Rivers of Babylon

Boney M.

About Rivers of Babylon

"Rivers of Babylon" is a Rastafari song written and recorded by Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton of the Jamaican reggae group The Melodians in 1970. The lyrics are adapted from the texts of Psalms 19 and 137 in the Hebrew Bible. The Melodians' original version of the song appeared on the soundtrack album for the 1972 movie The Harder They Come, which made it internationally known. The song was popularized in Europe by the 1978 Boney M. cover version, which was awarded a platinum disc and is one of the top-ten all-time best-selling singles in the UK. The B-side of the single, "Brown Girl in the Ring", also became a hit.  


Year:
1994
10,387 
#74

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By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down
Yeah we wept, when we remembered Zion

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down
Yeah we wept, when we remembered Zion

When the wicked
Carried us away in captivity
Required from us a song
Now how shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land

When the wicked
Carried us away in captivity
Requiering of us a song
Now how shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah let the words of our mouth and the meditations of our heart
Be acceptable in thy sight here tonight

Let the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts
Be acceptable in thy sight here tonight

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down
Yeah we wept, when we remembered Zion

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down
Yeah we wept, when we remembered Zion

By the rivers of Babylon (dark tears of Babylon)
There we sat down (you got to sing a song)
Yeah we wept, (sing a song of love)
When we remember Zion (yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah)

By the rivers of Babylon (rough bits of Babylon)
There we sat down (you hear the people cry)
Yeah we wept (they need their god)
When we remember Zion (ooh, have the power)

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down
Yeah we wept, when we remembered Zion

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Boney M.

"Boney M." began as a Euro-Caribbean vocal group created by German record producer Frank Farian. Originally based in West Germany, the four original members of the group's official line-up were Liz Mitchell (lead singer) and Marcia Barrett from Jamaica, Maizie Williams from Montserrat and Bobby Farrell from Aruba. The group was formed in 1975 and achieved popularity during the disco era of the late 1970s. The group's catalogue has sold more than 150 million albums and singles worldwide with most sales in the UK and Germany. After celebrating Boney M.'s 10th anniversary in early 1986, the group officially disbanded, splitting into two groups with an original member in each, both bearing the 'Boney M' name. The male lead, Bobby Farrell, appeared as da… more »

4 fans

Written by: Brent Dowe, Frank Farian, George Reyam, Trevor McNaughton

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


12 facts about this song

Origin
"Rivers of Babylon" was originally recorded by the Jamaican reggae band "The Melodians" in 1970.
Inspiration
The song lyrics are adapted from the Biblical Psalms 137 and 19. The Psalms narrate the despair and longing of the Jewish people during Babylonian exile.
Record labels
"The Melodians" released the song under the record label "Beverley's Records", while "Boney M." released it with "Hansa Records."
Worldwide hit
Boney M.’s version of "Rivers of Babylon" was released in 1978 and became a major global hit, reaching the top 10 charts in 20 countries.
UK Charts History
The song spent five weeks at the No.1 spot on the UK Singles Chart, making Boney M. the first band since The Beatles to have two singles in the UK's top 10 at the same time.
Language
The song includes a few lines in the Rastafarian language.
Triple Platinum
In the UK alone, "Rivers of Babylon" sold not less than two million copies and is one of the few singles to have achieved triple platinum status.
7th Best-selling Single
In the UK, it is the seventh best-selling single of all time.
Cover Versions
Besides Boney M., "Rivers of Babylon" has been covered by various musicians worldwide including Sublime, Linda Ronstadt, and Steve Earle.
Soundtrack Inclusion
The Melodians' original version of the song was included in the soundtrack of the 1972 movie "The Harder They Come."
Annual sales
The song has maintained consistent annual sales and downloads even after four decades of its release, especially during the times of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
The Melodians' Awards
In 2019, The Melodians' version of "Rivers of Babylon" was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry for its cultural, historical and aesthetic importance.

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    Rivers of Babylon

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1978

    Billboard #30


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