been and always will be important to me.

The milk of kindness flows through my body, I shall follow Jesus to the Taco Bell and give thanks.

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.

Don't say Aretha is making a comeback, because I've never been away!

I've been around long enough for people to know who I am and what my contributions are. They know me as more than just an artist. I think they know me as a woman as well.

I sing to the realists; people who accept it like it is.

I'm a big woman. I need big hair.

My heart is still there in gospel music. It never left . . . I'm gonna make a gospel record and tell Jesus I cannot bear these burdens alone.

Better friends than lovers. Sugar can't you see? You need you and I really need me.

I love to sing. It's just a natural thing for me.