Brightman has received over 180 Gold and Platinum sales awards in over 40 different countries around the world and is the only artist to hold #1 spots on the Billboard Classical and Dance charts simultaneously, her other achievements feature her ranking by the Recording Industry Association of America as the best-selling female classical artist of the twenty-first century and a Guinness World Record for the success of “Time to Say Goodbye,” the best-selling single in German recording history.
She has established herself as the world's biggest selling soprano of all time, She has sold 78 million albums worldwide, including 40 million copies of the soundtrack of The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical), 26 million albums, over two million DVDs and 10 million copies of the single " Time to Say Goodbye "as a soloist.
She made her debut as a dancer in troupes such as Hot Gossip and later released a string of disco singles. She was a musical theatre performer and partner of theatre composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom she originated roles including Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera.
After her divorce, Brightman became a crossover artist with former Enigma producer Frank Peterson. Her style, a blend of classical vocals and pop-inspired instrumentation and arrangement, earned her further success.
She is often cited as the woman who paved the way for other international success stories such as Il Divo, Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban. She is said to be worth as much as £30m (about US$49m).
Amazing Grace
Sarah Brightman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now am found
Was blind, but now I see
T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear
And Grace, my fears relieved
How precious did that Grace appear
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
And Grace will lead me home
When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now am found
Was blind, but now I see
The lyrics to Sarah Brightman's rendition of "Amazing Grace" tells the story of redemption through grace. The first verse speaks of the wondrous and sweet sound of grace, which has saved a wretch like the singer. The wretch was once lost and blind, but through grace, the singer can now see. This opening verse sets the tone for the rest of the song, which shows how grace has brought the singer safely through the dangers, toils, and snares of life and will ultimately lead them home.
The second verse lays out the dynamic of grace teaching the heart to fear and then relieving those fears. The singer reflects on how precious grace seemed in the hour they first believed. This verse shows grace as a transformative force that both shows the reality of life's difficulties and then helps to provide the strength and courage to face them.
The last verse's image of singing God's praises for ten thousand years speaks to the eternal nature of grace. The singer celebrates the unending days ahead to celebrate the power of grace, a grace that doesn't only bring salvation but offers guidance and protection through the dangerous unknown parts of life. The overall message of the song is of the transformative power of grace and its unending capacity to save.
Line by Line Meaning
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound
The grace of God that saved me is truly amazing and sweet to hear.
That saved a wretch like me
God's grace has saved me, a pitiful and unworthy person.
I once was lost but now am found
I was a lost soul before I received God's grace, but now I have been found and saved.
Was blind, but now I see
I was spiritually blind, but thanks to God's grace, I can now see the truth and beauty of his love.
T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear
God's grace has taught me to fear him and to recognize the power of his love and mercy.
And Grace, my fears relieved
Through God's grace, my fears have been lifted and I can approach him with trust and confidence.
How precious did that Grace appear
God's grace is truly invaluable and precious to me, especially when I first experienced it.
The hour I first believed
The moment I first believed in God's grace, I was transformed and saved forever.
Through many dangers, toils and snares
Despite facing many challenges and obstacles in life, God's grace has helped me come through them safely.
I have already come
I have already overcome so many challenges thanks to God's grace.
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
My safety and well-being so far is due entirely to God's grace.
And Grace will lead me home
I can trust in God's grace to guide me safely to my eternal home in heaven.
When we've been here ten thousand years
Even after spending ten thousand years singing God's praises, we will still have an eternity of joy and wonder ahead of us.
Bright shining as the sun
As we sing and praise God, our souls will shine with a radiant light, just like the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Our joy and gratitude towards God will never diminish, even after countless days of singing his praises.
Than when we've first begun
Our love for God will be just as fresh and vibrant as it was when we first began our journey with him.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: TRADITIONAL, RON ESCHETE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind