amazing grace

"Amazing Grace" is a well-known Christian hymn. The words were written c. 1772 by John Newton; they form a part of the Olney Hymns that he worked on, with William Cowper and other hymnodists.

History

John Newton (1725–1807) was the captain of a slave ship. On May 10th, 1748 returning home during a storm he experienced a "great deliverance." In his journal he wrote that the ship was in grave danger of sinking. He exclaimed "Lord, have mercy upon us!" He was converted, though he continued in the business of slave trading. However, he demanded that the slaves he transported be treated humanely.

Newton wrote the song "How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds" while waiting in an African harbor for a shipment of slaves. Later he renounced his profession, became a minister, and joined William Wilberforce in the fight against slavery.

It was suggested in a Bill Moyers PBS TV Special that Newton may have borrowed an old tune sung by the slaves themselves. The marked divergence of tempo, tone and instrumentality between African and Irish/Scottish/Celtic musical traditions cast doubt on this theory.

The now familiar and traditional melody of the hymn was not composed by Newton, and the words were sung to a number of tunes before the now inseparable melody was chanced upon.

There are two different tunes to the words. "New Britain" first appears in a shape note hymnal from 1831 called Virginia Harmony. Any original words sung to the tune are now lost. The melody is believed to be Scottish or Irish in origin; it is pentatonic and suggests a bagpipe tune; the hymn is frequently performed on bagpipes and has become associated with that instrument. The other tune is the so-called "Old Regular Baptist" tune. It was sung by the Congregation of the Little Zion Church, Jeff, Kentucky on the album The Ritchie Family of Kentucky on the Folkways label (1958).

Newton's lyrics have become a favorite for Christians of all denominations, largely because the hymn vividly and briefly sums up the Christian doctrine of Divine grace. The lyrics are based on 1 Chronicles 17:16, where King David marvels at God's choosing him and his house. (Newton entitled the piece "Faith's review and expectation".)

It has also become known as a favorite with supporters of freedom and human rights, both Christian and non-Christian, as it is believed by many to be a song against slavery, as Newton was once a slave trader. He continued to be a slave trader for several years after his experience, but later he became a clergyman. The song has been sung by many notable musical performers, such as iconic folk singer and human rights activist Joan Baez.

The hymn was quite popular among both sides in the American Civil War. While on the "trail of tears", the Cherokee were not always able to give their dead a full burial. Instead, the singing of "Amazing Grace" had to suffice. Since then, "Amazing Grace" is often considered the Cherokee National Anthem. For this reason, many contemporary Native American musicians have recorded this song.

In recent years, this song has also become popular with drug and alcohol recovery groups, particularly the Christian ones. However, unlike the usual funeral singings, it is usually played at celebrations of those who "once were lost, but now are found."

Bagpipes

The association with bagpipes is relatively modern; for over a century the tune was nearly forgotten in the British Isles until the folk revival of the 1960s began carrying traditional musicians both ways between the British Isles and the United States (where Amazing Grace had remained a very popular hymn). It was little known outside of church congregations or folk festivals until Arthur Penn's film Alice's Restaurant (1969). Lee Hays of The Weavers leads the worshippers in "Amazing Grace".

Lyrics

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)

That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now I'm found,

Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,

And grace my fears relieved;

How precious did that grace appear,

The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,

We have already come;

'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,

And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,

His word my hope secures;

He will my shield and portion be,

As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,

And mortal life shall cease;

I shall possess, within the veil,

A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,

The sun forbear to shine;

But God, who call'd me here below,

Will be forever mine.

Some versions of the hymn include an additional verse:

When we've been there ten thousand years,

Bright shining as the sun,

We've no less days to sing God's praise

Than when we'd first begun.

This verse is not by Newton. It was added to a version of "Amazing Grace" by Harriet Beecher Stowe, as it appears in her novel Uncle Tom's Cabin. Uncle Tom has pieced the lyrics of several hymns together; those who learned the lyrics from the novel have assumed that it belongs.

Some versions include the verse:

Shall I be wafted through the skies,

on flowery beds of ease,

where others strive to win the prize,

and sail through bloody seas.

This verse has been recorded by Pete Seeger and Arlo Guthrie. The verse really belongs with the hymn, "Am I a Soldier of the Cross?" by Isaac Watts.

