OND's Songs of the Season: The Entire Season (Amazing Grace)

The Entire Season (Amazing Grace)

I just finished summer classes session a couple of weeks ago. I took this GE class; I very much thought that this class would suck really bad because I'm not much of a free thinking/abstract answer kind of person; I'm more of a 1 + 1 = 2 kind of person. Anyways, I was very much wrong. The professor (Graduated and from the University of Michigan and I think she also got her doctorate there) was probably the smartest I have ever had. The class was really freakin' awesome but challenging. I mean you read a lot and I mean a lot (I never read a lot) then you discuss it in class. And I thought I was smart; I mean I can hold an argument when it comes to my math and science classes, but this class was like WOW. I mean each discussion I was asking myself "WHAT THE FU*K ARE YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT?" or "DID I READ THE WRONG STORY?".

Anyways, one day, we were talking about the importance of songs. And a point that the professor made dealt with Amazing Grace. She told us to hum the song Amazing Grace. She pointed out that even though we do not usually sing or listen to Amazing Grace that we know and love it someway somehow. This is very much how I feel about Notre Dame football and ND's upcoming season. The first time I watched Notre Dame Football I knew that this was my team someway somehow, and I think the same goes for a lot of people. Another point that she made was that when a soldier is a prisoner of war (unfed, tortured and all) hears the humming of Amazing Grace from another prisoner of war from another cell, he feels comforted, appease and more importantly hopeful.

HOPE.

Hope, I think, best describes the upcoming season. Hopeful for an 11 - 1 record and even an undefeated season. Hope that the 2007 season fiasco does not happen. Hope that our O line holds up. Hope that Jimmy improves his TD-INT ratio. Hope that Floyd doesn't do the Kumara. Hope that the D Line matures. Hope that Brandon Walker makes FGs. Hope that everyone stays healthy. Hope to defeat USC. Hope that if fulfilled, National Championship is very much attainable.

AMAZING GRACE
John Newton (1725-1807)

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.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

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

When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.

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.

Amazing Grace is written by John Newton. The story behind this song is very ironic in lots of ways. John Newton was not a very religious person growing up. Newton worked in the slave trading business.

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. (Wiki)

A lot of different and diverse people have covered/performed Amazing Grace: Aretha Franklin, Star Trek (Funeral of Mr. Spock), Leann Rimes, II Divo, and many more.

My personal favorites are The King's version. There's only one King of Rock 'n' Roll. See/listen to his rendition of Amazing Grace here. You can see the King himself wearing an old school football helmet in the video. As far as the music goes, the background singers blend with Elvis' voice perfectly which makes his version one of the best I've ever heard.

Another version that I really liked is the Bagpipes version. The bagpipe version is commonly referred to as the Braveheart version. I do not know why that is so. I do not recall listening to a bagpipe's version of Amazing Grave in Braveheart. I do remember hearing a lot of bagpipes playing in the movie, but not specifically Amazing Grace. I read somewhere in a forum that Amazing Grace was played when the Young William Wallace's father died, but I checked it out, and I did not hear Amazing Grace, but indeed, there was a bagpipe playing faintly during that scene, but I do not think it was Amazing Grace. Anyways, someone has to step up and be the leader of this team ala William Wallace and lead the others to "FREEDOMMMMMMMMMMM" or at least an 11-1 record.

So there you go. I think the song Amazing Grace is a good epitome for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football 2009 Season. Amazing Grace have different meanings to a lot of different people. But the one word that I really associate this song is HOPE

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