FIRST TIME HEARING Eva Cassidy - Over The Rainbow | REACTION 

Her version of Sting's "Fields of Gold" is wonderful as well. She is one of my go-to artists when I want beautiful vocals.

No matter how hard I try when this lady hits that high note the tears just roll down my face and I’m a 69 year old man. Such a talent and such a loss can you just imagine her and Karen Carpenter duetting together

Eva was literally dying of cancer as she sang this, and she didn't even know…She passed less than 6 months after this performance…She was just 33…Beyond heart-wrenching.

What a shame to have lost her right on the edge of fame. Her voice is amazing, but it's her interpretations and her incredibly beautiful guitar stylings that knock me out. I could listen to her just play the guitar without the voice, but the whole package is astonishing. Aside from that, Over the Rainbow is one of the most iconic and beautiful songs ever written. Amazing that it was written for The Wizard of Oz, I doubt the writers even knew how fantastic a song they created.

When a live performance reaches this level of excellence it is magic. The fact that the coffee house captured this piece of heaven is so fortunate for us. And there are more in this live performance!

What is not often mentioned is that, besides having a this spectacular voice, she was was one hell of a guitarist. The picking was superb.

Glad you’ve discovered Eva Cassidy! This version of this song is literally stunning. Stops people in their tracks. Once you realize how talented she was and learn of her premature death, it breaks your heart. Listening to her beautiful voice, arrangement and playing-with the knowledge of her passing-is the very definition of bittersweet. Everything she recorded is worth a listen, but “Fields of Gold” should be the next reaction.

This song... I heard this years ago. Such a beautiful version, but SO Emotional I can hard listen to it. Tears me up everytime. We lost such a beautiful soul in her.

I think once someone has heard Evas version of this song there is no other that quite compares.Tugs at the heart and brings me to tears everytime. Simply beautiful. RIP Eva and thank you for leaving us with your beautiful gift.

I see "Eva Cassidy", I stop what I'm doing and IMMEDIATELY watch. Thank you! (RIP, Eva).

Just everything Eva Cassidy ever recorded. She was exquisite.

i've listened to this dozens of times. It gets me every time.

Aside from her wonderful voice, to me this is a master class in phrasing, dynamics, breath control (she had a cold btw) & in general how to make a song your own. She was brilliant. RIP

I'm moved to tears everytime I hear her song this song. Her singing and her guitar playing are both so beautiful. Very emotive!

Fields of gold and Songbird are a couple of others you may want to check out

It doesn't get much better than this. As others have said ... stunning. Literally stunning! You almost can't believe how clean, pure, powerful and angelic her gorgeous voice is. And for a second...a long, wonderful second, you freeze in wonder. This CAN'T be this perfect. And yet it is! Soaring above anything you've ever heard before. You don't want to cry, but you can't help it. What an ENORMOUS talent! Eva Cassidy. Gone wa-ay too soon! Thanks for the reaction.

"Songbird" is her beautiful rendition.

Great reaction! I hope you take time to learn her whole story. She didn't become famous until 10 years after her passing. The world is a better place because of Eva. We were lucky to have her. RIP Eva

She could do ballads, folk, gospel, blues, and jazz with equal mastery. For a sample of her range, listen to Autumn Leaves, I Know You by Heart, Blues in the Night, You've Changed, Stormy Monday, and Fields of Gold (Sting felt that her version was "magical") - and What a Wonderful World, which she performed at her last concert, a few weeks before she died of metastatic melanoma. If she had lived, she would be one of the premier singers of our time. Her talent went beyond her amazing voice control, her impeccable tone, her phrasing, and the simple perfection of her guitar work - she refused to sing anything that didn't touch her heart, and the depth of emotion in her songs is her real gift to us. You can feel her soul in every note.

Her cover of “Time After Time” is criminally underrated, definitely worth a listen too!

Yep chills. Plus tears, as she died so young and before she became famous.

This song always makes me cry. The beginning hits me, and i'm gone, in tears. Eva's voice is absolutely spin tingling and you can't help but be mesmerised by her performances. This is hands down one of the best.

That was such a beautiful rendition of this song. So sad that she is no longer with us. She died at only 33 years of age. I also love the version by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole. Sadly he also died young at 38 years of age. At least we have their music left as a legacy.

I bet many people have not heard this song which is a shame, because it is pure gold. It has brought tears to my eyes every time I've heard it, including today.

