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Hi Friends, Folks

This is based on the life of John Newton Captain of a slave ship, poet and clergyman. (1725–1807)

I hope that you enjoy. The music will be done in a couple of weeks.

Thanks and God Bless Roy and Helen


‘Where The Devil Lurked' Roy Cooper © 2010

Hearing their fearful cries
He paid them no heed
Gave them water once a day
And Fed them cattle feed.
He lived a life of evil
Would fight, swear and curse
Condoned un-holy suffering
For gold in his bulging purse

Chorus1
Toiling where the devil lurked
Surrounded by despair
He didn’t think too much of God
No,he really didn't care

Sailed across the oceans
To deliver those wretched souls
Forced to lie beneath the deck
In waist high dingy holds
He was captain of a slave ship
Making profits was his curse
Hearing that slaves were dying
He’d clutch his shrinking purse

Chorus1
Toiling where the devil lurked
Surrounded by despair
He didn’t think too much of God
No,he really didn't care

Then one day a raging storm
Took hold to sink his ship
Could hear that awful wailing
From deep down in midships
He cried out for God’s mercy
Please hear my pitiful call
Screamed out for redemption
Pleaded, I beg you save us all

Chorus2
Toiling where the devil lurked
He was delivered from despair
Swore to God he would atone
For the life that brought him there

Twas that day,God changed his life
He went on to become ordained
Tried to shake the memories
But still his guilt remained
So he turned to writing hymns
Putting heart felt words to verse
Thanking God for saving him
When he was at his worst

Tag:
It was said that when he died, he Prayed for Gods embrace
Leaving us his legacy - the hymn ‘Amazing Grace’

---------------------------

Hi Roy.

This is really beautiful! I happened to know who John Newton was, and have always thought the contrast between his being captain of a slave ship and also the writer of one of the most beautiful hymns ever was a great story.

I'm glad you made reference to "Amazing Grace" in the TAG because I'm not sure the lyric, as fabulously well written as it is, would have much meaning for some people without it.

So many great lines in this lyric! You've told Mr. Newton's story very well and pretty accurately, based on everything I've heard and read about him.

Nicely done, sir!

Greg

Gee Greg. I'm always pleased when you stop by and give me the thumbs up.

Your opinions are always appreciated by me as I know that you are a master yourself.

Since you read it I have tweeked a couple of lines and changed it to the 2nd person.

As it was before in the first person and because the man was English I would have been limited in my choice of singer.

Now I think that I have solved that issue.

God Bless Roy and Helen

Hey Roy. I think it's nicely written. Good luck with it.

Stevie

This is very nice and you have told the story well, and i also love Mr. Newtons' Amazing Grace...glyn

Hi there, Roy. This is a beautiful lyric. Methinks John Newton would approve of the way you tell his tale of redemption. Wonderful write.

Be blessed,
Scott

Amazingly GOOD, Brother Roy!

So tightly-writ, the only Sug I got is to spell "Their" right in "When things were at there worst".

Overall "KUDOS"..(& Hopefully God DID forgive his "Slaving Days".
Good Luck with a Fine Lyric, Amigo!

Best Wishes, Big Guy-Hug,
Stan

This is an amazing story of redemption. (no pun really intended). But Mr. Newton was lucky he lived in the days before modern technology. Somehow none of our pasts really escape us anymore, and no matter how hard we try our sins always come back to bite us these days. I doubt he would have been forgiven easily today.

Peace,
Brian

Stevie and Glynda

Thanks for stopping By and I am pleased that you liked the lyrics

Thanks God Bless Roy and Helen

Scott:

Thanks for having a read friend.

That's two have said It's beutiful... so I guess it must be lol

Scott Your words are always appreciated.

I would hope that John Newton would approve as well.

Thanks and God Bless Roy and Helen

so slavery is good,what we do without the old slave trader turning himself around and writing those cool hymns.

Thanks Stan for having a read. I am so pleased that you like this write.

I changed that typo so thanks for spotting it.

I wanted to tell the story of redemtion for one man and the contrast between his early years and later years had me hooked.

