Eva Cassidy was the third of four children born to Hugh and Barbara Cassidy. From an early age, she displayed artistic and musical talent. When she was nine years old, her father taught her to play the guitar, and she began to play and sing at family gatherings.
While a student at Bowie High School, she did sing with a local band, called Stonehenge, and received considerable praise.
At the age of eighteen, Cassidy began her professional career, singing and playing guitar in a Washington, D.C., area band, called Easy Street. This band performed in a variety of styles, at weddings, corporate parties, and pubs.
During the summer of 1983, Cassidy sang and played guitar, six days per week, at Wild World, in Maryland. Her brother Dan was also a member of this working band.
Throughout the 1980s, Cassidy worked with a number of other bands, including the soul and Motown-oriented band The Honeybees, and the techno-pop band Characters Without Names, later called Method Actor.
During this period, Cassidy also worked as a propagator at a plant nursery and as a furniture painter in Annapolis, Maryland. In 1986, she met (bassist and recording engineer) Chris Biondo, who encouraged her and helped her find work as a backup singer for various acts. In 1990, Biondo and Cassidy hired the so-called "Eva Cassidy Band", composed of Chris Biondo, Lenny Williams, Keith Grimes and Raice McLeod, and she began to perform frequently in the Washington area.
In 1992, Biondo played a tape of Cassidy's voice for Chuck Brown. Best known as the "Godfather of Go-go", Brown is also a jazz and blues vocalist. This led to the first commercial recording of Cassidy, the duet album with Chuck Brown, The Other Side; which featured performances of classic songs such as "Fever", Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child" and Cassidy's signature tune "Over the Rainbow". The album was released and distributed by Liaison Records, the label that also released Brown's Go-go albums. The duet CD attracted the attention of various record companies, but the offers all required Cassidy to pigeonhole herself within a single style (e.g., pop or jazz), something she adamantly refused to do.[citation needed]
In 1993 Eva Cassidy was first honored by the Washington area music community when she was awarded two Wammie awards for "Female Vocalist Roots/Traditional R&B" and "Vocalist Jazz/Traditional." The next year she was chosen to perform for the awards ceremony.
In January 1996, Cassidy recorded the album Live at Blues Alley, about which The Washington Post later commented that "she could sing anything and make it sound like the only music that mattered". [1] Cassidy was unhappy with her singing on the album, because she had a bad cold on the night of the recording; she began recording a studio album which was eventually released as Eva by Heart posthumously in 1997.
During a promotional event for the Live at Blues Alley CD in July 1996, Cassidy noticed an ache in her hips, which she attributed to stiffness from painting murals. The pain persisted, and, a few weeks later, Cassidy was diagnosed with melanoma. By the time of her diagnosis, the cancer had spread throughout her body. Cassidy's health rapidly deteriorated, and her final performance was in September 1996. At the performance, she had used a walker to reach the stage, sang "What a Wonderful World" in front of an audience of friends, and was subsequently admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital.[citation needed]
Eva Cassidy died on November 2, 1996, at the age of 33. She was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Washington Area Music Association.
Bridge Over Trobled Water
Eva Cassidy Lyrics
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When tears are in your eyes I will dry them all
I'm on your side oh when times get rough
And friends just can't be found
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
When you're down and out
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you
I'll take your part
Oh when darkness comes
And friends just can't be found
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Sail on silver girl
Sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way
See how they shine
Oh if you need a friend
Well I'm standing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
The song "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Eva Cassidy is about being there for someone who is going through a difficult time. The opening lines, "When you're weary feeling small, When tears are in your eyes I will dry them all," showcases the singer's willingness to support the person during times of trouble. The singer wants the person to know that they are not alone, and even when things get rough, the singer will be on their side. The metaphor of a bridge over troubled water means that the singer will support them and be their guiding light during the turbulent times.
The chorus of the song repeats the metaphor of the bridge, where the singer will lay down their life for the person in need. The lyrics, "When you're down and out, When you're on the street, When evening falls so hard, I will comfort you, I'll take your part," showcases the deep care and empathy the singer has for the person. The singer wants to be the friend the person needs and is willing to provide unconditional support.
Line by Line Meaning
When you're weary feeling small
During times of exhaustion and melancholy, when you feel insignificant and powerless
When tears are in your eyes I will dry them all
I will provide comfort to you when you're sad and in need of support
I'm on your side oh when times get rough
In challenging times, I will stand with you and be your ally
And friends just can't be found
When your companions aren't present or aren't able to help you
Like a bridge over troubled water
Similar to a sturdy structure that spans a body of water to provide safe passage
I will lay me down
I'll be there for you, regardless of the personal cost or sacrifice required
When you're down and out
When you're feeling hopeless and helpless
When you're on the street
When you're homeless or struggling financially
When evening falls so hard
During times of darkness and sorrow
I will comfort you
I'll alleviate your emotional pain and distress
I'll take your part
I'll support you and advocate for your interests
Oh when darkness comes
During difficult times when the future appears bleak
Sail on silver girl
Keep moving forward despite obstacles and setbacks, like a ship sailing on a glistening sea
Sail on by
Continue down your path, undeterred by negative influences or naysayers
Your time has come to shine
It's your moment to shine and succeed
All your dreams are on their way
Your aspirations are within reach
See how they shine
Observe the brilliance of your dreams manifesting before your eyes
Oh if you need a friend
In case you require companionship or assistance
Well I'm standing right behind
Know that I'm here to help and support you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL SIMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind