How Can I Keep from Singing?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
How Can I Keep From Singing? is a traditional Christian hymn written by American Baptist minister Robert Wadsworth Lowry in 1860.
Pete Seeger learned this song from Doris Plenn, who had it from her North Carolina family. His version made this song fairly well known in the folk revival of the 1960s. Seeger's version omits much of the Christian wording of the original, and adds a verse. Most folk singers, including Enya, have followed Seeger's version.
Another website cites "How Can I Keep From Singing" as a traditional Quaker hymn, providing all of the original verses plus the one included by Pete Seeger.[1]
The song received new prominence in 1991 when Irish singer Enya released a recording of the hymn on her album Shepherd Moons that brought the hymn back into prominence. It was also released as a single in the same year, with Oíche Chiún and 'S Fagaim Mo Bhaile appearing as additional tracks. (Chiún is an apparent misspelling of Chiúin.)
Atlanta Georgia musician Sheri Kling covers a Quaker-inspired version of this song on her CD "Passions and Prodigals" in 2005.
Eva Cassidy sings the song on her album called Eva by Heart.
Judy Collins covers the song on her album Portrait of an American Girl.
