Hers was a statement against the Vietnam War, part of the late sixties counter-culture that gave us ‘Woodstock’ and ‘In the Year 2525’. ‘Amazing Grace’ had been recorded in a popular version by American folk singer Judy Collins in 1969, whose arrangement the Royal Scots Dragoon Guard copied. Why was this a huge, five-week #1 single? There must be a story behind it. None, though, have stood out as much as this. There have been plenty of outliers hit the top of the charts before this – singers and styles that have stood out like a sore thumb against the sounds of the time – Russ Conway’s piano, Frank Ifield’s yodelling, traditional ballads from the likes of Ken Dodd and Des O’Connor. It is literally just the well-known hymn, ‘Amazing Grace’, played by a military band. I really don’t think I can write anything interesting about the record itself. 'Amazing Grace' became newly popular during the 1960s revival of American folk music, and it has been recorded thousands of times during and since the 20th century.So, um… Our next number one single, from the spring of 1972, is… *checks notes*… a bagpipe instrumental.Īmazing Grace, by The Pipes & Drums & Military Band of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guard (their 1 st and only #1)

Its universal message has been a significant factor in its crossover into secular music. It has had particular influence in folk music, and has become an emblematic black spiritual. American historian Gilbert Chase writes that it is 'without a doubt the most famous of all the folk hymns' and Jonathan Aitken, a Newton biographer, estimates that the song is performed about 10 million times annually. With the message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of sins committed and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God, 'Amazing Grace' is one of the most recognisable songs in the English-speaking world. In 1835, American composer William Walker set it to the tune known as ' New Britain' in a shape note format this is the version most frequently sung today.

It has been associated with more than 20 melodies. In the United States, 'Amazing Grace' became a popular song used by Baptist and Methodist preachers as part of their evangelizing, especially in the American South, during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century.

It debuted in print in 1779 in Newton's and Cowper's Olney Hymns, but settled into relative obscurity in England. It is unknown if there was any music accompanying the verses it may have been chanted by the congregation. 'Amazing Grace' was written to illustrate a sermon on New Year's Day of 1773. Ordained in the Church of England in 1764, Newton became the curate of Olney, Buckinghamshire, where he began to write hymns with poet William Cowper. Newton began studying Christian theology and later became an abolitionist. While this moment marked his spiritual conversion, he continued slave trading until 1754 or 1755, when he ended his seafaring altogether. In 1748, a violent storm battered his vessel off the coast of County Donegal, Ireland, so severely that he called out to God for mercy. He was pressed into service with the Royal Navy, and after leaving the service, he became involved in the Atlantic slave trade. Newton wrote the words from personal experience he grew up without any particular religious conviction, but his life's path was formed by a variety of twists and coincidences that were often put into motion by others' reactions to what they took as his recalcitrant insubordination.

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