During my research I found out that John Newton lived over 80 but had quite a spell of blindness towards the end.

I wonder how that goes with the lyrics to Amazing Grace.

'Was blind, but now I see.

Thanks buddie for having a read.


God Bless Roy and Helen

Exactly true Brian.

At that time slavery was considered to be quite normal and no one ever saw that it was wrong.

I'm so glad that I was born when I was.

Glad you liked the lyrics Brian.

God Bless Roy and Helen

Ummmm rockin_m

thanks for having a read.

God Bless Roy and Helen

ROY--

I LIKE THE IDEA--MY TAKE ON THIS LYRIC--(CAPS) JMHO


God Bless Roy and Helen

‘Where The Devil Lurked' Roy Cooper © 2010

HE HEARD THEIR mournful cries
BUT THEN paid them no heed
THEY ONLY GOT water once a day
WHEN HE GAVE them cattle feed.
STRAIGHT FROM HELL HIS life WAS evil
HE WOULD fight, gamble and curse
AND condoned un-holy suffering
FOR BOOTY ADDED TO HIS OWN purse

Chorus1
Stranded where the devil lurked
HE WAS surrounded by despair
NEVER TOOK TIME TO PRAY TO God
NOR DID he really EVEN care

HE sailed across the oceans
DELIVERING those wretched souls
Stowed away FAR below the decks
Crammed In filthy 2 foot HOLES.
HE WAS master of A SLAVE ship
Making BIG profits BECAME HIS curse
Hearing that slaves were dying
He’d RE-COUNT A shrinking purse

Chorus1
Stranded where the devil lurked
HE WAS surrounded by despair
NEVER TOOK TIME TO PRAY TO God
NOR DID he really EVEN care

A FOREBODING SINISTER storm
Threatened to sink HIS ship
HE could hear THE awful wailing
From DEEP DOWN IN THE midships
ON HIS KNEES HE CRIED for God’s mercy
LORD please hear my pitiful call
HE screamed out his redemption
GOD ALMIGHTY PLEASE save us all

Chorus2
Stranded where the devil lurked
He was delivered from despair
Swore to God he would atone
For the life that BROUGHT him there

ON that day, God changed his life
He went on AND became ordained
REPENTANT FOR those awful TIMES
AND his DAUNTING MEMORIES remained
Then he TURNED TO writing hymns
Putting BEAUTIFUL thoughts INTO verse
HE GAVE THANKS TO God for saving him
When HIS LIFE WAS AT IT’S worst

Tag:
YEARS PASSED before he died and went to Gods embrace
HE LEFT us a hymn TO SING, HE called it ‘Amazing Grace’.

Mackie

Thanks Mackie for having a read and offering some goods suggestions.

Having a melody done at the moment but when I get that back I will tweek the lyrics again before having the music done.
I will have a good look at your suggestions then.

Thanks

God Bless Roy and Helen

Hey Roy,

Wow, I DIDN'T know this story. Very intriguing. You've presented a very colorful picture about an unusually dark part of our history -- though as noted, it wasn't necessarily seen that way at the time.

Monday morning quarterbacking at its best .

Like Mackie, I'd love to do a little tweaking on the lyric. Here are my thoughts, KOS as always.

‘Where The Devil Lurked' Roy Cooper © 2010

HE HEARD their mournful cries
BUT NEVER paid them heed
Gave water once a day
AND Fed them cattle feed.
HE LIVED a life of evil
WOULD gamble, FIGHT and curse
Condoned un-holy suffering
HIS prize -- a captain’s purse

Chorus1
WORKING where the devil lurked >>>>> liked the word STRANDED, but was he STUCK there?
Surrounded by despair
He didn’t think too much of God
He really didn’t care

Sailed across the oceans
Transporting wretched souls
Stowed away below the decks
In filthy 2 foot holds.
As the master of that ship
Making profits was his curse
WITH NEWS HIS slaves were dying
HE CLUTCHED his shrinking purse

