[halftrak]

you know I thought it was very different, but I kind of liked it as I like both songs.

[UndercovrAngel]

I guess knowing that the song, "House of the Rising Sun" is written about a house of ill repute... and that "Amazzing Grace" is sung to the tune. It's just a bit eerie to me.

Although our God is a loving and forgiving God.. I just can't get around the mix of the 2.

Angel ^j^

[Bad Boy Bad Boy]

Correct UA, but the Song The house of the Rising Son, has been modified over many years. The one that the :Animals Band Sang: (The Animals' version transposes the narrative of the song from the point of view of a woman led into a life of degradation, to that of a male, whose father was now a gambler and drunkard, as opposed to the sweetheart in earlier versions.) Please know, I do love this song myself. And I love the song Amazing Grace. I told my wife that when I die, I want her to sing Amazing Grace for me.

{But like many classic folk ballads, the authorship of "The House of the Rising Sun" is uncertain. Some musicologists say that it is based on the tradition of broadside ballads such as the Unfortunate Rake of the 18th century which were taken to America by early settlers. Many of these had the theme of "if only" and after a period of evolution, they emerge as American songs like "Streets of Laredo". The tradition of the blues combined with these in which the telling of a sad story has a therapeutic effect.}

We should also then take a look at how the history of the Song :Amazing Grace: came to be.

Newton wasn't a Religious person, till one day, his life was almost lost.

[After a brief time in the Royal Navy, Newton began his career in slave trading. The turning point in Newton's spiritual life was a violent storm that occurred one night while at sea. Moments after he left the deck, the crewman who had taken his place was swept overboard. Although he manned the vessel for the remainder of the tempest, he later commented that, throughout the tumult, he realized his helplessness and concluded that only the grace of God could save him. Prodded by what he had read in Thomas à Kempis' Imitation of Christ, Newton took the first step toward accepting faith]

Then look at the ORIG words that were first written, before any mordern day conversions took place. As one will see and read, Newton had that (Me, Me, me, me thing going on. It was just all about him, him, him...

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That sav’d 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 reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ’d!

Thro’ 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 promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

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

Newton's lines of the song, if you think about, is in a sense like many of us all here at the board, we thought stonger of God, we either found God again, or accepted him in our hearts again, knowing that there trurely is a higher power out there that is helping us all, and helping us all stick together.

[UndercovrAngel]

I agree with you 100% BB. And I too, love both songs, each in their own way.

I too have written down that I want Amazing Grace sung and accompanied by the bagpipes, when I am gone. Along with "Little Brown Church in the Vale" and "Great Speckled Bird" being played.

My flag off of the coffin will be presented to my son, who has been told that it is to go to my daughter (she will get her father's also when he passes as he is ex-Navy as well). The reason it won't actually be presented to her ?? She will be a part of the Military Honor Guard that folds the flag as it is removed from my coffin.

My faith in God, although never dead, has wavered a great deal since I began this hellacious health ordeal back in August of 2007. Going up and down like the needles on a seismograph. Until the day that I ..as they say..let go and let God. I am still hitting some brick walls, but they aren't hindering me from moving forward as they would have a short month ago.

Thanks for sharing all that you do with us here on the forum. I love learning and never know when you will post something as you did today that allowed me to learn something I hadn't previously.

Angel ^j^

[UndercovrAngel]

I just have to add the following link of another version of Amazing Grace. It is by my mother's favorite artist. When reading about her on Wiki, it says that she has only one functioning vocal cord. Her voice is simply amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhc7MEYY-Ho


Angel ^j^