Rivers Of Babylon by Boney M

Album: Nightflight To Venus (1978)

Charted: 1 30

License This Song

songplace

Songfacts®:

Some of the lyrics came from Psalm 137 of The Bible. The original Psalm was written during the Jews exile in Babylon in around 600 BC. >>>
Suggestion credit:
David - