Ryan plays guitar, piano, harmonica, and sings. At the young age of 14, in 2007, Ryan began to gig across Long Island. After 2.5 years he had played over 200 performances and completed a Florida tour, as well as two New England tours, titled "The Love Around the World Tour." Cassata performed at the world's biggest gay music festival, Pridefest Milwaukee, with other great musicians like Salt N' Pepa, Chris Crocker & LeAnne Rimes.
Ryan Cassata is the founder of Artemendous Records, LLC. and Artemendous Radio Station as he conducts broadcasts worldwide to help the local music scene grow stronger.
Ryan Cassata is the composer of the soundtrack for Loop Planes, an award-winning independent film that screened in the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film & Music Festival (2010), the Tribeca Film Festival (2010), the International Israel Women's Film Festival (with The Runaways) (2010), and 15 other film festivals.
Ryan Cassata appeared on The Larry King Live Show (2009) and the Tyra Banks Show (2010) for being transgender himself. Aside from being a musician, Cassata is a strong advocate for the transgender community. He travels the states speaking at high schools, colleges, and conferences, sharing his story with a mission to stop ignorance and bring peace to the world. Cassata appeared in Hamptons Bay Magazine (2008), Go Magazine (2008), and Closer Magazine (2011) for his hard work and advocacy. He also appeared in Bay Shore High School's "Maroon Echo" three times for his advocacy along with his musical achievements. In 2011, Ryan Cassata won the first Harvey Milk Memorial Award for the new path of equality he had created at his high school.
Ryan Cassata writes very passionate lyrics. His words are positive and inspirational to today's generation. Cassata hopes to spread this positivity across the country and around the world in hopes to make people smile and catch on to kindness.
Ryan Cassata is doing much more than the average teen. He demands change, he demands revolution, and...he demands PEACE.
Recently, Ryan Cassata was selected to be one of the keynote speakers for the biggest transgender conference in the United States, the Philadelphia Trans-Health conference. Ryan is the youngest speaker the conference has ever had.
The Rhythm
Ryan Cassata Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It’s fueling me, yeah.
I've got the rhythm in my spine,
But I'm afraid I'm wasting time.
I'm a little bit worn out, a little bit homesick,
I've run dry of the super sparks of it.
Whatever it is, what's the use?
Can you name a better fix?
Been on the run for 3 months or so,
And I book and book and I go and go and go.
Living in a disco, to Frisco,
With the beats and the tea flow,
Does my fatigue show?
Let me tell you 'bout the blast in PA,
They took our money and they sold our pride1 that day,
And when we headed to Boston, I swear I lost and found my mind that day.
I can tell I'm a little bit homesick,
But I like life on the run.
I can tell I'm a little bit used to it,
Life’s the trigger, I'm the gun.
I can tell I'm a little bit homesick,
But I like life on the run
I can tell I'm a little bit used to it,
Life’s the trigger, I'm the gun.
Packing it fragile on the aircraft,
Hit the bumps and all the evil laughs.
And it spewed from it's mouth and shouts,
All the horrors and dangers of flying south that year,
The guitar made it to the window,
I hit the door and headed to the weird show,
“UnRegular Radio2,” my life broadcasted on the go.
I can tell I'm a little bit homesick,
But I like life on the run.
I can tell I'm a little bit used to it,
Life’s the trigger, I'm the gun.
I can tell I'm a little bit homesick,
But I like life on the run
I can tell I'm a little bit used to it,
Life’s the trigger, I'm the gun.
Drop the change in my hat my man,
I can tell were living in a freak show.
I can tell I'm a little bit homesick,
But I like life on the run.
I can tell I'm a little bit used to it,
Life’s the trigger, I'm the gun.
I've got the rhythm in my heart,
It's fueling me, yeah.
I've got the rhythm in my spine,
It's fueling me, yeah.
I've got the rhythm in my heart,
It's fueling me, yeah.
I've got the rhythm in my heart.
In Ryan Cassata’s song “The Rhythm,” he uses the metaphor of rhythm to describe the ups and downs of life on the road as a musician. Cassata speaks directly about being homesick, worn out, and unsure if the sacrifices that come with being on the road are worth it. The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song, with the repeated lyrics “I’ve got the rhythm in my heart, it’s fueling me, yeah. I’ve got the rhythm in my spine, but I’m afraid I’m wasting time.” This repetition anchors the song in the metaphor of rhythm and highlights the conflict Cassata feels between the drive to keep going and a fear that he is wasting his time.
The lyrics in the following verse reflect on the realities of a musician’s life on the road. Cassata describes a constant cycle of booking gigs and traveling from place to place while feeling exhausted and homesick. He mentions a gig in Pennsylvania where the organizers “took our money and they sold our pride” and the experience of playing on “UnRegular Radio” in Boston. Cassata doesn’t sugarcoat the realities of life as a musician, but he still maintains a sense of passion for the lifestyle as he sings, “Life’s the trigger, I’m the gun.”
The recurring theme of homesickness and the struggle to balance it with a passion for music makes “The Rhythm” a bittersweet song to listen to. Ryan Cassata’s lyrics provide an intimate and relatable look into the life of a touring musician, highlighting the complexity of the emotions that come with that lifestyle.
Line by Line Meaning
I’ve got the rhythm in my heart,
I feel alive and motivated within my heart because of the rhythm.
It’s fueling me, yeah.
The rhythm is energizing me and giving me strength.
I've got the rhythm in my spine,
The rhythm is moving me from within and filling me with enthusiasm.
But I'm afraid I'm wasting time.
Even though the rhythm is driving me, I fear I’m not accomplishing anything significant.
I'm a little bit worn out, a little bit homesick,
I'm feeling tired and longing for home.
I've run dry of the super sparks of it.
I don’t feel the same level of excitement I used to.
Whatever it is, what's the use?
I’m questioning the purpose of what I’m doing.
Can you name a better fix?
Is there something better I can do to find fulfillment?
Been on the run for 3 months or so,
I’ve been traveling for about three months.
And I book and book and I go and go and go.
I keep booking gigs and traveling non-stop.
Living in a disco, to Frisco,
I’ve been living in lively and exciting places like disco clubs and San Francisco.
With the beats and the tea flow,
I’m surrounded by music and good vibes.
Does my fatigue show?
I wonder if people can tell that I'm feeling exhausted.
Let me tell you 'bout the blast in PA,
I want to recount the fun time I had in Pennsylvania.
They took our money and they sold our pride that day,
Someone took advantage of us and made us feel ashamed.
And when we headed to Boston, I swear I lost and found my mind that day.
When we went to Boston, I had an experience that both confused and enlightened me.
Packing it fragile on the aircraft,
I'm packing my guitar carefully on the plane.
Hit the bumps and all the evil laughs.
The turbulence on the flight was unsettling and frightening.
And it spewed from its mouth and shouts,
It felt like the plane was screaming with all its might.
All the horrors and dangers of flying south that year,
The flight was especially scary that year.
The guitar made it to the window,
Thankfully, my guitar made it safely to my destination.
I hit the door and headed to the weird show,
I arrived at a strange and eccentric performance.
“UnRegular Radio,” my life broadcasted on the go.
My life is on display as I travel and perform on UnRegular Radio.
Drop the change in my hat my man,
Please consider tipping me for my performance.
I can tell were living in a freak show.
Life feels like a chaotic and surreal circus-like experience.
I've got the rhythm in my heart.
I still have the motivation and drive to succeed thanks to the rhythm.
Contributed by Ryan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.