Amazing Grace (Used to Be Her Favorite Song)
| "Amazing Grace (Used to Be Her Favorite Song)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
_-_Amazing_Rhythm_Aces.jpg) | ||||
| Single by Amazing Rhythm Aces | ||||
| from the album Stacked Deck | ||||
| B-side | "The Beautiful Lie" | |||
| Released | December 1975 | |||
| Genre | Country rock | |||
| Length | 3:17 | |||
| Label | ABC | |||
| Songwriter(s) | H. Russell Smith | |||
| Producer(s) | Barry Burton | |||
| Amazing Rhythm Aces singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Amazing Grace (Used to Be Her Favorite Song)" is a song written by Russell Smith, first recorded in Montreal in 1974 by Jesse Winchester and his band the Rhythm Aces, assisted by Smith. During the winter of 1976, it became a hit by the Amazing Rhythm Aces on their 1975 album Stacked Deck. It was the band's follow-up single to their debut hit "Third Rate Romance."
The song reached #9 on the U.S. country singles chart and #72 on the Billboard Hot 100.[1] It charted very similarly in Canada.
Content[edit]
The song is a cautionary tale against the dangers of alcoholism. It also teaches a second moral lesson, prompting the listener to consider the effects of negative personal influences in the lives of others, especially within the context of close relationships.
In the song, a husband accepts the blame for introducing his wife to a lifestyle of alcohol and partying through her desire to change him by doing what pleased him. He describes her previously as a "good girl" and an "angel," with "Amazing Grace" as her favorite song. But after suffering neglect from his devotion to many late nights out drinking, over time she herself falls harder to the power of his bad habits and ultimately leaves him.
Chart performance[edit]
| Chart (1975–76) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[2] | 10 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[3] | 79 |
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[4] | 9 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[5] | 72 |
| US Cash Box Top 100[6] | 77 |
References[edit]
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 24. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
- ^ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 4038." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6131a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
- ^ "The Amazing Rhythm Aces Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "The Amazing Rhythm Aces Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, January 31, 1976". Archived from the original on October 20, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
