Boris Vian Quotes & Sayings

Procrastination is a prelude in a minor key. — Boris Vian

It's not their fault. It's because they've been taught that 'Work is holy, good and beautiful. It counts above everything else, and the workers alone will inherit the earth.' Only things have been arranged so that they have to spend all their time working and there's no time left for the rest of it to come true. — Boris Vian

The problem is the following, black music is increasing encumbered by white elements, often pleasant but always superfluous, easily and advantageously replaced with black elements. — Boris Vian

There are only two things: love, all sorts of love, with pretty girls, and the music of New Orleans or Duke Ellington. Everything else ought to go, because everything else is ugly. — Boris Vian

Humor is the politeness of despair. — Boris Vian

I played the trumpet a bit like a porker, I think. — Boris Vian

Rien n'est plus parfait, plus acheve qu'un cadavre. Nothing is more perfect, more complete than a corpse. — Boris Vian

One ends up relying on pure musical inspiration, and failing that, the music won't lead to anything good, or it will alienate all but the most die-hard fans. — Boris Vian

People don't change. Things do. — Boris Vian

Les femmes et les hommes ne vivent pas sur le me me plan. Women and men do not live according to the same design. — Boris Vian

The three great moments of my life had to be the concerts of Ellington in 1938, Dizzy in '48, and Ella in '52. — Boris Vian

Les masses ont tort et les individus toujours raison. The masses are wrong; individuals are always right. — Boris Vian

- Is it their fault if they think that it's good to work?
- No, said Colin, it's not their fault. It's because they've been told : work is sacred, it's good, it's nice, it's what counts before anything, and only those who work have the right to everything. The only thing is, it's been set up so that they work all the time so they can't take advantage of it.
- But then they're stupid, said Chloe.
- Yes, they're stupid, said Colin. That's why they agree with those that made them believe that work is the best thing there is. That saves them from thinking and finding a way to progress and to no longer work. — Boris Vian

I'm not interested in the happiness of all men, but only in the happiness of each. — Boris Vian

Faith can move mountains but let them happily fall down on the heads of other people. What's the point in moving mountains when it's so simple to climb over them? — Boris Vian

Of course, it's fun to play with Blacks. — Boris Vian

Nobody knew me at Buckton. Clem had chosen the town because of that; and besides, even if I had wimp out, there was not enough gas to help me going further north. - I spit on your graves , — Boris Vian