Mix Margaret Dylan Jones

See below for my modernised lyrics for:
 

Amazing Grace, the Sweet Sound of Children (Einstein was a Refugee)

CONCEPT: A person sings of their concern and anguish over the shameful and inhumane treatment of refugees and asylum seekers, with particular reference to the children and the way fascists and theocrats have abused the situation by fearmongering for political purposes.

POINT OF VIEW: any person with a heartbeat.

Other lyrics (at the end of the published score):
 

Amazing Grace, a Song for All
(Harvey Milk Gave Us Hope)

CONCEPT: A person sings of the common humanity of all people whether LGBTIQ, POC, or otherwise. They refer to fascists and theocrats who use fearmongering and scapegoating to make us fear our neighbours and propagate hate.

POINT OF VIEW: an LGBTIQ person, a person of colour, or any ally or supporter.

This song will be published in multiple versions for different forces and with a choice of lyrics for different singers and audiences. Read more about this music, including the history of the traditional song, here.

The solo version of this arrangement was published in March 2019 in this book (with two sets of lyrics):
 

HMP 3223 Three Traditional Songs with inclusive lyrics. Solo voice with piano. Medium voice. Beside the Foyle (D flat major; same tune as Danny Boy); Amazing Grace, the Sweet Sound of Children (Einstein was a Refugee) (G major); Greensleeves In Love (E major/E minor). Limited edition of fifty (50) copies, but all these songs have since been revised; new editions due in 2022.

My new musical arrangement comes with a new variation on the tune for some verses and a new chorus (the traditional song has no chorus). The piano accompaniment is through-composed (ie different for each verse etc).
 

Amazing Grace,
the Sweet Sound of Children
(Einstein was a Refugee)
Words & musical arrangement © M. D. Jones 2018 - 2019

v.1  Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound
Of children playing so free!
No cage or island hell should be their only home;
They were lost, will they now be found?
………………………………………………………
v.2  [variation]
Too long we believed the lies fed us,
To rob us of our love, our lives;                   
To make us fear our friends,
To make us hate them so;
And deny their right to be heard, to be heard.
………………………………………………………
CHORUS 1  [new melody by MDJ]
The more I fear, the less I know;
The less I know, the more I hate.
And the less love I can feel.
………………………………………………………
PIANO  LINK  4 bars
………………………………………………………
v.3  [March-like]
Amazing Grace, for freedom sing;   
For all people who need to flee.
They work hard to make us strong,
to make our country grow.
Don’t know you know: Einstein was a refugee.
Yes, a refugee.
………………………………………………………
v.4  [variation]
Now suffer the little children,
Though they know not of our part, our shame.
Their suff’ring will be forever our crime,   
Oh why, oh why can’t they be loved, be loved?   
………………………………………………………
CHORUS 2  [new melody by MDJ]
But I was fooled by fascists,*
By fascists and theocrats.**
Theocrats and fascists fooled me, fooled me.
I was told what I wanted to hear.                
………………………………………………………
v.5  So release your love, your love for all,   
Beginning with yourselves.   
The people have the power, they cannot be denied.
You were blind, can you still not see? Still not, still not see?
[FINE for standard version]
………………………………………………………
PIANO  LINK  12 bars, based on chorus 2 & previous link.
………………………………………………………
v.6  Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound
Of children playing so free!
[Or: Children play. They play and sing so free!]
They once were in a cell,
[They once were on Nauru]
[They still are in a cage/cell]
[Now again they’re in a cage/cell]
Their souls may never heal.
When will they, when will we all be free, be free, be free?  
[FINE for extended version]
………………………………………………………

NOTE: this is NOT intended for community or congregational singing. It is musically too different for that purpose, compared to the traditional version. The new words will not fit.

* FASCIST politicians don't care about people, not even rich people (just their own families). They don't care about the environment or the future and have no respect for science. Their only concern is their own power. They will say, do or promise anything (left wing or right wing) to get a few votes. Individuals may be fascist to varying degrees and may be found in any political group but are more associated with far right organisations. Fascist behaviour consistently goes beyond corruption and merely playing politics. Often in league with theocrats.

** THEOCRATS don't believe in the separation of church and state. Instead, they seek government by religious law. They want to implement their favourite interpretations of the Bible or the Qur'an (Sharia Law) or other canonic religious texts in government statutes and regulations, to the exclusion of science or secular views.

See more about this music here.
See a one-page printable sample here.

PRACTICE  and  BACKING  RECORDINGS
(coming soon):
mixmargaret.com/practice-recordings.html

Original music, words and arrangements © MDJ 2018-2019.
 

See my other arrangements of traditional tunes:

Greensleeves
Beside the Foyle (aka Londonderry Air, Danny Boy)