Mahalia Jackson Quotes

Faith and prayer are the vitamins of the soul; man cannot live in health without them.

Gospel music rhythms are not African in origin, although I know that's what the jazz experts say.

When you sing gospel you have a feeling there is a cure for what's wrong.

It is easy to be independent when you've got money. But to be independent when you haven't got a thing, that's the Lord's test.

Man has no nobler function than to defend the truth.

God can make you anything you want to be, but you have to put everything in his hands.

Baby, black promoters oppressed me before white promoters ever got hold of me. Don't talk skin to me.

Gospel songs are the songs of hope. When you sing gospel you have the feeling there is a cure for what's wrong, but when you are through with the blues, you've got nothing to rest on.

I sing God's music because it makes me feel free. It gives me hope. With the blues, when you finish, you still have the blues.

Without a song, each day would be a century.

Someday the sun is going to shine down on me in some faraway place.

The mind and the voice by themselves are not sufficient.

If you believe in God, He will open the windows of heaven and pour blessings upon you.

How can you sing of Amazing Grace? How can you sing prayerfully of heaven and earth and all God's wonders without using your hands?

I close my eyes when I sing so I can feel the song better.

Do you know most of the Jewish songs have the same trend of sadness as Negro spirituals?

Money just draws flies.

If you want me to sing this Christmas song with the feeling and the meaning, you better see if you can locate that check.

One thing about playing the real jazz is that you can't count it.

The old Devil gets mad when you're trying to do good. Pray that God will move the stumbling blocks.

Sometimes you ask God for something and you don't know what you're asking.

You're blessed if you have the strength to work.

My hands, my feet, I throw my whole body to say all that is within me.

When you are through with the blues, you've got nothing to rest on.

Blues are the songs of despair, but gospel songs are the songs of hope.

If you don't like Louis Armstrong, you don't know how to love.

The Lord doesn't like us to be dead. Be alive. Sometimes I dance to the glory of the Lord, because He said so.

I don't worry too much about the script, I just ad lib, like Pearl Bailey.

Time is important to me because I want to sing long enough to leave a message. I'm used to singing in churches where nobody would dare stop me until the Lord arrives!

Anybody singing the blues is in a deep pit yelling for help.

Blues are the songs of despair.

They thought I was a success as soon as I started paying the bills.

Everybody needs somebody.

The trouble with records is that they're too short.

Put your mind on the gospel. And remember - there's one God for all.

I'll come to any benefit if I see SCLC get all the money.

I hope to bring people to God with my songs.

This is the place to see the stars - Hollywood Bowl.

Gospel music is nothing but singing of good tidings -- spreading the good news. It will last as long as any music because it is sung straight from the human heart.

Faith and prayer are the vitamins of the soul man cannot live in health without them.