Her version of Danny Boy is also amazingly beautiful. She truly was phenomenal.

She had a remarkable ability to take a song that either was covered to oblivion or no one in their right mind would even think worthy of covering, and turning it into something new and beautiful and incredibly poignant. Fields of Gold, Autumn Leaves, Songbird, True Colors, all benefitted from her touch. I always wonder how today's musical landscape would have sounded had she lived longer, because she was only just beginning to really make a name for herself when she passed. The world truly got a little bit darker without her light in it.

Her “Live at Blues Album” is perfect

what a heavenly voice is the perfect comment for Eva's rendition of this song. Perfection

I love Eva Cassidy. Voice of an angel and could sing the phonebook.

"Autumn Leaves" from Eva is also a great cover. All of her songs are worth a listen but I especially like "Had I a Golden Thread" and "I know you by heart".

Heaven knows what we missed losing this treasure so ridiculously young. I love her music so much!

It always just amazes me that as a child of the 1960’s,I was one of those kids eagerly awaiting the yearly showing of The Wizard of Oz! We got four channels on our B&W t.v with its tinny sound and aluminum foil wrapped around the antenna to enhance reception😄! And it was magic when Judy Garland sang this song. I heard it often through the years and into adulthood. But after all those years of listening to the same version,it wasn’t until Eva Cassidy sang it that I TRULY HEARD it,felt it and understood it! I have watched many people react to Eva and so often they(and you) put their hand to their heart,because that’s where this hits us! I loved your reaction. Thank you. ❤️❤️

Eva cassidy singing fields of gold is one of my favourites.

Fields of gold, What a wonderful world, Time after time, Autumn leaves...so many!

Dat is sooo stunning absolutely sang so amazingly....dats RAW talent

Favorite female voice of all time. Sad she didn't live to see how much she touched people.

Wow….. I do love her singing this song….Heavenly!!

"What a Wonderful World" sung by her at a benefit performance after she had been diagnosed with cancer. A magnificent rendition. She passed away two months later.

Eva Cassidy was so incredible what a voice and talent. It was such a tragedy and loss to the world when she died of cancer at only 33 years old in 1996, but her music will forever live on. Some other Eva Cassidy recommendations are Danny Boy, Time After Time, Fields Of Gold, Autumn Leaves, What A Wonderful World, Songbird. Thank you for your reaction.

Sting’s Fields of Gold is gorgeous. Glad you found her. She is wonderful. Gone way too soon!

I recommend reacting to Eva Cassidy's cover of Danny Boy. It is so beautiful. RIP Eva 🙏❤️💐

Two singers in perfect harmony - Eva and her guitar. I see from the comments lots of good recommendations for her songs with similar treatments, all well worth a listen. I was one of those listening when it broke posthumously on BBC radio played by DJ Terry Wogan and was immediately hooked and consumed her output after until the songs ran out. A tragic loss. But a favourite of mine shows her in a completely different light wth a treatment of a blues standard called "Blues in the Night". Always a song I loved she takes it to new heights in a virtuoso performance and staggering to think that all the voices on it are hers including the 'harmonica' at the end. "Wayfairing Stranger" shows her in a jazzier mood. But with Eva you can't go wrong.

Autumn Leaves and Fields of Gold are stunning. She was a gift.

Thank you for not pausing it. Very considerate. "Fields of Gold" and "Autumn Leaves" will be very special to you, I think.

Some more of Eva's songs are Time After Time, Fields of Gold, Autumn Leaves, Danny Boy, and the list goes on. They are all very emotional performances.

I highly recommend Autumn Leaves. In my opinion, her version of this song is the most beautiful.

Salvo, I've been around the block a few times if you know what I mean and this recording by Eva is something very dear to my heart. Sadly she passed away within a year of this moment and of course it magnifies even more the meaning of the song and what it meant to her. I just subscribed. I have a suggestion for you and it's something which I hope you follow up on because it's an opportunity for you to hear Eva sing another wonderful song like only she can, but the video includes another singer and the mashup type video is thrilling. Salvo, think for a moment, if Eva is going to share the spotlight with someone else in the video, who in the world can sing with her? I'll let your imagination take it from there. The song is 'Fields of Gold' and the artists are Eva Cassidy and Angelina Jordan. (If you have discovered Angelina already then you know what to expect. If you haven't, well, settle back and enjoy something very, very special.)

