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.
How Can I Keep From Singing
Eva Cassidy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Above earth's lamentations,
I hear the real, though far-off hymn
That hails a new creation.
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear it's music ringing,
It sounds an echo in my soul.
While though the tempest loudly roars,
I hear the truth, it liveth.
And though the darkness 'round me close,
Songs in the night it giveth.
No storm can shake my inmost calm,
While to that rock I'm clinging.
Since love is lord of heaven and earth
How can I keep from singing?
When tyrants tremble sick with fear
And hear their death knell ringing,
When friends rejoice both far and near
How can I keep from singing?
No storm can shake my inmost calm,
While to that rock I'm clinging.
Since love is Lord of heaven and earth
How can I keep from singing?
My life goes on in endless song
Above earth's lamentations,
I hear the real, though far-off hymn
How can I keep from singing?
How can I keep from singing? x2
The beautiful and timeless lyrics of Eva Cassidy's "How Can I Keep from Singing" express the transcendental feeling of being lifted above the sadness and chaos of the world by a powerful and inspiring force. The opening lines of the song introduce the idea that life continues in an endless song, despite the many sorrows and difficulties of existence. This song, which can be interpreted as a metaphor for the idea of hope or faith, rises above the "lamentations" of the earth and provides a source of comfort and inspiration to those who hear it.
As the song progresses, the singer describes the power of the song to endure through even the most tumultuous times of life. In moments of struggle and strife, the music still rings out like an echo in their soul, reminding them of the possibility for a new creation. The strength that this brings to the singer is palpable, as they declare that no storm can shake their calm while they are clinging to the rock of faith that uplifts them. Finally, the song takes a hopeful turn, suggesting that even tyrants and darkness are no match for the power of this transcendent force, as it gives a song even in the midst of darkness.
Taken as a whole, "How Can I Keep from Singing" serves as a testament to the power of hope, faith, and inspiration to overcome even the darkest of times. Through this song, Eva Cassidy reminds us that even when things are at their most difficult, we can always find a way to hold on to the power of song and the strength that it brings to our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
My life goes on in endless song
My life keeps moving forward, accompanied by a never-ending melody.
Above earth's lamentations,
Despite the sorrow and mourning on this Earth, I rise above it with my song.
I hear the real, though far-off hymn
I perceive a genuine, albeit distant tune.
That hails a new creation.
It celebrates a rebirth, a fresh start.
Through all the tumult and the strife
Despite all the chaos and conflict,
I hear its music ringing,
I still hear the sweet sound of harmony.
It sounds an echo in my soul.
It resonates deeply within me.
How can I keep from singing?
How can I not express my joy through singing?
While though the tempest loudly roars,
Even as the storm rages loudly,
I hear the truth, it liveth.
I hear the truth, which remains alive.
And though the darkness 'round me close,
Even when darkness envelops me,
Songs in the night it giveth.
It gives me songs to sing in the night.
No storm can shake my inmost calm,
No storm can disturb my inner peace,
While to that rock I'm clinging.
As I hold onto that firm foundation.
Since love is lord of heaven and earth
Because love reigns over everything,
How can I keep from singing?
How can I not keep singing?
When tyrants tremble sick with fear
When even the oppressors quiver with anxiety,
And hear their death knell ringing,
And hear their impending doom approaching,
When friends rejoice both far and near
When friends celebrate both near and far,
How can I keep from singing?
How can I not express my elation through singing?
No storm can shake my inmost calm,
No storm can disturb my inner peace,
While to that rock I'm clinging.
As I hold onto that firm foundation.
Since love is Lord of heaven and earth
Because love reigns over everything,
How can I keep from singing?
How can I not keep singing?
My life goes on in endless song
My life keeps moving forward, accompanied by a never-ending melody.
Above earth's lamentations,
Despite the sorrow and mourning on this Earth, I rise above it with my song.
I hear the real, though far-off hymn
I perceive a genuine, albeit distant tune.
How can I keep from singing?
How can I not express my joy through singing?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Rev. Robert Lowry
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@WillTerrell
My life goes on in endless song;
Above earth's lamentation,
I hear the ring of a far off bell
That hails a new creation;
Above the tomb of Endless strife
I hear its music ringing;
It sounds an echo in my soul—
How can I keep from singing?
While tho' the tempest around me roars
I hear the truth; it liveth;
While tho' the darkness 'round me close?
Songs in the night it giveth.
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that rock I'm clinging;
Since Love is Lord of heaven and earth,
How can I keep from singing?
When tyrants tremble sick with fear
And hear their death-knell ringing
When friends rejoice both far and near
how can I keep from singing?!
No storm can shake my in most calm
While to that rock I'm clinging
Since Love is lord of heaven and earth
How can I keep from singing?
My life goes on in endless song
above earths lamentations
i hear the ring of a far off hymn
how can i keep from singing
Lord, how can I keep from singing?
How can I keep from singing?
Thank you lord, thank you lord.
(Thank you Eva. May the world know your grace)
@MarkIsJustKidding
My life flows on in endless song;
Above earth's lamentation,
I hear the sweet, tho' far-off hymn
That hails a new creation;
Thro' all the tumult and the strife
I hear the music ringing;
It finds an echo in my soul—
How can I keep from singing?
What tho' my joys and comforts die?
The Lord my Saviour liveth;
What tho' the darkness gather round?
Songs in the night he giveth.
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that refuge clinging;
Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth,
How can I keep from singing?
I lift my eyes; the cloud grows thin;
I see the blue above it;
And day by day this pathway smooths,
Since first I learned to love it,
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
A fountain ever springing;
All things are mine since I am his—
How can I keep from singing?
@leenabeloved2507
was just reading a Daily Gospel Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron, and at the end of it, he mentions this song by Eva Cassidy... so glad i found her. thank You, God.
@joydurham5437
Same 😊
@soyandyg2423
Me too!
@WillTerrell
My life goes on in endless song;
Above earth's lamentation,
I hear the ring of a far off bell
That hails a new creation;
Above the tomb of Endless strife
I hear its music ringing;
It sounds an echo in my soul—
How can I keep from singing?
While tho' the tempest around me roars
I hear the truth; it liveth;
While tho' the darkness 'round me close?
Songs in the night it giveth.
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that rock I'm clinging;
Since Love is Lord of heaven and earth,
How can I keep from singing?
When tyrants tremble sick with fear
And hear their death-knell ringing
When friends rejoice both far and near
how can I keep from singing?!
No storm can shake my in most calm
While to that rock I'm clinging
Since Love is lord of heaven and earth
How can I keep from singing?
My life goes on in endless song
above earths lamentations
i hear the ring of a far off hymn
how can i keep from singing
Lord, how can I keep from singing?
How can I keep from singing?
Thank you lord, thank you lord.
(Thank you Eva. May the world know your grace)
@beckybaumann7544
Today God gave me Eva Cassidy. Some things are worth waiting for. 70 years old!m
@josephcharbonneau8740
I know your still singing angel I wish we could down load from here and with gods grace I’ll get to attend in person when I’m done here!!! 🌹
@budd1814
Thank You Eva...
@samferguson1645
One of the greatest singers of our time EVER....Rest In Peace Eva you have bought so much joy with your beautiful voice.
@jimfryer1
What a totally amazing interpretation of this song! Her recordings have so enriched my life.
@dannyboy2751
I'm glad she didn't keep from singing ❤🥀💙🌹💜💐