From the recording Shallow Water
words: John Newton (except last stanza by anonymous author)
music: Joshua Ragsdale, Brandon Freeman & Tom Kimmel (©1988)
I heard my friend Joshua Ragsdale play something of this arrangement at a music trade show in Nashville, and I assumed he was playing an alternate traditional melody. When I learned that he’d written it I had him show it to me. Listening and learning it I had the idea to let of couple of the verses lift into a kind of chorus, and when I showed it to Joshua later he liked it that way.
Lyrics
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
Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come
‘Tis grace that bro’t me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home
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
Words by John Newton (1725-1807) (except words to last stanza: Anonymous)
Public Domain/Arranged by Joshua Ragsdale, Brandon Freeman & Tom Kimmel
©1998 Universal Music Publishing/Brandon Freeman publishing designee/Morrissette Music (ASCAP)