“Has it ever struck you as odd, or unfortunate, that today, when the proportion of literacy is higher than it has ever been, people should have become susceptible to the influence of advertisement and mass propaganda to an extent hitherto unheard of and unimagined?”

“History has shown that the masses have been quite receptive to the promises of authoritarians which are rarely if ever fulfilled.”

“No dream ever entirely disappears. Somewhere it troubles some unfortunate person and some day, when that person has been sufficiently troubled, it will be reproduced on the lot.”

“Q: Is it still possible nowadays to influence the world by songs? To be political by means of messages?A: No, there are newspapers for that. When people want to deal with the world, they should watch television.Q: That's very passive.A: The world has become like that. People are going to the football stadium, they don't play themselves anymore.Q: Did you ever think you could be politically active through your songs?A: No, no, no. If I had wanted to do that, I would have gone to Harvard or Yale, would have studied and would have a become a politician after that.”

“The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man’s spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God.”

“‎It has ever been my fate to give pain to those whose happiness I should have promoted.”