Many people think they know the story of the hymn,"Amazing Grace ... Drawing from a broad swath of sources, including published sheet music and personal diaries, Walvin's book is a testament ...

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. Will Elvis' "Hound Dog" last 200 years?

BALABAN: Reginald Golding, the music director of the Howard Gospel Choir at Howard University, says it's not surprising, then, that "Amazing Grace" would become a staple of the civil rights movement.