The Cyber Hymnal has the following lyrics, which it says were written by Robert Lowry in 1860:
My life flows on in endless song;
Above earth's lamentation
I hear the sweet though far off hymn
That hails a new creation:
Through 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 though my joys and comforts die?
The Lord my Savior liveth;
What though 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 mine eyes; the cloud grows thin;
I see the blue above it;
And day by day this pathway smoothes
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?
Liland mentions a Catholic version that's a bit different. The GIA (Gregorian Institute of America) hymnals have a couple variations on the Lowry tune. Ed Gutfreund wrote a version published in 1975 by North American Liturgy Resources, now part of Oregon Catholic Press. I wonder how people like the Gutfreund version - I sing a rendition which I guess is a mixture of Gutfreund and Lowry.
-Joe Offer-
MIDI file: KEEPSI~1.MID
Timebase: 192
Name: How Can I Keep From Singing
Text: traditional
Copyright: tune Copyright © 1981 by Ed Gutfreund
Tempo: 180 (333333 microsec/crotchet)
Key: D
TimeSig: 2/2 24 8
Start
0192 1 57 110 0160 0 57 000 0032 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 66 110 0528 0 66 000 0048 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 64 110 0528 0 64 000 0048 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 59 110 0720 0 59 000 0240 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 69 110 0528 0 69 000 0048 1 66 110 0160 0 66 000 0032 1 66 110 0160 0 66 000 0032 1 64 110 1296 0 64 000 0240 1 57 110 0160 0 57 000 0032 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 66 110 0528 0 66 000 0048 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 64 110 0336 0 64 000 0048 1 62 110 0336 0 62 000 0048 1 59 110 0720 0 59 000 0240 1 57 110 0160 0 57 000 0032 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 66 110 0528 0 66 000 0048 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 62 110 0912 0 62 000 0048 1 66 110 0336 0 66 000 0048 1 69 110 0336 0 69 000 0048 1 69 110 0336 0 69 000 0048 1 69 110 0336 0 69 000 0048 1 66 110 0192 0 66 000 0000 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 64 110 0528 0 64 000 0048 1 62 110 0528 0 62 000 0048 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 66 110 0528 0 66 000 0048 1 66 110 0160 0 66 000 0032 1 66 110 0528 0 66 000 0048 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 66 110 0160 0 66 000 0032 1 69 110 0912 0 69 000 0048 1 66 110 0336 0 66 000 0048 1 69 110 0336 0 69 000 0048 1 69 110 0336 0 69 000 0048 1 69 110 0336 0 69 000 0048 1 66 110 0192 0 66 000 0000 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 59 110 0336 0 59 000 0048 1 57 110 0720 0 57 000 0240 1 57 110 0160 0 57 000 0032 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 66 110 0528 0 66 000 0048 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 62 110 1296 0 62 000
EndThis program is worth the effort of learning it.
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ABC format:
X:1
T:How Can I Keep From Singing
M:2/2
Q:1/4=180
K:D
A,4D2E2|F6D2|E6D2|B,8|-B,2D2D2D2|A6F2|F2E6|
-E8|E2A,6|-A,4D2E2|F6D2|E4D4|B,8|-B,2A,2D2E2|
F6E2|E2D6|-D4F4|A4A4|A4F2E2|D2E6|D6E2|F6F2|
F6E2|F2A6|-A4F4|A4A4|A4F2E2|D2D2B,4|A,8|-A,2A,2D2E2|
F6E2|E2D6|-D15/2||