I heard this song from other singers , but Arlo's version is the best

and when he told about the story of the song ,its just conmovedor , got a

thrill . The original poem comes from 1800 and somthin' ........

What year he recorded it ???

and what about the chorus , is really great too

See ya Folks ................................... OZZy

It's on the "Precious Friend" album he recorded in 1982 with Pete Seeger.

We took in a little stray dog last year and named her Grace, because she once was lost but now is found.

Six weeks after we took her in, she gave us eleven puppies! We found homes for them all, and had her spayed. She was such a pathetic thing when we took her in. She was losing her hair from lack of protein, covered with fleas, and only weighed 26 pounds- and that was with eleven puppies inside of her.

Ten months later she weighs forty pounds, has a thick coat of hair, and no more fleas.



(Yeah, I know that's terribly off-topic. But it's a big deal to me, and sort of ties in with "Grace" as long as you take the big, long, flexible outlook on things. )

This is a very nice story , I love animals too ... and I guess got much

to do with A. Grace cause you're in the right way .....................

Thanks a lot FNRTHOMAS ................ see ya

...i like that Grace story, too, Ozzy and FNR...thanks.....

...have you seen the Alice's Restaurant movie, Ozzy?....arlo and friends sing it during the movie.....that's real early......

Hey -- FNR...Thanks for the WONDERFUL and MOVING story about Grace!!

No , KJ I havent , but Ill gonna try to get it ........ thanks

My best regards .......

Great story, FNR; guess I'm not the only softie on here with my 13 animals to take care of, many rescued (5 horses, 4 dogs, and 4 cats).

Of course, back on subject, I hope you, Ozzy. and all know that the adg version of how John Newton came to write the hymn is largely poetic license. Newton was, in fact, a true wretch prior to his "seeing the light". Although it did happen during a violent storm at sea, the ship didn't actually turn around; in fact, Newton continued in the slave trade for quite some time after his personal "epiphany" during the storm.

What is true about him is that he did treat his human cargo as mercifully as possible, and, in later years, did preach against the practice of slavery and was instrumental in England's abolition of it long before America's.

Just wanted to set the record straight, but I do love the adg version anyway.

Thanks for the history, Mikey..very interesting, indeed. And, I agree, the song none-the-less is very cool.

I love the song, Amazing Grace. We had the song played when my Daddy died, years ago. It always makes me think of him, and so when I hear it, I feel so many things. But the message is awesome. Hopefully Arlo might sing it tomorrow night in his concert. I'll be there with my best buddies from my childhood, and our hubbys. We'll be remembering the first time we met Arlo in about 1973, when we heard him sing it. Always a good time getting together with our "Forever Friends", and singin' along to the old songs. See ya tomorrow, Arlo!

I never heard Arlo's version of the background of "Amazing Grace" and would love to if anyone cares to repeat it. I didn't know anything about the real version either and it sounds interesting.

Basically, the story is that John Newton, who wrote "Amazing Grace," was a slave ship pilot who, years after his slave ship driving days were over, became active in trying to abolish slavery. In Arlo's version of the story, Newton is piloting the slave ship, has a change of heart, & turns it around halfway to America.

You'll wanna check out the Steve Turner book, Amazing Grace, which details the history of the song & includes Newton's story. Arlo is interviewed for the book, as well as Judy Collins & others. It's got a cool appendix which lists every important version of the song ever recorded. The one that I gotta hear is by the Blind Boys of Alabama, who sing it to the tune of "House of the Rising Sun." (When you're in the book store, make sure you don't accidentally grab the Jonathan Kozol book, Amazing Grace, a study of poverty in the Bronx, altho' that's a great book as well.)

Amazing Grace is one of my favorite songs. I have 157 copies of it done many different ways. Arlo's version is right up there on top. I am sorry to hear that the story mught not be totaly factual. Who would of thought Arlo might change the facts to make a good story.

I consider the story Gonzo Folksinging: using a fiction to illustrate a truth.

Thank you for the responses and the reading suggestions. I've read other books by Kozol. The Turner book sounds interesting. Maybe I could use it in a history lesson.

Arlo should make a recording of his stories. Joseph, Amazing Grace, anything else that comes to mind that might have historical value. That would be an interesting way to get kids interested in history.

Absolutely right, FNR, and I hope Arlo never changes the story of the song. Besides, if we have a president that uses a fiction to illustrate what he thinks is the truth, why can't Arlo do it?