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Yoko Ono [1933-0] American

Rank: 101
Artist, Multimedia artist

Yoko Ono is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist who is also known for her work in performance art and filmmaking. She is the second wife and widow of singer-songwriter John Lennon of The Beatles.
Ono grew up in Tokyo, and studied at Gakushuin. She withdrew from her course after two years and rejoined her family in New York in 1953.

Anger, Change, Communication, Positive, Society, Alone, Experience, Life, Marriage, Power, Smile, Thankful, Age, Art, Beauty, Best, Dreams, Environmental, Family, Famous, Future, Happiness, Health, Hope, Learning, Men, Money, Morning, Moving On, Music, Nature, Peace, Relationship, Respect, Sad, Teacher, Technology, Travel, Trust, Valentine's Day, Wisdom

Quote	Tags	Rank
Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning and you'll start to see a big difference in your life.	Life, Morning, Smile	101
Experiencing sadness and anger can make you feel more creative, and by being creative, you can get beyond your pain or negativity.	Anger, Sad	102
You change the world by being yourself.	Change	103
Nobody's life is a bed of roses. We all have crosses to bear, and we all just do our best. I would never claim to have the worst situation. There are many widows, and many people dying of AIDS, many people killed in Lebanon, people starving all over the planet. So we have to count our lucky stars.	Best, Life	104
I think if you give in and accept society's stereotypes, then you start thinking, 'I cannot dance till late at night because I'm 70.'	Society	105
Controversy is part of the nature of art and creativity.	Art, Nature	106
The human race is a very, very magical race. We have a magic power of witches and wizards. We're here on this earth to unravel the mystery of this planet. The planet is asking for it.	Power	107
Being alone is very difficult.	Alone	108
If your life changes, we can change the world, too.	Change	109
Healing yourself is connected with healing others.	Moving On	110
Remember, each one of us has the power to change the world. Just start thinking peace, and the message will spread quicker than you think.	Change, Peace, Power	111
It's a waste of time to think that if you colored a painting red what might have happened if you painted it black.		112
I realized that if my thoughts immediately affect my body, I should be careful about what I think. Now if I get angry, I ask myself why I feel that way. If I can find the source of my anger, I can turn that negative energy into something positive.	Anger, Positive	113
I just want to be healthy and stay alive and keep my family going and everything and keep my friends going and try to do something so that this world will be peaceful. That is the most ambitious and the most difficult thing, but I'm there trying to do it.	Family, Health	114
It is very difficult for us to know we love somebody because it is an insecure position to be in. But in the end, it is important to be honest about your love because life is not that long.		115
I did not break up the Beatles. You can't have it both ways. If you're going to blame me for breaking the Beatles up, you should be thankful that I made them into myth rather than a crumbling group.	Thankful	116
If you have too many quotes from other people in your head, you can't create. You have to keep your head empty. That's why I am constantly enjoying the sky, the park, the walk.		117
We're growing up together, the human race. And we've discovered a lot of things that we didn't know. We're finding our way. Instead of thinking about doomsday all the time, think about how beautiful the world is. We're all together, and together we're getting wiser.		118
This society is driven by neurotic speed and force accelerated by greed and frustration of not being able to live up to the image of men and woman we have created for ourselves; the image has nothing to do with the reality of people.	Men, Society	119
I never want projects to be finished; I have always believed in unfinished work. I got that from Schubert, you know, the 'Unfinished Symphony.'		120
I always believed that my work should be unfinished in the sense that I encourage people to add their creativity to it, either conceptually or physically. Back in the 1960s, I was calling for 'Unfinished Music,' number one, and number two, with my artwork - I was taking unfinished work into the gallery. And that's how I was looking at it.	Music	121
When I turned 60, it didn't bother me at all.	Age	122
The nice thing about the gallery shows is that without having to pay any money you can just go and see it.	Money	123
We are all dreamers creating the next world, the next beautiful world for ourselves and for our children.		124
People think that their world will get smaller as they get older. My experience is just the opposite. Your senses become more acute. You start to blossom.	Experience	125
