Anita Baker Quotations

Completeness? Happiness? These words don't come close to describing my emotions. There truly is nothing I can say to capture what motherhood means to me, particularly given my medical history.

You leave home to seek your fortune and, when you get it, you go home and share it with your family.

If I could be doing anything, I'd be laying on the floor in my birthday suit eating junk food and watching something dumb on TV.

I made numerous attempts to find a way to do it all, to be a creative singer, songwriter, producer, and to be the mother, daughter, sister, lover, wife. And the thing about music is, with me, that she's a harsh mistress. She does not come to me in the midst of stress.

Chris Brown is brilliant. That cat is crazy brilliant, and I wish him the best.

My father worked on assembly lines in Detroit while I was growing up. Every day, I watched him do what he needed to do to support the family. But he told me, 'Life is short. Do what you want to do.'

We don't do drugs, drink or use profanity. Instead we instill morals and values in my boys by raising them with a love of God and a love and respect for themselves and all people. I believe they will have a chance.

As soon as you get off stage, that's the most dangerous time for a singer to kiss people because your vocal chords are receptive to any kind of germ.

Applause felt like approval, and it became a drug that soothed the pain, but only temporarily.

I think there's no sacrifice too great for family, whether it's career, singing, whatever.

I don't let people use me. That's why I like a small number of people in my life. The more people in my life, the more complex it becomes, so I just try to keep it at a minimum.

If you have your own agenda and your own style and you don't easily conform to what the masses are doing, you're looked upon as being difficult. Whereas, I think of it as just being an individual.

I dont think being black has held me back at all. Being black makes you strong.

I'm picking and choosing in terms of the stress factor. If it's not fun, I'm not going to do it.

Oh my goodness, they are rocking so many variations of my high-top fade. I mean, Rihanna has taken it to a very angular 21st Century thing. Miss Fantasia has it in a very seductive, you know, up-flip, and it's just lovely, right? Oh, I think it's wonderful.

I would say that my peak was making my first million at the ripe age of 29, after the first album.

Time has nothing to do with the gifts that the gods give you; it's what you do.

I'd love to be the political voice of my generation, but that's not my gift.

I'm used to getting up at 7, getting breakfast, getting the kids off to school, and doing the mommy thing and the wife thing and the daughter thing.

It's impossible to write and produce a record when your parents are dying. I really tried, I really, really tried, but it just wouldn't come.

Historically, in my generation, all of my heroes and heroines have had issues and problems. We all do.

I need my career. That's what validates me.

I used to sing at funeral homes for families that didn't have a vocalist. I didn't get paid. I needed to sing.

I would make far more money if every song were my own, but I don't write to fill up the album with my songs.

Long tresses down to the floor can be beautiful, if you have that, but learn to love what you have.

Most artists are notoriously insecure, and I fall into that category.

When you're away for a long time, tastes change, fans move on. You hate to think about it, but it's an ugly fact of life.

Typically, the theme of my albums, if there is a theme, is, 'How does it feel?' And that always leads to love songs. It just does.

I don't even have voice mail, and people get all out of shape about that. But, you know what, I don't want to transcribe your message; I want to talk to you. And that kind of freaks people out a bit. They go, 'Oh, who has time to talk?' and I'm like, 'Well, I'm gonna make time.

I have as many pictures of my vocal cords as I do of my children. I have a great ear, nose and throat doctor, and we look at them - if there's some redness, maybe I'll take a little time off.

I love radio, but it's a very limited thing today. Everything has to be edited down to 3:59, and too bad if I didn't make my statement in three minutes and 59 seconds. Everybody's song has to make its point so quickly.

My kids' eyes always light up -- 'Why are these people screaming over my mother?' ... People around Detroit have made me cry, just walking up to me in the supermarket to say, 'It's good to have you back.' It's been beautiful. Just absolutely beautiful.

I can't go anywhere until I finish this Christmas album, ... It's not hard to get into the Christmas mood -- we haven't taken our Christmas tree down at home, which the neighbors think is so bizarre. And it is. But this is a jazz Christmas album, so I don't have to be too traditional or mind too many rules. That's what's pulling me along.

I'm in love, sweet love. Feel me calling out your name, I feel no shame.

Long tresses down to the floor can be beautiful, but learn to love what you have.

I say if it's going to be done, let's do it. Let's not put it in the hands of fate. Let's not put it in the hands of someone who doesn't know me. I know me best. Then take a breath and go ahead.

At home I'm relaxed. I may be in the yard talking to neighbors, or riding my bike, or fishing, making up the bed-and things just come to me. I'll hum a melody, and if it feels real good, I'll play it on the piano and put it on tape, and then develop it later. The music speaks words to me.

It's been a whirlwind. Everybody's been so supportive, especially here in the home base -- radio, press, fans, everybody. The feedback has just been tremendous. I use this phrase over and over, but it's been like a family reunion for me.

If you understand a person's origins, you can understand her. I've always had to take care of myself. I couldn't just be that sweet little girl who kept her mouth shut. Had I done that, I'd be long gone by now. In this business, an African-American woman has to protect herself because precious few will.