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Amazing Grace / New Britain

[ Roud 5430 ; Sacred Harp 45t ; Ballad Index LxU096 ; DT AMAZGRAC ; Mudcat 6791 ; John Newton]

Jean Ritchie: Folk Songs of the Southern Appalachians

John Newton’s hymn Amazing Graze is listed in Sacred Harp with the title New Britain (No. 45t).

Blind Willie McTell of Atlanta, Georgia, sang Amazing Grace in 1940 to John A. Lomax for the Library of Congress AAFS recording 4071 B3. This track was included in 2015 on the anthology of British songs in the USA, My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean.

The congregation of the Littie Zion Church, Jeff, Kentucky, sang Amazing Grace on the 1958 Folkways album The Ritchie Family of Kentucky on which Jean Ritchie interviews her family, with documentary recordings. She noted:

The year after Mom Ritchie was married, she joined the Little Zion Church of Jeff, Kentucky. They’re the Old Regular Baptists. It was in 1910, and Uncle Ira Combs Baptized her.

Reverend Sam Combs, son of Uncle Ira, is now the pastor of this church. The Old Regulars built in our mountains the first churches, served by circuit-riding preachers. Old Regular Baptists are not to be confused with the Holiness Church people, “Holy-Rollers”, as some call them. Nor do the Old Regulars handle snakes, dance or roll on the floor. Yet it is an emotional church in that its members are not ashamed to show their feelings. Preachers shout, clap their hands, and pray their prayers in often very beautiful modal chants; men shout many heart-felt amens and women sometimes cry aloud. But there is a basic dignity, a deep sense of humility, a touching, almost childlike reverence ever-present in these meetings, setting them apart from most of the “modern” church services I have attended since.

The music is for the most part minor or modal, and is further made strange to modern ears because each song is “lined out” by the song leader, he being the only one who has a book. This book is usually the Sweet Songster, containing words only, the leader choosing a tune at his discretion to fit the meter. Many people have told me that this music is like plains chants, others liken it to American Indian music, and some think it sounds Oriental. I think that it most likely came from early Welsh church music, or from the Wee Free Kirks of the Scottish Hebrides. It is an emotional music, to suit the character of the church. Little babies in their mother’s arms always set up a wail in unison, as soon as one of these old mournful tunes begins to rise up around them in the meetin-house. Tears stand in the eyes of women and men alike. It is impossible not to feel moved when in the midst of this big sea of sound. Yet these songs have great dignity, they are deeply, powerfully simple, and are among the most hauntingly beautiful pieces of music I have ever heard.

Jean Ritchie, Doc Watson and Roger Sprung sang Amazing Grace in a 1963 live recording on the Folkways album Jean Ritchie and Doc Watson at Folk City, and Jean Ritchie sang it on the 1967 Fox Hollow Festival album Pitter, Poon, the Rain Came Doon (Fox Hollow Festival Vol. I).

Judy Collins sang Amazing Grace in 1970 on her Elektra album Whales and Nightingales.

Peter Bellamy learned Amazing Grace, “from several American sources, notably Jean Ritchie, Clarence Ashley, and Ralph Stanley.” He sang the first and last verse in 1979 on his Topic album of British and American songs, Both Sides Then, with harmonies sung by Anthea Bellamy and the Watersons. This track was also included in 2003 on the Watersons’ anthology The Definitive Collection.

Peter Seeger sang Amazing Grace in 1980 in a love recording that was released on his Folkways album Singalong Sanders Theatre, 1980.

Rory Gallagher sang Amazing Grace on his 2003 album Wheels Within Wheels.

Vicky Genfan sang Amazing Grace on her 2008 album Uncovered.

Tim Eriksen sang Amazing Grace in 2010 on his Appleseed album Soul of the January Hills.

Will Pound played the tune of Amazing Grace on his 2013 album A Cut Above, and on the bonus CD of the Stick in the Wheel anthology From Here: English Folk Field Recordings Volume 2.

Cath and Phil Tyler sang Amazing Grace on their 2021 album Some Heavy Hand.

Blue Rose Code sang Amazing Grace on his 2024 album Bright Circumstance.

Angeline Morrison, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne and Jon Bickley sang Amazing Grace on their 2024 album Grace Will Lead Me Home, marking the 250^th anniversary of the writing of the song (1773) and the 300^th anniversary of the birth of its writer John Newton (1725).

Lyrics

New Britain in Sacred Harp

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.

’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,
I 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.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

The congregation of the Littie Zion Church, Jeff, Kentucky, sings Amazing Grace

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 that fear relieved.
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!

Peter Bellamy sings Amazing Grace

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.

(repeat first 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 first begun.

(repeat first verse)