Chorus1
TOILING where the devil lurked >>>>>>>>>>>>another alternative to Stranded
Surrounded by despair
He didn’t think too much of God
No he really didn’t care

Then one day a raging storm
TOOK HOLD TO SINK HIS ship
Could hear that awful wailing
From below, A TWICE-DOOMED TRIP
He cried out for God’s mercy
DEAR LORD hear my pitiful call
PLEASE GRANT ME MY redemption
OH I beg, you save us all

Chorus2
ONCE WORKING where the devil lurked
NOW delivered from despair
HE swore to God he would atone
For ALL THAT HAD led him there

SO ON THAT DAY, God changed his life
AND LATER, HE WAS ordained
BUT still those awful memories
Of his time at sea remained
SO THEN he took to writing hymns
Putting thoughts to verse
Thanking God for saving him
When things were at their worst

Tag:
It was a while before he died and went to Gods embrace
Left for us a hymn he wrote, called it ‘Amazing Grace’


Musication-wise, do you have any thoughts? I'm hearing Gordon Lightfoot's "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"...which may be a tad obvious....

Anyhoo Roy, this is a keeper for sure. Thank you for sharing such an interesting story. I think I'm going to have to go Google it to find out more.

Have a good evening,
Beth

Hi Beth and thanks for stopping over.

I am pleased that you like the lyrics especially since I hold your writng in high regard.

I am Having a melody done at the moment but when I get that back I will tweek the lyrics again before having the music done.
I do like some of your suggs and will have a look at them again then.

I do have some thoughts on the music Beth but will keep them as thoughts in case I change my mind.

I will try to be original lol

Thanks again for stopping by and

God Bless Roy and Helen

Howdy Homer, doing this translation was fun for me. The fact that
you utilized so much of it verbatum, is most satisfying also.
We've discussed collabing before, but the way this turned out,
and the response to it, I think proves we need to quit pussyfooting
around, and get after it........Gus

Hi Roy,

This is a very good story I do like the changes Beth added, just seemed to flow a tad better to me.

Very nice write

Thanks Gus I always appreciate your input on whatever I do.

I am still working on the lyrics and it's changing every day.

I know we will collaboate on something Gus it's just a matter of getting the right idea to start from.

I do have one in mind that I feel would be good. Let me think on it for just a tad and get back to you.

Thanks again

God Bless Roy and Helen

Glad you liked it Dottie. Yes I will be using some of Beth's suggs as I like them.

God Bless Roy and Helen

Roy, that was just absolutely beautifully written....very heart wrenching and emotional. It flows so very well and I felt like you placed us all there.

Amazing Grace......one of my all time favorite songs....I can't listen to that without breaking down....it's so beautiful and emotional.

Your song tells the tale so well and had the very same impact.

Wonderful job telling a glorious story.

So glad that I got to read this...

Jan

Hi Jan.

You know I was thinking that if you read this it would be up your street lol.

I am so pleased that you enjoyed it.

Will let you know when it's musicated.

Thanks and God Bless Roy and Helen

I've tweeked and tweeked and tweeked and tweeked...

I reckon It's finished now...

I'm bumping for one last run in case anyone spots an obvious fault before I get it into the studio.

Thanks to all who have made suggestions along the way.

God Bless Roy and Helen

It's lovely Roy, I do believe it's finished!

Great write and story

Thanks Dottie.

Just one small issue to resolve now and that's the Tag:

Lets see what others have to say.

Thanks and God Bless Roy and Helen

Looks good Roy .....

Beth

Roy, Real nice job with the story-telling. I especially liked the way you saved the punchline for the last. Powerful stuff.

Thanks Beth.

Dan:
Thanks for having a read and glad you enjoyed it.

I was determinded to leave thos two words to the last.lol

Thanks friend

God Bless to all

Roy and Helen

Hey Roy.........great writing......your best IMHO. Can't wait to hear it.



Janet

Thanks Janet for stopping by.

I am so pleased that you liked it.

I reckon about 4 weeks and then I will post the full demo.

Thanks and God Bless Roy and Helen