Performance art is going to be the future. Plays on Broadway are so restricted. But performance art is like haikus, just one line thing. And it's more casual but more interesting.	Future	126
When I got pregnant, I had to concentrate on being pregnant for a whole nine months, even though I knew it was ruining my career at the time.		201
My beauty secret is... nothing! I don't drink too much water. I don't eat very well. Sometimes I cheat and grab some chocolate. The best thing is to eat what you want, but not very much.	Beauty	202
There's a long life ahead of you and it's going to be beautiful, as long as you keep loving and hugging each other.	Valentine's Day	203
I relate to happiness as an ecstatic moment - something you don't create, you encounter.	Happiness	204
DJs are in incredible competition, musically. And they are the most musically creative and sensitive people in all the music charts. I am amazed how they are.		205
Every moment in our lives is a miracle we should enjoy instead of ignoring.		206
The regret of my life is that I have not said 'I love you' often enough.		207
Sometimes I am happy and sometimes not. I am, after all, a human being, you know. And I am glad that we are sometimes happy and sometimes not. You get your wisdom working by having different emotions.	Wisdom	208
I don't think you should always stay calm in a tense situation, because you might not ever confront the problem. Maybe it's better to actually let yourself be tense - and find a solution.		209
The sky is always there for me, while my life has been going through many, many changes. When I look up the sky, it gives me a nice feeling, like looking at an old friend.		210
My husband John Lennon was a very special man. A man of humble origin, he brought light and hope to the whole world with his words and music.	Hope	211
Marriage is a difficult project. When seven years have passed and all your body's cells have been replaced, you're meant to experience that seven-year itch.	Experience, Marriage	212
A lot of things have been thrown at me in life, and I've got through it all without a rule book, taking it one day at a time.		213
A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.	Alone, Dreams	214
Marriage is a gamble, let's be honest.	Marriage	215
I thought art was a verb, rather than a noun.		216
To me, the concept of distance is not important. Distance doesn't exist, in fact, and neither does time. Vibrations from love or music can be felt everywhere, at all times.		217
The whole world is starting to realize that it was the most unwise thing for our society to have ignored women power, to run the society with male priorities.	Society	218
Women have become stronger, and there's a backlash. Men have become terribly possessive. I find it much easier to get on with women.		219
I like artists who have something to say, not wallpaper.		220
Your private life is really very important for you. You know, all of us, you know.		221
Artists and musicians of the Sixties were definitely into clothes.		222
You can't always be in awe of someone's talent, living with them.		223
I was born into a very important family in Japan. My grandfather was a descendant of the Emperor, and we were very wealthy.		224
What the Beatles did was something incredible, it was more than what a band could do. We have to give them respect.	Respect	225
Every drop in the ocean counts.	Environmental	226
People make music to get a reaction. Music is communication.	Communication	301
Distance doesn't exist, in fact, and neither does time. Vibrations from love or music can be felt everywhere, at all times.		302
Events are the best teacher for us. You try to learn from people, there is always some bend to it.	Teacher	303
Our public officials have forgotten that they are ultimately accountable to the people who put them in office, that the information they keep in secrecy belongs to all of us.		304
I think energy is the most important thing that we can give to people as performers. Anything else is a little bit pretentious. But energy is not.		305
I think that there is a sort of spiritual power that is translating into our bodies as we perform. Performers give, and giving is so important. It can heal. That is my experience, anyway.		306
I'm kind of honored to be a dragon lady. The dragon is a very powerful, mythical animal.		307
When you go through a negative situation, don't think about it. Make it positive.	Positive	308
One day, the dance charts will be the biggest chart in the music world. Because we all need to dance. This planet will be a fun planet when the judges in court will end the day with a dance!		309
Nothing is written in stone. So don't prepare yourself for a long and lucrative career. You might die tomorrow. Your gold holdings might become dust. Just make the music you want to make now and enjoy it.		310
There is an incredible love in creating art unless somebody is saying, 'Hey, let's just make money,' because it doesn't work when you do it that way. If you are aiming for that, forget it.		311
I admire all people who are trying to be a good power in this chaotic world.		312
