Alberta Hunter Quotations

Blues means what milk does to a baby. Blues is what the spirit is to the minister. We sing the blues because our hearts have been hurt, our souls have been disturbed.

Put your faith in God and confidence in yourself.

Until they put that sand and dirt in my face I will not sit in church all day.

None of them going to treat me bad, honey, I'm too strict for that.

Maybe if I knew music, I couldn't do what I am doing.

The musicians that didn't know music could play the best blues. I know that I don't want no musicians who know all about music playin' for me.

I would sing softly, and if the people at the next table would want to hear what I was doing, they'd have to call me over and give me a tip.

I'm having a good time, Please don't blame me, I'm knocking myself out Don't try to tame me Let me have my fun, I've got to have my fling, Some folks say I'm blowing my top Talk don't mean a thing,...

People think the blues is sad. They hear people moaning and such. That's not the blues. That's just somebody singing slow...The blues is about truth-telling.

I’ve been more places by accident than most people have been on purpose.

I'm just singing for the women who think they can't speak out. Can't a man alive mistreat me, 'cause I know who I am.

The blues? Why, the blues are a part of me. They're like a chant. The blues are like spirituals, almost sacred. When we sing blues, we're singing out our hearts, we're singing out our feelings. Maybe we're hurt and just can't answer back, then we sing or maybe even hum the blues. When I sing, 'I walk the floor, wring my hands and cry -- Yes, I walk the floor, wring my hands and cry,'... what I'm doing is letting my soul out.

I've got the world in a jug/ The stopper's in my hand.

I'm not living the blues; I'm just singing for the women who think they can't speak out. Can't a man alive mistreat me, 'cause I know who I am.

I'm having a good time,/ Please don't blame me,/ I'm knocking myself out/ Don't try to tame me/ Let me have my fun,/ I've got to have my fling,/ Some folks say I'm blowing my top/ Talk don't mean a thing, . . .