As promised yesterday, having watched the Piano Guys’ mashup of Fight Song with Amazing Grace, I decided to play Amazing Grace today. With words written by English poet and clergyman John Newton, this is probably one of the most famous hymns ever written. Newton grew up without religion but became involved in the Atlantic slave trade. In 1748 his ship was battered by a violent storm off the west coast of Donegal and he called out to God for mercy, a moment marking his spiritual conversion. While the ship was being repaired he wrote the first verse of the hymn. He left the slave trade and started studying theology, and was ordained in 1764.

I hope you enjoy my interpretation of Amazing Grace. If it’s your first time on the site, find out more about the 365 Songs project or see all of my November songs here.