If God watches over a little sparrow, you know, if he takes care of the birds, a little sparrow. Here I am, one of his children, you know, he got so many of us down here. Human beings that send our faith up and believe. And if he watch over a sparrow, I know he watches over me.

Sharon Jones

Categorized in : Children Believe Here I Am

Singing is my life. And when I can do that, that's when I'm free. That's when I'm at my happiest, I'm at my most.

Sharon Jones

singing i-can can-do

I'm singing, you know, because I'm happy and I'm free.

Sharon Jones

singing knows

Music is my happiness, my joy, and when my body wasn't right I couldn't get into my music without being healed, without being healthy.

Sharon Jones

healthy body joy

I miss my hair, but I feel like going out there with some fake braids wouldn't be right. I want to be the most genuine performer I can be.

Sharon Jones

fake missing hair

Play with me and you play with fire.

Sharon Jones

fire play

Some people can sit down and write a song, but they can't go on stage like I can.

Sharon Jones

writing song people

I remember going into a raggedy studio, still with my work uniform on. At the time, I was driving money trucks for Wells Fargo, so I had my gun and hat, which weighed me down in the heat. It was 97 degrees here in New York, and they had to turn the air conditioner off because it was too loud. So, I say, "Damn, it's hot in here!" That's how we came up with the song, "Damn, It's Hot." It was from our soul. We just got together, sang and made our own lyrics.

Sharon Jones

gun new-york song

God's eye is on a sparrow. And I know - oh, yes, I know he watches over me...

Sharon Jones

sparrows eye watches

Once I retire and slow down, I don't want to be in New York. I want to be somewhere near a lake or a pond, so that on my days when I have nothing to do, I can go fishing.

Sharon Jones

fishing new-york lakes

I'm going to keep on keeping on as long as I've got my health and strength, and God gives me that will to do it.

Sharon Jones

give-me giving long

I'm not going to sing something if it doesn't make sense to me, or if it makes me look like I'm begging someone or I'm weak, because that's not me.

Sharon Jones

begging weak looks

We chose it's name [Give the People What They Want] a while ago, long before the cancer. But I can't think of a more fitting title.

Sharon Jones

cancer names thinking

There ain't no way I'm going to be droppin' nothing. If I was in my twenties, maybe. But now I try to keep it looking decent. I don't want to expose too much of my bare ass.

Sharon Jones

twenties want trying

I tell the songwriter's story. When I read people's lyrics, I'm so amazed. I want to tell this story and make it part of my life. I usually can't write lyrics down, but I can sure tell that story. You've got to make people feel the hurt and love in each song.

Sharon Jones

hurt writing song

This album [Give the People What They Want] has almost been in the making for almost three years now. When we first began on it, my mother was sick. When she passed away, I got on stage and played that night. The music helped take me away.

Sharon Jones

mother night years

I don't want to be home just taking medicine and waiting to die, you know? That's not something I'm about.

Sharon Jones

medicine waiting home

Sometimes people look at our covers and say, "That looks just like that other cover." I say, "And?" It reminds them of a cover from way back when. If you know the cover, then pull it out and compare it. I don't care. It's supposed to bring back memories.

Sharon Jones

memories people looks

I'll be staying in touch and keeping my fans and friends updated on my progress. I'm looking forward to getting back on the road to give the people what they want.

Sharon Jones

progress giving people

I sing because I'm happy.

Sharon Jones

I'm grateful to be alive, because I really did not think I was going to be alive, onstage performing songs.

Sharon Jones

grateful song thinking