Artists who have recorded the song

The hymn has been recorded by many artists over the last century. Two versions have made the UK Singles Chart; between 1970 and 1972, a version by Judy Collins spent 67 weeks in the charts, a record for a female artist, and peaked at number 5. In 1972, an instrumental version by the Pipes and Drums and Military Band of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards spent five weeks at number one, also reaching the top spot in Australia.

In addition to recording the hymn, Joan Baez also opened the US portion of Live Aid, the legendary 1985 concert for African famine relief, with a performance of "Amazing Grace".

Folk singer Arlo Guthrie closes many of his concerts with a version of "Amazing Grace" that includes a spoken retelling of its origin.

The composer Frank Ticheli has written a version of Amazing Grace that is frequently performed by various wind ensembles throughout the United States.

• Aaron Neville

• Andy Griffith

• Ani Difranco: Dilate

• Aretha Franklin

• Arlo Guthrie: 1969. Woodstock Festival

• BeBe Winans

• Bill and Gloria Gaither

• Billy Ray Cyrus

• Blind Boys Of Alabama

• Charlotte Church

• Chris Squire: Going For The One

• Chris Tomlin

• Destiny's Child

• Johnny Cash

• Dropkick Murphys

• Elvis Presley

• Glen Campbell

• Hayley Westenra: Pure

• Hubert Laws

• Janis Joplin

• Jars of Clay

• Jim Brickman with Ginny Owens

• Joan Baez: 1985. Philadelphia stage of Live Aid.

• John Fahey

• Judy Collins: 1970; re-released in 1971 and again in 1972. Spent 67 weeks on the UK chart. Recorded at St Paul's Chapel, Colombia University.

• Katherine Jenkins

• Krishna Das: Pilgrim Heart (2005). Track 3.

• Ladysmith Black Mambazo: with Paul Simon on various releases.

• LeAnn Rimes

• Lee Greenwood

• Lincoln Brewster

• Mahalia Jackson

• Michael Crawford

• Mika Nakashima: Crescent Moon single (2002) as track three, True album (2002) [with differring album version] as track one, Best album (2005) as track one. The version appearing on Best was re-recorded and rearranged (retitled "Amazing Grace (05)")

• Pete Seeger

• Petra

• Phil Vassar

• Randy Travis

• Ray Charles

• Rod Stewart: 1971. Every Picture Tells a Story

• Royal Scots Dragoon Guards: 1972. No 1 in the UK.

• Ruben Studdard

• Sandi Patty

• Selah

• Stryper: 2005. Reborn

• Steve Green

• The Charlie Daniels Band

• The Groundhogs: Who Will Save The World?

• Todd Agnew performs a rock version called Grace Like Rain

• Twila Paris

• Woody Guthrie

• Vickie Winans

• Victor Wooten: Live at Bass Day '98

Use in popular culture

The hymn has been recorded by many artists over the last century, and has had appeared in several movies and television shows.

• Heard in the film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan played by the character Montgomery Scott during the funeral of Spock.
• Performed in episode 5 of the Japanese anime Speed Grapher by Tennouzu Kagura from the anime.
• Performed at the funeral in the end of "Heart of Gold", the 14th episode of TV series Firefly.
• Sung by White Supremacists in the Costa-Gavras film Betrayed.
• Sung by Meryl Streep in the Mike Nichols film Silkwood.
• Sung by Kate Beckinsale's character in the Whit Stillman film The Last Days of Disco.
• Performed by comedian Sarah Silverman in the film Jesus is Magic.
• Used in the choir of Eureka Seven (Anime) opening 4, the name of song is "Sakura".
• Used in the trailer of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
• Used in a film shown during an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000; Tom Servo sings to the tune "This song is in the public domain/ That's why we're using it".
• Used often at memorial services, often with bagpipe.

Audio samples

• Amazing Grace and other Hymns from 1886 hymnal, played for any browser exactly as written

External links

• Amazing Grace: The Story of John Newton
• Easybyte - free easy piano arrangement of Amazing Grace
• Amazing Grace and other Gospel Lyrics
• Amazing Grace myths at the Urban Legends Reference Pages
• Art of the States: Amazing Grace variations on the hymn by composer John Harbison