Reality can be elastic, and I want to see how elastic it can be, you know?		313
The process is always the same. I get an inspiration for a new song, I put it down on paper immediately so I won't lose it. When I am ready to go to the studio with it, I play it a few times on the piano and edit, add, and type the lyrics and take it to the studio. Sometimes I don't have anything on paper.		314
Words are power. And a book is full of words. Be careful what power you get from it. But know that you do.		315
True artists are prophets. I don't want to be that prophetic in that sense because it's so lonely.		316
Is truth always positive? Of course. Once the truth comes out, you know, it's all right. We're scared that if the truth comes out that it's not all right. It's the other way around.	Positive	317
You can't always measure the effects of activist work; you just have to wish and pray that the message gets through.		318
Music is like my security blanket.		319
Energy is so important. If you don't have it, don't bother with rock and roll.		320
Society tells you that when you're old you have to retire. You have to defy that.		321
We don't live by just sleeping and eating. We need pride and dignity in our lives. Work gives you that.		322
When people ask me what the most important thing is in life, I answer: 'Just breathe.'		323
In the '60s we fought for peace, when the Vietnam war was on. We were against the cops and against the politicians, and there was a lot of waving banners and all that. And I think in a way, just as they were enjoying that machoism of war, we were enjoying the machismo of being anti-war, you know?		324
To have a relationship that is pure and passionate and beautiful - I think people are scared of having that now. Especially guys.	Relationship	325
Dancing is a very healthy thing to do for our body.		326
I'm not interested so much in collaboration. You see that from the history of my albums.		401
My heart is mysteriously alive in the world of sounds - a totally different dimension from the daily life.		402
Sound as medium has an incredible elasticity. So, of course, it is tempting for artists of other fields to try something with sounds. Why not? We are living in the age when there is no limit in gathering all forms of art and music to mix it together if you so desire.		403
The computer is my favourite invention. I feel lucky to be part of the global village. I don't mean to brag, but I'm so fast with technology. People think it all seems too much, but we'll get used to it. I'm sure it all seemed too much when we were learning to walk.	Learning, Technology	404
I feel that my work is not in vain, that it does have a place in society, even though it may not be considered that it has a place in society - it doesn't matter.		405
I think that there is incredible prejudice about witches while there is no prejudice about wizards. Words are very important, and I'm really into destroying myths.		406
People don't remember each tree in a park but all of us benefit from the trees. And in a way, artists are like trees in a park.		407
When I speak out against the guns or against the big corporations, some of my friends say, 'Oh Yoko, be careful. These people have all the power.' But, you know, most people don't speak out because they are frightened.		408
I saw that nothing was permanent. You don't want to possess anything that is dear to you because you might lose it.		409
I'm a very obsessive type. If I do get into it, I'll soon be there 12 hours a day. I just don't want to do that.		410
The cynicism that you have is not your real soul.		411
When you go to war, both sides lose totally.		412
All my concerts had no sounds in them; they were completely silent. People had to make up their own music in their minds!		413
I have only one life, so I want to make sure it's a good one.		414
When you are suffering, you become more understanding about yourself, but also about other people's sufferings too. That's the first step to understand somebody is to understand their sufferings. So then love follows.		415
I trust myself. You need that to survive.	Trust	416
Countries have lost their culture because what they wanted was money. Money became the running theme in every country and culture was sacrificed.		417
When I was four years old, my mother put me into a school for early music education where you get perfect pitch and harmony and composition.		418
People say that this new generation is so used to the Internet that their heads are already different. They can't read a book from beginning to end. That is not a tragedy. The book changes form.		419
Even my mother told me: 'You are a handsome woman, but you're not pretty. Pretty girls don't have those big bones.'		420
Women are very intelligent and not appreciated. We try to pretend that we are not clever, and it's such a pity that we can't show how clever we are.		421
When you are totally depressed, you should try giggling. Just make yourself laugh. Force yourself to laugh.		422
