# Amazing Grace Lyrics **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 20, 2017, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-grace-lyrics/794171 "2017-08-20T04:32:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![yarblek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/71e660/32.png) [@yarblek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yarblek)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-grace-lyrics/794171/1 "2017-08-20T04:32:52Z")
Amazing Grace has a basic _abab_ rhyme scheme: > [@](#): > > 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 hath 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. _John Newton, Olney Hymns, 1779_ Even in contemporary English, it rhymes perfectly, except at the third verse: _Thro’ many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come; 'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home._ This doesn’t seem to rhyme at all (unless _snares_ rhymes with _far_ and _come_ rhymes with _home_? :dubious:). Was it customary at the time to have the third verse of a hymn to not follow the rhyme scheme of the rest or is this just some kind of stylistic choice (aka laziness or, _gasp_, a _mistake_ :eek:) on mister John Newton’s part? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-grace-lyrics/794171/2 "2017-08-20T04:56:42Z")
Since this is about a song, let’s move it to Cafe Society. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-grace-lyrics/794171/3 "2017-08-20T05:01:56Z")
> [@yarblek](#): > > Was it customary at the time to have the third verse of a hymn to not follow the rhyme scheme of the rest or is this just some kind of stylistic choice (aka laziness or, _gasp_, a _mistake_ :eek:) on mister John Newton’s part? Well, \*secures \*and _endures_ don’t really rhyme either, do they? I don’t think it matters much one way or another, nor was it a deliberate design. Just turned out that way, that’s all. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-grace-lyrics/794171/4 "2017-08-20T05:06:01Z")
There’s another verse in one of the _ **Poldark** _ books (the first set of six). The only line I can remember (it’s been almost 40 years!) is the last one: _Cast out by perfect love._ I don’t have time to look it up right now, but maybe someone out there knows where to find it? ---
**Author:** ![yarblek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/71e660/32.png) [@yarblek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yarblek)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-grace-lyrics/794171/5 "2017-08-20T05:06:34Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Well, \*secures \*and _endures_ don’t really rhyme either, do they? They don’t? I’m pretty sure they do. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-grace-lyrics/794171/6 "2017-08-20T05:14:11Z")
> [@yarblek](#): > > They don’t? I’m pretty sure they do. Not to my ear. The song is still perfectly singable, though. We really don’t know what an eighteenth-century English accent sounded like, so who knows? ---
**Author:** ![yarblek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/71e660/32.png) [@yarblek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yarblek)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-grace-lyrics/794171/7 "2017-08-20T05:21:31Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Not to my ear. The song is still perfectly singable, though. > > We really don’t know what an eighteenth-century English accent sounded like, so who knows? secure IPA: /sɪˈkjʊə/ endure IPA: /ɪnˈdjʊə/ Game, set, match. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-grace-lyrics/794171/8 "2017-08-20T05:30:14Z")
> [@yarblek](#): > > secure > IPA: /sɪˈkjʊə/ > > endure > IPA: /ɪnˈdjʊə/ > > Game, set, match. 😛 That’s contemporary English (British) pronunciation. Still doesn’t sound the same to me. > **[Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/secure)** > > The world's leading online dictionary: English definitions, synonyms, word origins, example sentences, word games, and more. A trusted authority for 25+ years! > **[Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/endure)** > > The world's leading online dictionary: English definitions, synonyms, word origins, example sentences, word games, and more. A trusted authority for 25+ years! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-grace-lyrics/794171/9 "2017-08-20T16:23:03Z")
Just sang it in church this morning, with a bluegrass band accompaniment! ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-grace-lyrics/794171/10 "2017-08-20T20:10:34Z")
I’ve always liked the Creative Anachronists’ version: _A grazing mace, how sweet the sound that slays a wretch like thee! You’re lying dead upon the ground, and yielded the field to me!_ 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-grace-lyrics/794171/11 "2017-08-20T21:44:16Z")
I believe there were times in earlier English pronunciation that come was pronounced with a long O sound, rhyming just fine with “home”. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-grace-lyrics/794171/12 "2017-08-21T22:09:36Z")
There’s this verse too, which doesn’t rhyme abab: 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 ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-grace-lyrics/794171/13 "2017-08-21T23:36:12Z")
“Come” and “home” do end with the same consonant sound, however, which is called consonance, so there’s that. I wonder if Newton was inspired by the line “Amazing pity! grace unknown! and love beyond degree,” from Isaac Watts’ hymn “Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed”, which was written 72 years before his hymn. Do you know Newton’s life story? Pretty intense. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2017, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-grace-lyrics/794171/14 "2017-08-22T03:39:05Z")
Given the similarities in spelling, I would guess they did rhyme in the past, save for the s at the end of snares. I know love and prove rhymed in Shakespeare’s day. And I know British English was rhotic until around 1775. So there was a lot of change going on. Unfortunately, a quick Google didn’t find anything on 18th century English pronunciations. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2017, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-grace-lyrics/794171/15 "2017-08-22T04:15:29Z")
FWIW, “secures” and “endures” rhyme perfectly for me (I grew up in the Midwest). I’m not sure that the “When we’ve been there ten thousand years” verse signifies in this discussion; Newton didn’t write it. Can’t speak for sure about the pronunciation of “come” and “home” in newton’s time, but just to point out that this is not the only hymn which rhymes the two words: “Come ye thankful people, come/Raise the song of harvest home” is another (written in 1844, says Wikipedia). So is “Watchman, tell Us of the Night,” which includes the stanza “Watchman, you may go your way/hasten to your quiet home./Traveler, we rejoice today,/for Emmanuel has come!” There are other examples too–happy to dig them up if you want them. I would guess one of two things: either it was acceptable, if not standard, “back then” for one of the words to be pronounced to rhyme with the other (most likely “come” pronounced as “comb,” as someone mentioned upstairs); or the words didn’t ever rhyme precisely, but the similarity in sounds allowed hymn writers to rhyme the two words as a matter of convention. It would not shock me to learn, similarly, that “snare” was once pronounced (either regularly or occasionally) to rhyme with car/bar/par/far. “Are” is usually pronounced that way, after all. Anyway, a few other examples of words that are closer today to being “eye-rhymes” than to “ear-rhymes” that appear in hymnody: “one/throne” (Isaac Watts), “throne/none” and “home/tomb” (Samuel Crossman), “love/move” (several), “proclaim/Bethlehem” (whoever was responsible for Hark the Herald Angels Sing) “God/load”…and many more. I agree that the verse mentioned in the OP is a little less “regular” than the others in the specific hymn “Amazing grace,” but there’s nothing unusual in a broader sense about the rhyme (or lack thereof). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2017, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amazing-grace-lyrics/794171/16 "2017-08-22T20:54:02Z")
I can actually easily sing come and home where they rhyme, while still sounding right. Neither are pronounced exactly as they are normally. It uses a more rounded schwa sound. It’s the same sound that can lead people to think gulf and golf sound the same. I’m also aware of a “far” pronunciation that sounds more like “fur,” with a very hard rhotic R. This, however, sounds like a completely different accent than the above.