His specialty ranges from R&B and pop to gospel. Although born in Norfolk, Virginia, Holman later grew up in New York. His mother, noticing that he loved to sing, even as early as the age of two, introduced him to the piano and the guitar, where he quickly revealed a natural aptitude. His abilities, however, were confined mostly to church and family gatherings until 1956. It was then, at the age of ten, that Little Eddie Holman stepped onto the stage on Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater and showed his smooth tenor voice. His victory at the Apollo began to open many other doors for the young prodigy. Soon, Holman was performing at theaters on Broadway and even at Carnegie Hall. Not wanting her son to miss any opportunity, his mother was able to get him enrolled at the Victoria School of Music in Harlem. At Victoria, he learned the technical craft of music and began to blossom. In 1962, Holman made his first record.
As a teenager, Holman and his family moved to Philadelphia. After graduating from high school, he attended Cheyney State University where he graduated with a degree in music. It was in the Philadelphia soul scene that he began to develop his trademark style. While still in college, he recorded his first hit record, "This Can't Be True" (1965). Other hits began to follow: "Am I A Loser From The Start" (1966), "I Love You" (1969), "Don't Stop Now" (1970), and "Cathy Called" (1970). After singing with the Philadelphia groups The Delfonics and The Stylistics, Holman finally struck personal gold in 1970 with his ballad, "Hey There Lonely Girl" (originally "Hey There Lonely Boy" recorded in 1963 by Ruby and the Romantics), which peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The track peaked at number 4 in the UK Singles Chart in November 1974. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc from the R.I.A.A. in March 1970.
British journalist Tony Cummings once wrote, "Eddie Holman's voice, an astonishing precision instrument which can leap octaves with the speed of mercury and bend notes into shapes unimagined by lesser singers, has assured its possessor a place in soul history."[citation needed]
In 1977, Eddie had a brief resurgence in popularity with his last two hit singles, "This Will Be A Night To Remember" and "You Make My Life Complete".
Eddie Holman and his wife Sheila have three children. He is an ordained Baptist minister who uses his musical talents both as a tool of entertainment and as a medium to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ. He believes that his talent is a gift from God and therefore must be used to glorify his Maker. Furthermore, it is his belief "that those who are blessed with creative talent have a responsibility to encourage personal accountability and to set the best example possible because of the powerful influence that they have on the lives of so many young ones."
Today, Holman owns his own record label (Agape Records) and music publishing company (Schoochiebug Music Publishing). He also continues to tour with the Eddie Holman Band. He still resides in Philadelphia, and spends time as a local community volunteer helping reach out to those less fortunate. He also works within the Philadelphia School System encouraging young people to become involved in the performing arts. During the summer of 2007, Holman performed weekly for the passengers abroad the MS Sun Princess cruise ship while it was en route to the inside passage of Alaska.
Since I Don't Have You
Eddie Holman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I don't have hopes and dreams,
I-I-I don't have anything
Since I don't have you.
I don't have fond desires,
And I don't have happy hours,
I-I-I don't have anything
I don't have happiness, and I guess
I never will again.
When you walked out on me,
In walked old misery,
And he's been here since then.
I don't have love to share,
And I don't have one who cares.
I-I-I don't have anything
Since--I don't--have--
You, you, you, you
You, you, you, you
You, you, you, you
(Yo-o-o-o-o-o-o-ou)
The lyrics of Eddie Holman's "Since I Don't Have You" are straightforward and depict the sense of loss and emptiness the singer is experiencing after the departure of his loved one. He isolates and repeats "I don't have" three times, emphasizing the nothingness he feels since this person left. Holman describes that he does not have plans, schemes, hopes, or dreams without this special someone. These words are relevant as plans and schemes represent the future, whereas hopes and dreams signify inspiration and aspirations. In Holman's case, there is no motivation to create a future, no goals to achieve since the person he loves has left him. Holman further explains that he does not have "happy hours" to enjoy, representing the lack of enjoyment or pleasure he has been experiencing since this person left him. The nothingness he feels is reiterated when he says, "I don't have anything since I don't have you."
The next stanza has a more poignant touch with an element of devastation. Holman says that he doesn't have happiness, emphasizing the central theme of the loss of a loved one. He then says that since they walked out on him, misery has walked in, indicating the anguish he's feeling. The loss of love has proved detrimental, and the emotions Holman is experiencing seem to be in a never-ending cycle of pain, which he describes as "old misery." The final line of the stanza, "And he's been here since then," shows how the breakup has been affecting him since the day it occurred.
The last stanza, much like the previous two, emphasizes the emptiness and longing Holman is experiencing. He mentions that he doesn't have anyone to love or to care for him, which is a severe reality for him. The chorus repeats, ending with an extended "you, you, you, you" breathed out by Holman that symbolizes the pain and hopelessness the song's protagonist is going through.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't have plans and schemes,
I am directionless and lack a purpose or strategy
And I don't have hopes and dreams,
I have lost all my aspirations and ambitions
I-I-I don't have anything
I feel empty and hollow
Since I don't have you.
Because you are not with me, nothing else matters
I don't have fond desires,
I don't have any strong longings or cravings
And I don't have happy hours,
I don't experience joy or pleasure
I-I-I don't have anything
I am devoid of anything of significance
Since I don't have you.
Your absence has left a void in my life
I don't have happiness, and I guess
I am unhappy and miserable
I never will again.
I have given up on the possibility of ever finding happiness
When you walked out on me,
You left me alone and abandoned
In walked old misery,
My life has been filled with sadness and despair ever since then
And he's been here since then.
I have been unable to escape from the grip of misery
I don't have love to share,
I am incapable of giving and receiving love
And I don't have one who cares.
No one is interested in my well-being or my emotions
I-I-I don't have anything
I am devoid of everything that makes life worth living
Since--I don't--have--
I lack the one thing I truly need in life
You, you, you, you
Only you can fill the emptiness in my life
You, you, you, you
The one I long for is you
You, you, you, you
Nothing else matters as much as you
(Yo-o-o-o-o-o-o-ou)
You are my everything
Writer(s): Janet Vogel, Walter Lester, John Taylor, Joseph Rock, Joseph Verscharen, James Beaumont
Contributed by Kennedy B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.