Each Friday I pick a song–new, old, borrowed, blue–that’s been on my mind and in my ears, and write a short post about it.

This is “Amazing Grace” by Fred McDowell:

Fred McDowell — “Amazing Grace”

The other day I bought a compilation of songs recorded for the Testament record label in the 1960s. This, well, amazing, version of “Amazing Grace” is among those songs. Part spiritual, part gospel hymn, part blues: some people can just make a song into whatever they want to.