The surface of American society is covered with a layer of democratic paint, but from time to time one can see the old aristocratic colours breaking through.
American society as a whole can never achieve the outer-reaches of potential, so long as it tolerates the inner cities of despair.
America must be the teacher of democracy, not the advertiser of the consumer society. It is unrealistic for the rest of the world to reach the American living standard.
The big turning point, really, was the Beatles' influence on American folk music, and then Roger took it to the next step, and then along came the Lovin' Spoonful and everybody else.
I think the women - Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu - are doing new conceptual things and using their voices to create new American music.
I always loved bluegrass, but there was so much I didn't know about American country music in respect to the origins of this country. It was interesting to see the evolution of it.
What is American music? The most satisfying answer I've come across is that it was a kind of natural comfort with the vernacular which is diverse and regional; it's not one particular set of sounds.
I feel like a Mac store! I have a Canadian iPhone, an American iPhone and an iPad. I'm constantly downloading music to iTunes.
I have been long associated with British music. I have favoured it as my alternate music next to American.
Think about the number of people who do film music, make records and have a Native American heritage - and I may be the only one on the list.
Many cities make music, but no city breathes music quite like Memphis. The songs and sounds that come from here are uniquely American.
I do not believe that Congress or the Administration should prohibit the medical community from pursuing a promising avenue of research that may improve the lives of millions of Americans.
American men are more open, they are readier to express their emotions, but they also get frightened easily. Italians are used to drama. For us, arguing, shouting is perfectly normal - for them it is inconceivable.
One out of every 100 American men is HIV positive. The rate of infection has reached epidemic proportions in 40 developing nations.
I still remember 1997 when I made the movie 'Storm Riders;' that moment, a lot of American producers want to hire me to make movies in the States.
I loved movies as a teenager and saw as much American cinema as I could, but I hated the English films of the early '60s and had absolutely no point of identification with them.
Ricky Fitts: I can't believe you don't know how beautiful you are.
Ricky Fitts: I was filming this dead bird. Angela Hayes: Why? Ricky Fitts: Because it's beautiful.
Jane Burnham: I know you think my dad's harmless, but you're wrong.
Carolyn Burnham: My company sells an image. It's part of my job to live that image.
Barbara Fitts: I'm so sorry for the way things look around here.
