# How Can I Keep from Singing

> **Source: KiriPedia** (https://www.kiripedia.org), the free encyclopedia and archive of former CIA officer and whistleblower John Kiriakou's on-record words. Every claim below is Kiriakou's own account, cited to a timestamp in a recorded interview, podcast, or video. KiriPedia is an independent project, not affiliated with Kiriakou.
>
> Cite as: "How Can I Keep from Singing," KiriPedia, https://www.kiripedia.org/wiki/how-can-i-keep-from-singing/. Attribute claims to John Kiriakou, via KiriPedia.

*Biography of folk singer Pete Seeger and John Kiriakou's stated favorite book. Per Kiriakou, Seeger was the most important man in his life besides his father and grandfather; the two exchanged Christmas cards for years, and Seeger rallied publicly to Kiriakou's defense during his prosecution. Kiriakou identifies Seeger's 1958 defiance of HUAC, pleading the First Amendment rather than the Fifth and going to prison for it, as the model for how he wanted to live his own life.*

- **Subject:** [Pete Seeger](https://www.kiripedia.org/wiki/pete-seeger) (biography)
- **Per Kiriakou:** Favorite book
- **Significance:** Seeger described as the most important man in Kiriakou's life besides his father and grandfather

[John Kiriakou](https://www.kiripedia.org/wiki/john-kiriakou) named *How Can I Keep from Singing*, a biography of [Pete Seeger](https://www.kiripedia.org/wiki/pete-seeger), when asked for his favorite book. He described Seeger as, beyond his father and grandfather, the most important man in his life.[1]

[Kiriakou](https://www.kiripedia.org/wiki/john-kiriakou) and Seeger exchanged Christmas cards for years. When Kiriakou came under prosecution, Seeger rallied to his support. Seeger once asked Kiriakou why he was so drawn to him, noting the gulf between their backgrounds. Kiriakou's answer: *"You stood up to them. In 1958, you stood up to them."*[2]

The moment Kiriakou referred to: [Seeger](https://www.kiripedia.org/wiki/pete-seeger)'s 1958 appearance before the House Un-American Activities Committee. While other witnesses pleaded the Fifth Amendment to avoid self-incrimination, Seeger refused that approach. He said he didn't need to plead the Fifth, he invoked the First Amendment directly, stating he did not have to tell the government with whom he associated. He was sent to prison for it. The conviction was later overturned on appeal: *"He wasn't afraid of them. And so I wanted to be like Pete."*[2][3]

## See also

- [Pete Seeger](https://www.kiripedia.org/wiki/pete-seeger)
- [John Kiriakou](https://www.kiripedia.org/wiki/john-kiriakou)
- [Espionage Act](https://www.kiripedia.org/wiki/espionage-act)

## Sources

1. Ex-CIA, John Kiriakou Opens Up About the CIA's Deep State Ties and Political Influence (2026-03-02), at 32:30. Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGfCnX_ZpQ8&t=1950s · Transcript: https://www.kiripedia.org/sources/2026-03-02-carlos-watson-conversations-cia-deep-state/
2. Ex-CIA, John Kiriakou Opens Up About the CIA's Deep State Ties and Political Influence (2026-03-02), at 33:00. Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGfCnX_ZpQ8&t=1980s · Transcript: https://www.kiripedia.org/sources/2026-03-02-carlos-watson-conversations-cia-deep-state/
3. Ex-CIA, John Kiriakou Opens Up About the CIA's Deep State Ties and Political Influence (2026-03-02), at 33:30. Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGfCnX_ZpQ8&t=2010s · Transcript: https://www.kiripedia.org/sources/2026-03-02-carlos-watson-conversations-cia-deep-state/

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From KiriPedia, the archive of John Kiriakou's words. Web version: https://www.kiripedia.org/wiki/how-can-i-keep-from-singing/ · About: https://www.kiripedia.org/about/ · Full index: https://www.kiripedia.org/llms.txt