All around the world the song “Amazing Grace” touches hearts no matter who sings it or what variation they transform the song into. Published back in 1779 the song is used for both faithful practices and worldly purposes. The lyrics and melody bring a sense of tranquility, forgiveness, and comfort to all who hear it.
Commonly this song is played on the bagpipes, which give the hymn a sound unlike any other.
Historians believe bagpipes originated in the middle east and slowly made their way over to Ireland and Scotland. Once there, bagpipes became quite popular and started being played at memorials, funerals, and even military ceremonies.
One musician decided to film the bagpipe hymn around the world with help from friends.
One female bagpiper, Archy J (also known as the snake charmer), decided to use her epic custom bagpipes to play the hymn all around the world. Her video takes place in Barcelona, India, Solan, and Spain.
She states in the description of her video that this is a remembrance of those we’ve lost. She is also joined by Raul Guerero and City of Barcelona Pipe Band of Barcelona Spain.
This hauntingly beautiful rendition quickly went viral and the comments come in one by one of how touched they are by the song, even to the point of tears.
The snake charmers video quickly went viral and now has over 32 million views, 304k likes, and over 11,000 comments. All of which are praising Archy J and her rendition of this song.
“This is the most beautiful version of this song I’ve ever heard. I’m actually crying.” – Chrome Girl
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“Hats off and all the respects to you all. Being educated in an Scottish institution .. plus been there and seen the bagpipes on the Scottish highlands.. its emotional. Thank you” – Floraexotics Floraexotics
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“Beautiful, heart rendering, soulful and takes you to another time and place.” – Janet
Once you learn the story behind the lyrics, it becomes clear why they touch the souls who hear them.
The song “Amazing Grace” was written by John Newton in 1772 and published in 1779. Newton was an English poet and Anglican priest. The words Newton wrote were from his personal experience. As well all know from our own experience our lives can take many twists and turns.
For Newton, one of those twists was enlisting into service in the Royal Navy. Once he left the service and he got involved in the Atlantic slave trade. However, in 1748 the ship he was on got caught in a storm off the coast of Ireland so bad that Newton feared for his life.
At that moment he called out for mercy and took an oath to God that if he was spared he would renounce his evil and stop slave-trading/seafaring. Shortly after this spiritual conversation, the sea calmed and the storm passed and Newton continued his career in slave trading until 1754 or 1755.
When he finally stopped seafaring, he began studying Christian theology and eventually went on to become an abolitionist as he was gradually going blind. This led him to write the 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”
Although published and written in the 1770s, in 1835 an American composer William Walker set the hymn to the tune of “New Britain” and this is the most commonly sung today.
Knowing the life behind the lyrics changes the appreciation and the way we feel the song.
The message of the song that salvation or redemption and forgiveness can be possible and the soul can be spared through the mercy of God. It is estimated that this song is performed about 10 million times annually.
If you didn’t already know the song’s origin and the life behind the lyrics the next time you heard the words or simply just the melody it will certainly hit the heart a little differently.
This song when played on the bagpipes adds more significance and just hits the soul deeper, especially, for the Scottish.
Especially, when this tune is performed on the bagpipes which have a whole meaningful life of their own. Once brought over to Scotland and Ireland their people took them up fairly quickly and used them as instruments of war that replaced trumpets to encourage and motivate Highlanders into battle.
As time has gone on the bond only became stronger and is now a part of their heart and heritage.
Now with all that history, it makes sense why this video went viral so quickly and touched the hearts of millions of people around the world.
“…As a Scottsman, I feel I speak for us all that you do our ancestors proud. Please never stop playing the bagpipes. We love you.” – King Of the Geeks
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“How moving can a song be? I can tell you that, as a Scot that has never seen his homeland and had a pretty rough go of life, I was moved to tears with the song and visuals. I’m not normally an emotional fellow, but I’m honestly wiping away tears as I type these words. I hope to one day walk the lands on which my forefathers once fought and shed blood together. (Yes, I’m aware the video wasn’t shot in Scotland). The pipes will speak to anyone who is willing to listen. You’re an amazing artist. Thank you for this.” – Functional Histories
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“My wife wanted this done for her funeral last November. I am watching it today in memory of her! Thank you ever so much for providing this video!” – deryaner35
