▁words ▁were ▁written ▁within ▁an ▁hour ' s ▁time . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁set ▁to ▁music ▁by ▁John ▁S . ▁F ear is , ▁who ▁had ▁purchased ▁the ▁poem ▁for ▁five ▁dollars , ▁and ▁the ▁song ▁was ▁published ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 1 , ▁the ▁song ▁was ▁s ung ▁by ▁the ▁E uter p ian ▁Lad ies ▁Quart et ▁towards ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁President ▁McK in ley ' s ▁mem orial ▁service . ▁ ▁A ▁ 1 9 0 8 ▁recording ▁for ▁Ed ison ▁by ▁Harry ▁Anthony ▁and ▁James ▁Harrison ▁was ▁very ▁popular , ▁as ▁was ▁a ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁version ▁by ▁John ▁McC orm ack . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁J ake ▁H ess ▁won ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁Gram my ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁In sp ir ational ▁Performance ▁using ▁this ▁song ▁as ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁his ▁album . ▁ ▁Th eme ▁" Be aut iful ▁Is le " ▁follows ▁a ▁ 1 9 th - century ▁tradition ▁of ▁dep ict ing ▁parad ise . ▁ ▁The ▁song ▁was ▁written ▁to ▁contrast ▁the ▁difficulties ▁on ▁Earth ▁with ▁the ▁tran qu ility ▁of ▁Heaven . ▁ ▁The ▁hear er ▁is ▁invited ▁to ▁think ▁that ▁in ▁the ▁long ▁term , ▁" all ▁is ▁well " ▁because ▁God ▁is ▁alive . ▁ ▁The ▁h ymn ▁has ▁appeal ▁at ▁fun er als ▁because ▁the ▁lyr ics ▁state ▁that ▁" some where " ▁we ▁will ▁" live ▁an ew ".