With its simple melody and message of salvation, “Amazing Grace” is a global music sensation. As music lingo would describe it, the song is No. 1 with a bullet.

Where words leave off, so music begins – Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) Amazing grace, amazing grace … (trailing off). Amazing grace, how sweet the sound (now singing) – Barack Obama, 2015.

A 2006 movie, "Amazing Grace" starring Ioan Gruffudd, was about the life of 18th Century anti-slavery activist William Wilberforce. Albert Finney played Newton, a friend of Wilberforce.