Amazing Facts about “Amazing Grace”
Lyrics of “Amazing Grace,” by John Newton (1725-1807)

1. The lyrics were written by a reformed British slave trader turned
Anglican minister who wrote it for a New Year’s Day church service in 1773.

2. The tune for Amazing Grace is an early American melody and was not
matched to the words until 1835 in William Walker’s Southern Harmony. Until
then it was set to a variety of tunes.

3. The final stanza-’When we’ve been there ten thousand years’-was added by
Edwin Othello Excell in 1909 and was taken from another hymn.

4. Amazing Grace is considered to be the anthem of the Cherokee Nation
because the song was sung on the Trail of Tears during 1838-39.

5. The first gospel recording of Amazing Grace was made in 1926 by Rev. H.
R. Tomlin. Over 3200 different recordings now exist. Most of the recordings
of Amazing Grace have been made since Judy Collins had a surprise pop hit
with the song in 1971.

6. A survey of British teenagers in the mid-1970s found that the majority
thought that Amazing Grace was a love song about a girl named Grace.

7. Amazing Grace was sung at the funerals of Richard Nixon, Sonny Bono,
Barry Goldwater, Joe DiMaggio and John Kennedy Jr.

8. After his time in the slave trade, it took John Newton three decades to
convert to the abolitionist cause. He was influenced by young Wilberforce
who admired Newton as a mentor.

9. Newton died 200 years ago in 1807, the same year the British slave trade
was finally abolished due to the efforts of a young man whom Newton had
mentored (William Wilberforce; 1759 – 1833).

10. A new movie titled “Amazing Grace” is now playing telling Wilberforce’s
story. His Christian faith led him to consider leaving politics for the
ministry. John Newton, his elder mentor, persuaded young Wilberforce to
“serve God where he was.” Wilberforce realized that his political life
could be used for the service of God and he became the foremost foe of
slavery and advocate for moral reform in his generation.