Is what I think I’ve come down with, having been thoroughly schooled by Steve in his comment on my last post:
A minor rewrite? peppier tune? Diamond wrote a NEW SONG which happens to use some key imagery and word choices from Newton’s original song. Your blog reveals a poor understanding of Amazing Grace, Pretty Amazing Grace, and perhaps grace itself.
Although writing from-the-cuff, as I am wont to do, has the advantage of being spontaneous and reflecting one’s genuine emotions at the time, it has the definite disadvantage of being not very well thought-out. Taking the time to study the lyrics, I have to admit that this indeed is a NEW SONG and in fact can even be construed to be less heretical than the original “Amazing Grace”: Diamond’s identification of “pretty amazing grace” with “who You are” can be given an Orthodox interpretation as being the identification of Grace as uncreated divine energy. (I’ll have to admit, it’s a stretch. This shows my thorough lack of understanding of Grace, except that it’s uncreated, deifying, and more necessary to me than water to a fish.)
Just reading the lyrics gives the impression that “Pretty Amazing Grace” is a pretty religious song. Yet at the same time, Diamond’s performance last night gave this song a very secular feel. And perhaps that could lead to a totally secular interpretation, as I asserted in my last post. Such is the peril of most pop music. (Of course some of you may say, “What about Christian pop?” to which I say “Of course, I’m against that too.”)
So, my apologies to Steve and to the Jewish Elvis: your song, although I’m hesitant to wholeheartedly like it, is definitely not the equivalent of Madonna crucifying herself.