She had such a beautiful voice and I love this version of over the rainbow

Eva sings directly to your heart and at times it feels like it has stopped beating. I love “You Take My Breath Away” done by Eva!❤

Sal… thank you for reacting. I agree with all the previous comments… Autumn Leaves… Fields of Gold, which Sting was quoted as saying ‘He wrote the song but Eva owns the song’ I would like to hear what people think of ‘Tall Trees in Georgia’. This has become my favorite Eva song. But as I wrote to you…. I could name a dozen songs that absolutely gorgeous Thanks again Sal!

Eva's career was just coming to national attention when she died so tragically young. She does here what every great singer should do with a cover -- keep the integrity of what made the original great along with much of the melody as it was written, yet find a way to personalize it, convey it to the audience, and leave your own mark on it. No matter how terrific a cover may be, it is STILL a cover -- not the original. Since you asked, the gold standard was, is, and will always be Judy Garland. This was her signature song in a career full of iconic hits equaled by few others. Only Frank Sinatra could be considered a true peer of hers in show business as Judy triumphed in film, recordings, the concert stage, and television -- and all before the age of 50, having died tragically herself too young at age 47. Her version of "Over the Rainbow in The Wizard of Oz was phenomenal because she was a 16-year old singing with a unimaginably mature voice for her age. As she aged, on radio in her 20s, then mainly in concerts in her 30s and 40s, she grew into the song both vocally and personally. The richness of her voice as it matured, combined with the added ironic poignancy of the lyrics when compared in parallel to her personal trials and tribulations, made the song legendary. Again, taking nothing away from Eva....but this song is only borrowed from the great Judy Garland. May they both RIP.

YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE ALBUM! IT'S PERFECTION! SO HAPPY YOU GOT TO HEAR HER! ONE OF MY FAVORITES. ❤

I've lobbied online for Eva Cassidy to receive multiple awards: a Grammy for (Over the Rainbow, Fields of Gold, Songbird & several others), a CMA Award for (Tennessee Waltz), Jazz or Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for (San Francisco Bay Blues), or a Dove Award for (How Can I Keep From Singing). Something, my God, but apparently the clueless music industry does not know who she is, or either is still trying to categorize Eva Cassidy. It seems simple enough to me for them (music award powers-that-be) to create a "Multi-Genre Artist Award" and let Eva be the first to receive it posthumously. All of today's greatest singers know Eva is the Holy Grail of Vocalist. Even Adele said she used to rush home from school to listen to Eva Cassidy. It's time, people!!!

How did I miss this? I know you will love her voice and phrasing. It is the best version of this epic song I have ever heard. Cassidy adds her subtle touch and brings a new level of emotion to the lyrics. Some really like Lucy Thomas's version of Eva's arrangement and her voice is also angelic. Ewwooh. Supertramp! You are so true, underappreciated. They are fabulous.

Eva passed away in 1996 at the age of only 33, relatively unknown. But following her death she became a sensation and sold up to $20 million albums. This performance took place 10 months before she died, and to me it is haunting, because it is said she did not know she had cancer at that time. But she sang it in a way as if she knew she did and was looking with her eyes closed many times during the performance. Beautiful and sad at the same time. She gave it a melancholy feeling that the original did not have.

Eva was trying to get a record deal going, I think with the help of Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac fame. But she balked at the first attempts, as the record labels wanted to more pigeon-hole her. She wanted to do any genre of sons she felt like. This night we’re lucky they recorded her, but just a few months after this video she passed away from skin cancer. Her family and a small group of dedicated fans all worked together to get out only a few albums after she had passed away. At first her albums were selling by word of mouth, but soon picked up speed. I love rendition of Sting’s Field of Gold song: Sting rarely allows other to release a song, but after hearing Eva’s version and hearing her story he agreed that she could release his song. I too of her by word of mouth, and I too passed her information by word of mouth too. Love all her songs. It’s too bad she went so young.

Any ...she is heavenly

You should try her version of "Imagine". Absolutely incredible. She was not well when this was done before she died in 1996, and it was a tragedy for the music world. She wrote the arrangement for this and turned it into HER song. The last song she sang in public was, "Oh, What a Wonderful World". ANOTHER great one by her. Love your show when I can watch it!

What an enormous talent and so sad not hardly known until after she passed away😢💔

Contemplative, beautiful.

There is a documentary about her life that is well worth your time. Anyone who loves listening to this incredible songstress should check it out.

Fields of Gold!!

Amazing singer and guitarist. Rest in peace Eva.

