David Geffen

I’ve earned all this money. I’ve worked for it. I didn’t cheat anybody. I didn’t issue junk bonds and put people out of work. I earned it. And I live relatively modestly given my level of success and wealth.

What is the one thing that I could do to help you?

My mother taught me to love my work. I learned everything about business from her.

This Velvet Mafia thing is just another homophobic, nasty kind of thing that jealous queens make up.

[On being partners with Laura Nyro in Tuna Fish Music (Laura’s favorite food was Tuna Fish)] We became partners in this new publishing company.

[In 1972] At the moment, we’re getting the same thrill from seeing the Eagles, Jackson Browne, Jo Jo Gunne, and Judee Sill happen… It’s as hard to do it with Jackson Browne as it was to do it with Joni five years ago.

Individualism is what makes cooperation worth living.

Pies, para que los quiero si tengo alas para volar. (“Feet, what do I need them for if I have wings to fly.”)

Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.

Listen to the birds and don’t hate nobody.

I know all those people. I have friendly, social, and criminal relations with the whole lot of them.

Life begets life. Energy creates energy. It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich.

I have survivor’s curiosity, I guess.

We may appear to be mean, but we’re really only frightened.

It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly native criminal class except Congress.

I think us bad b*tc*es is a gift from God.

A mistake is to commit a misunderstanding.

Zen teaches that if we can open up to the inevitability of our demise, we can begin to transform and lighten up about it.

I know that god is real. I have seen him smile through the sunlight as it dances across your skin and lays gently at your feet.

Always pack your uniform on top.

Whenever you get the idea that you are ‘fixed’ or that anything is ‘fixed’ for life, you’d better get ready for a sudden change.