FOR ALL AMAZING GRACE FANS

[JW]

For all you people that play in church or just like to play Amazing Grace Ive got a rock version that I did several years ago but I just never could get it quite right. At the suggestion of a friend of mine I put the words to amazeing Grace to the music of the "House of the rising sun" and it sounds SUPER! Very simple but very good. One of my favorite songs(one of the first I learned to play) and one of my favorite musical peices(also one of the fist I learned really well) put together make for a great tune. I get a good many request to play HOTRS but I dont enjoy it much anymore because I have played it to death but I use the music to warm up on or when I play a new guitar because it is so familiar I can tell what a guitar is going to sound like in the first several notes. My wife and I sing "Amazing Grace" often as I dont get to play it in Church often plus it has become somewhat of a thing for me not to put my guitar away until I have played AG. I know its kinda weird but I feel it keeps me in perspective. Now putting the two peices together really got me out of the "Ive got to play this and I dont want to play that" and put a fresh spin on it. Try it, you might like it.JW

[gmyoung]

JW,

I would be interested in what you did.

Last year I put together an arrangement of AG to an old Gordon Lightfoot tune "A Tree too Weak to Stand". I had to add some lyrics to the AG versus to make it fit the lenght of the verse in "Tree". I thought it came out pretty good. My wife liked in anyway!

[JW]

Just start playing HOTRS the start singing AG. No added or deleted notes. Catches on real fast. Use a light strum then move into fingerpick or articulated flatpick. Its very simple. If you have a problem I will draft up a quick EZ chord and send it to you. JW

[kenliu]

Uh...dumb question: who sings/plays House Of The Rising Sun?

Ken

[JW]

Originally posted by kenliu:
<STRONG>Uh...dumb question: who sings/plays House Of The Rising Sun?

Ken</STRONG>

I hope Im answering this correct as you asked it. A huge 60s hit by the Animals,Conway Twitty did a remake in the 70s, Redone and slightly reworded in the 80s by Dolly Parton and in the 90s(early) by Willie Nelson then several hip hop bands have used bits and peices of it. It is one of my most requested numbers (I do the animals version). Ive done it so much that I dont much care for it but you have to give the audiance what they want. When people find out you play this song It gets requested a lot. I love the music and I found it refreshing to put new words to it. I hope I answered your question. By the way for many people who grew up in my day this was usually one of the first songs they learned to play if not the first.JW

[kenliu]

Hmm. BTW, check out http://www.allmusic.com.
It's pretty neat, you can do all sorts of searches on music.

Will have to get my hands on a copy of that song. I suppose it's a "standard".

Ken

[cpmusic]

"House of the Rising Sun" is actually an old folk song, originally sung by a woman in the character of a hooker at the house. The Animals' version is best known, though, and just about everyone who learned guitar in the 60s learned it very early on. One small piece of trivia: It was arranged by Alan Price, then a member of the Animals, who can be heard wailing away on the organ.

BTW, you can also sing the words of "Amazing Grace" to the tune of "Gilligan's Island."

[JW]

I knew it was an old folk song but the Animals brought it full circle. Ive never heard an earlier version than the Animals version but was told it was first sung by a woman. Even though AG was written on a ship I dont care to much for the Gilligans Island version(I tried a little peice just now). I didnt remember any of the members of "The Animals" but I guess we can learn something each day. Thanks for the History lesson! JW

[hodagg]

JW.....
Bob Dylan actually has an earlier version of "house..." on his very first album. I think he learned it off a Woody guthrie album, but I've never heard that version. Bob's version is a bit different than The Animals, as you would expect, and has some different words as well.
Rick

[JW]

Thanks for the info! I played some of Bob Ds music(Blowing in the wind mainly)but I just couldnt get my voice to sound like his unless I had a mouth full of food. Bob came along at the right time to get his fame. his "peace" songs aimed at the Veitnam war hit home at a time that was troublesome to say the least. I still like BITW. Now anybody that has a connection to Barry Gordy can become a superstar. Talent not included.JW

[pdlstl]

I saw the The Blind Boys of Alabama on Letterman perform "Amazing Grace" to HOTRS back on May 7th.

Accompanied by David Lindley and Charlie Musselwhite....

[JW]

Originally posted by pdlstl:
<STRONG>I saw the The Blind Boys of Alabama on Letterman perform "Amazing Grace" to HOTRS back on May 7th.

Accompanied by David Lindley and Charlie Musselwhite....</STRONG>

That maybe where my friend got the idea. It gos over good at church..JW