Losing my daughter was a very serious pain. There was always some empty space in my heart.		423
Art is like breathing for me. If I don't do it, I start to choke.		424
Women are put in a position of feeling embarrassed about their bodies. It's so ridiculous, but also astounding - we have to always be apologetic about having created the human race.		425
There's many women now who think, 'Surely we don't need feminism anymore, we're all liberated and society's accepting us as we are'. Which is just hogwash. It's not true at all.		426
My father was a banker, but he was an independent spirit. He was a very good pianist and very much into music.		501
After my husband John Lennon passed away, I tried to smile for my health.	Smile	502
Mothers are not supposed to give guidance.		503
My first husband met me as a career woman, and the second did, too. I was lucky.		504
I am aware of the sufferings of women in India, which is also the suffering of women in many, many countries on our planet. My heart is filled with empathy and love for them.		505
I'm just being normal. A normal woman. Well, I don't know what a normal woman is, but I'm a woman and I'm Yoko and I've never changed that.		506
The universe, when you leave it alone, is going to be beautiful.		507
Great Art is Great because it inspired you greatly. If it didn't, no matter what the critics, the museums and the galleries say, it's not great art for you.		508
I get very nervous before I get on the stage, but once I'm on the stage, I'm just, you know, me. Nothing hurts me.		509
Some people think that movements, such as the movements in ballet, are a higher cultural expression, whereas some are just dirt. I think it is elitist to think that a trained movement is more acceptable than untrained and possibly unrehearsed movements.		510
I travel a lot, so when I arrive in a city, I like to go to good local bookshops and make a selection based on how I'm feeling and what I'm thinking. The book I pick usually seems to have a definite karmic connection!	Travel	511
I am extremely rebellious. I have this strong, defiant spirit.		512
You can be very wild and still be very wise.		513
The thing that would most improve my life is 27 hours in a day. I could meet all my deadlines.		514
The 1960s were about releasing ourselves from conventional society and freeing ourselves.		515
I just go with the flow, so any style can be in my music - that makes it exciting.		516
I think of John every day. I do try to block it, but December 8th is not the only day I think of him.		517
Most of the fans of John Lennon and maybe John and Yoko are younger than me.		518
John wrote with a very deep love for the human race and a concern for its future.		519
At least I had that, one guy understood me.		520
I'm not going to doubt my life.		521
Art is my life and my life is art.		522
Artists are going to be the metronome of this society.		523
But only art and music have the power to bring peace.		524
If everybody thinks of something, then it will happen. Your mind is part of the universe. It is connected, you can use its energy.		525
Art for me is like breathing.		526
You know, something happened to me when I became 70. I started to feel a tremendous love for the human race, and life and this planet, the universe, the whole shebang.		601
People are still thinking of solving problems by violence and war, and that has to stop.		602
I'm very thankful that I can make people happy just by signing my name.	Thankful	603
I don't think about the future. I don't think about the past. I just think of what comes into my head at the time. So that might be about the past, that might be about the future. Or, the present.		604
We know that our cells are speaking to each other.		605
The art world was not initially really accepting my kind of work. I was ahead of my time.		606
We artists have the dignity to tell the truth to the people, unlike politicians.		607
Sometimes the father feels pushed out because of the connection between the mother and the child.		608
Chemically speaking or biologically, we research things, but we don't know half of them. We only know our half of it - symbolically - and we don't know ourselves more than half.		609
If a woman writes about a domestic situation, everyone automatically assumes that it's about her.		610
You can be lonely when you have a guy living with you.		611
I don't believe in a chronological way of doing things.		612
My career? I never think of it as a 'career.' Art and music and all those things that I'm creating are just part of me.		613
All I can say is, it's not very easy for a woman to be associated with The Beatles.		614
I always thought that I was an important musician. If you don't have that confidence, why would you go on and do it?		615
People accuse artists of being narcissists - of course we are! If we don't like ourselves, who's going to like us?		616
I never thought I would go into the dance charts.		617
I'm free from holding personal anger because I can express what I want through my music.	Anger	618