You can't stop with this, please listen to "Autumn Leaves," "Songbird," and "Fields of Gold."

So glad you did this

Just say it - PERFECTION!

2 songs I really like of hers are-- Fields of Gold. Sting was most impressed by her version of his song. I also really like a song called You Take my Breath Away. It's so sad that we lost Eva at a very young age, in her early 30s. Thank goodness we have her music.

Another amazing singer we lost way too soon. Others to listen to are Fields of Gold as others have mentioned, but I also love her versions of Woodstock, Ain't No Sunshine and Time After Time. If this appeals to you then you absolutely have to listen to Nick Drake!

I'm sure it has been awhile since you first heard Eva Cassidy and I never get tired of Over the Rainbow, but you should listen to "Nightbird" . Also, I think her story and life should be made into a movie. Maybe someday I will try.

Yes. I dearly hope she found her rainbow's end. To me, she will always feel like my little sister.

I love the fact that you do your homework before watching the video. An educated reaction is always better.

Voice of an Angel. RIP Eva. Gone but not forgotten.💟🌠💫

Next try "Autumn Leaves" and "Fields of Gold". I love Eva. Stunning voice!

If you want to hear all her vocal abilities, I highly recommend you to react to her song Oh, had I a golden thread. Mind blowing !

I don't think it's showing it down that does that. It's her stellar singing, her heartfelt presentation, her guitar playing, her sincerity.....

She had so many beautiful songs, just as she was gaining notice, she got sick and passed away. Please listen to "I know you by heart" I tear up everytime. By the way She could sing anything

Fields of Gold

For a completely different side of Eva's voice try "Blues in the Night" , there is nothing quite like Eva letting her voice RIP!

I’ve read that she was sick the night this was recorded and thought she did not perform well.

Welcome to the Eva Cassidy journey. I personally don't think you can make a wrong choice in terms of where to go next, but most people will probably recommend "Fields of Gold", as that is another version like "Rainbow" where she took a very well-known song and did an arrangement that is both completely unique and also respectful and loving towards the original. She was incredibly gifted. Probably the most popular cover of "Rainbow" is by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, another talent sadly gone much too soon. And he, like Eva, re-interprets the song in a completely unique way. He has a medley of "Rainbow" and "What a Wonderful World" that is really beautiful, and to bring it back to Eva- "Wonderful World" is apparently the last song she ever sang in public.

Good on you for acknowledging not to pause.

I read, she was upset with her voice breaking on the last note. But that was awesome!

1. Whitney 2. Eva 3. Aretha R.I.P. to all 💟💗💟

Best versions of this song? Judy Garland, Iz Kamakawiwo'ole and Eva Cassidy. (IMO)

“Eva”. Not Ava.

Wade in the Water, Fields of Gold, give them a listen!

Please, please react to I know you by heart... im a grown man who weeps everytime i hear the song. Its about the loss of someone that you know by heart!!!

Eva's : Time After Time Fields of Gold Autumn Leaves People get Ready Chain of Fools

Oh...and Danny Boy is fantastic as well.

The most popular version is the original sang by Judy Garland in the classic movie The Wizard of Oz

Autumn Leaves should be next... enjoyed the reaction

Any song of hers is magical but listen to Songbird. It’s fantastic. If you would like to hear the range her voice is capable of, listen to Had I A Golden Thread. I’ve heard her voice described as strong as steel and as delicate as parchment. Oh, and she played most of the instruments on her album Songbird.

Eva's beautiful version of Over the Rainbow shows you that you don't need to screech and scream all through a song to get people to hear you. In fact unless I'm mistaken I can hear Eva's Soul in this one. No big deal but it's pronounced E-va not A-va. Many people have a tendency to say that for what reason I can't fathom so you are not alone in pronouncing it thusly. Not being picky just informative. Thanks for the great reaction...

Eva has always been my favorite female singer. The only singer I love more is Elvis.❤❤❤

How about try putri ariani and dwiki darmawan cover somewhere over the rainbow.love her version

When she sings a person doesn't just hear the song, they feel it. Pronounce the E, it's Eva not Ava.

Just look up her name any song on the list is one to listen to

Oh please listen to the version by Israel K 'IZ', in my opinion the very best of all, also the one by Grace Vanderwaal as a very little child sounds superb, the difficult thing is to get it available on YT. Those two are my absolute favorites.

Danny Boy.

Good luck going down the Eva Cassidy rabbit hole - you might not come back lol