Saturday, December 13, 2008

A tribute to Eva Cassidy

I just came back from Jazz @ Southbridge. One of the songs that the singer Alemay sang was "Autumn Leaves". I guess after hearing Eva Cassidy's rendition of the song, nothing could beat it, not even the original French version.

I came back and re-watched her Youtube videos. Still as touching as I remembered. I must have watched and listened to her countless times. I didn't think she would still be able to move me so.

Eva Cassidy has been dead for more than 10 years. Yet she is remembered fondly through the sincerity she expressed in her songs. She has also been gaining fans for didn't I stumble upon her and fell in love with her songs before I read up about her and realised that she wasn't around any more. Her songs seemed even more precious and poignant to me then. One timeless voice.

A lot of the comments left by people say that God must have wanted her to join the angels above, for her work here was done...how she lived inside her song. I know what that latter comment meant.

With most songs the songs is part of the singer, the songs never appear bigger than the singer themselves but with Eva Cassidy, her songs always feels like they are so much more than her as if they transcend almost everything, even Eva Cassidy herself.

In the wee hours of the morning, listening to her rendition of "Danny Boy" makes me feel a lot:

Oh Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountainside.
The summer's gone, and all the roses (are) falling.
'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.


But come ye back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow,
'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow.
Oh Danny Boy, Oh Danny Boy, I love you so.

But if you come and all the flow'rs are dying
And I am dead, as dead I well may be,
You'll come and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an
Ave there for me.

And I shall hear, though soft ye tread above me
And then my grave will warmer, sweeter be,
For you will bend and tell me that you love me,
And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me.



Alternative lyrics for last two lines:

And you'll not fail to tell me that you love me,
I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.

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