I see so many activists... who are artists because they feel that they have the power of communication.	Communication	619
I was being hated for about 40 or 50 years by the whole world, but it did not destroy me, and it did not ruin my health. And the reason is because I just did not answer them. I had my own life.		620
Fracking is an incredible risk to the human race, I don't know why they even thought of doing it.		621
It's a waste to not say anything with art.		622
The war industry people are very together; they know exactly what they want; they don't even have to talk to each other. The peace industry people are just intellectuals who are very critical of each other... Unless the peace industry is powerful, we're always going to have war. It is as simple as that.		623
I have been known as the minimal and conceptual artist for over five decades. I think I haven't changed much.		624
Bad stories are written about me because the press knows they can make me into a weeping dog and few people will object.		625
In the '60s, people were still very protective of each field that they belonged to. Avant-garde artists didn't know about rock or pop or jazz. And the jazz people of course didn't want to know about any other music. They were all just kind of protecting their territory.		626
I don't have a goal. I don't limit myself to a goal.		701
Money is not everything. We don't need billions and trillions of dollars.		702
People just love to be entertained, and in order to entertain them, you have to do things in a way that they understand.		703
I must say that I always thought I had a voice, even when I was 4 years old.		704
I think there is a big difference between the music business and music. And my relationship is to music, not music business. I think the business will keep changing, but music won't. Music will be there.		705
The Beatles were a group made up of four very complex men, and my small hand could not have broken these men up.		706
I just like to explore all sorts of different forms - no, 'explore' is not even the word - enjoy. You don't want to limit yourself to a particular form.		707
My life was pretty rough.		708
No one person could have broken up a band, especially one the size of the Beatles.		709
Life with another person is always difficult.		710
What we do really affects the world. Most of us think we can't do anything, but it really isn't true.		711
Why do they cover Paul's songs but never mine?		712
War is over if you want it.		713
Everybody's an artist. Everybody's God. It's just that they're inhibited.		714
Power is power. It's energy. And if you get big, big energy, you can use that in a good way.		715
Japanese are very proud and workaholics. Proud workaholics.		716
The only instrument I can play is piano. Whenever I make songs at home, I play the piano and make them on the piano.		717
Women artists are still treated differently from men.		718
Please know that being 80 is not a scary thing. When you're 80, your life is much freer.		719
If you go back to all my albums, they're all confessional.		720
After I was 70, I realized that, 'Okay, I would like to have another 50 years, and I probably could.' But part of me is saying, 'Maybe I'm not going to have that much time.'		721
In the Second World War, I was a little girl. I was evacuated in my country.		722
I respect Lady Gaga very much.		723
Having a son is not all pleasure.		724
Fracking kills, and it doesn't just kill us. It kills the land, nature and, eventually, the whole world.		725
When people don't understand my work, I don't feel like explaining.		726
Many of my songs were dance orientated from way back. That's because I love dance! When I hear a dance number, just hearing the first eight bars, it immediately makes my bod start moving and dancing.		801
I think it's nice to let people know that there is an invisible part of the world. I think there are many people now who are interested in the invisible world.		802
When Orientals are attacked, they don't hit back.		803
Many incredible artists die before they were famous.	Famous	804
I just wish that people will be kinder to me when I pass away.		805
When I'm putting some communication out on Twitter or Facebook or Instagram, I think that it's helping me, my brain, you know, because it's always somehow stimulated by people who are sending things to me. And it works both ways. It's great. My brain is very happy about it.	Communication	806
I don't have time to listen to anybody's music. I'm making it, you know.		807
Most people like to hear sounds they are used to.		808
When you're imagining peace, you can't kill anyone. That's good isn't it?		809
We live too long for one marriage.		810
I've always said that I use my voice as an instrument. It was something I created myself, and I said, 'Have voice, will travel.'		811
Many people do remember their births, but they deny it.		812
Art is a mind-game that we do to make our lives easier. If it isn't for that, it becomes superfluous.		813

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