When you're away for a long time, tastes change, fans move on. You hate to think about it, but it's an ugly fact of life. Anita Baker More Quotes by Anita Baker More Quotes From Anita Baker You leave home to seek your fortune and, when you get it, you go home and share it with your family. Anita Baker family music home Time has nothing to do with the gifts that the gods give you; it's what you do. Anita Baker giving I don't let people use me. That's why I like a small number of people in my life. The more people in my life, the more complex it becomes, so I just try to keep it at a minimum. Anita Baker small-numbers trying people If you have your own agenda and your own style and you don't easily conform to what the masses are doing, you're looked upon as being difficult. Whereas, I think of it as just being an individual. Anita Baker doing-you style thinking I dont think being black has held me back at all. Being black makes you strong. Anita Baker black strong thinking I'm picking and choosing in terms of the stress factor. If it's not fun, I'm not going to do it. Anita Baker stress term fun Typically, the theme of my albums, if there is a theme, is, 'How does it feel?' And that always leads to love songs. It just does. Anita Baker albums doe song I say if it's going to be done, let's do it. Let's not put it in the hands of fate. Let's not put it in the hands of someone who doesn't know me. I know me best. Then take a breath and go ahead. Anita Baker fate learning teaching Completeness? Happiness? These words don't come close to describing my emotions. There truly is nothing I can say to capture what motherhood means to me, particularly given my medical history. Anita Baker mom mother mean My father worked on assembly lines in Detroit while I was growing up. Every day, I watched him do what he needed to do to support the family. But he told me, 'Life is short. Do what you want to do.' Anita Baker life-is-short growing-up father Long tresses down to the floor can be beautiful, but learn to love what you have. Anita Baker self-love beautiful long I'd love to be the political voice of my generation, but that's not my gift. Anita Baker generations political voice I'm in love, sweet love. Feel me calling out your name, I feel no shame. Anita Baker calling names sweet Historically, in my generation, all of my heroes and heroines have had issues and problems. We all do. Anita Baker issues generations hero As soon as you get off stage, that's the most dangerous time for a singer to kiss people because your vocal chords are receptive to any kind of germ. Anita Baker singers kissing people I have as many pictures of my vocal cords as I do of my children. I have a great ear, nose and throat doctor, and we look at them - if there's some redness, maybe I'll take a little time off. Anita Baker doctors children looks I don't even have voice mail, and people get all out of shape about that. But, you know what, I don't want to transcribe your message; I want to talk to you. And that kind of freaks people out a bit. They go, 'Oh, who has time to talk?' and I'm like, 'Well, I'm gonna make time. Anita Baker voice shapes people I used to sing at funeral homes for families that didn't have a vocalist. I didn't get paid. I needed to sing. Anita Baker funeral used home I would make far more money if every song were my own, but I don't write to fill up the album with my songs. Anita Baker albums writing song I think there's no sacrifice too great for family, whether it's career, singing, whatever. Anita Baker sacrifice careers thinking