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Amazing Grace Lyrics have been written by John Newton born in London July 24, 1725. His mother, who had died of tuberculosis when he was six years old, just gave him an early religious instruction. John, while his father - a commander of a merchant ship which sailed the Mediterranean - was at sea, spent some time at school where he was mistreated because of his headstrong disobedience. So at the age of eleven, he joined his father on a ship as an apprentice. When his father retired John was forced to enlist on a British man-of-war. Finding conditions on board intolerable, he deserted but was soon recaptured and publicly flogged and demoted from midshipman to common seaman. Finally the disgraced sailor was exchanged to the crew of a slave ship bound for Africa. John Newton ultimately became captain of his own ship, one which plied the slave trade.
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Newton's conversion was not immediate and he continued in the slave trade; however, he saw to it that the slaves under his care were treated humanely. In 1750 he married Mary Catlett, with whom he had been in love for many years. By 1755, after a serious illness, he had given up seafaring forever. He began studying theology.
He decided to become a minister and applied to the Archbishop of York for ordination. The Archbishop refused his request, but Newton persisted in his goal, and he was subsequently ordained (at his 6th attempt) by the Bishop of Lincoln and accepted the curacy of Olney, Buckinghamshire. Newton’s church became so crowded during services that it had to be enlarged. He preached not only in Olney but in other parts of the country. In 1767 the poet William Cowper (a gifted writer who had failed at a career in law) and John Newton became friends. Cowper helped Newton with his religious services. Their goal was to write a new hymn for each weekly prayer meeting. Together, their effect on the local congregation was impressive and they met an increasing number of parishioners. "Amazing Grace" was written to illustrate a sermon on New Year's Day of 1773.
Newton continued to preach until the last year of life, although he was blind by that time. He died in London December 21, 1807.
The origin of the melody is unknown. Most hymnals attribute it to an early American folk melody. Some speculated that it may have originated as the tune of a song the slaves sang. Amazing Grace is often referred to as the Cherokee National Anthem. In 1972 the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards recorded an instrumental version arranged for the bagpipes. It hit number 1 in the UK singles chart, spending 24 weeks total on the charts.
The proposed lyrics were sung by Joan Baez and Céline Dion.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me... I once was lost but now am found, Was blind, but now, I see.
T’was Grace that taught...
Through many dangers, toils and snares...
The Lord has promised good to me...
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
When we’ve been here ten thousand years
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
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Incroyable grâce, comme ton son est doux qui a sauvé un malheureux comme moi J’étais perdu, mais maintenant je me suis trouvé J’étais aveugle et maintenant je vois
Cette grâce a enseigné
A travers de nombreuses embuches et pièges
Le Seigneur a promis d’être bon avec moi
Oui, lorsque la chair et le coeur m’abandonneront
La terre peut fondre comme neige au soleil
Depuis 10.000 ans que nous sommes ici
Incroyable grâce, comme ton son est doux
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Hayley Westenra
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Joan Baez
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Cherokee anthem
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u ne la nv i u we tsi i ga go yv he i hna quo tso sv wi yu lo se i ga gu yv ho nv a se no i u ne tse i i yu no du le nv ta li ne dv tsi lu tsi li u dv ne u ne tsv e lo ni gv ni li squa di ga lu tsv he i yu ni ga di da ye di go i a ni e lo hi gv u na da nv ti a ne hv do da ya nv hi li tsa sv hna quo ni go hi lv do hi wa ne he sdi |
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Karen Matheson - Scottish Gaelic
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O Miorbhail gràis! nach brèagh an ceòl; ’S e lorg mi ’s mi air chall, Air seachdran dorch’, gun neart, gun treòir, ’S a dh’fhosgail sùilean dall. ’S e gràs thug eòlas dhomh? air in’ theum; ’S e gràs thug saors’ is sìth; ’S cha cheannaicheadh òr a’ chruinne-chè Chiad-là bha fios nam chrìdh’. Tro iomadh cunnart’s trioblaid chruaidh Thug E gu sàbhailt mi. An gràs a? shaor bhon bhàs le buaidh Chan fhàg’s cha trèig gu sìor. San dachaigh bhuan gun uair gun tìm, ’S deich mìle bliadhn’ mar là, Cha sguir an ceòl’s chan fhàs iad sgìth A’seiinn a chaoidh mun ghràs. |
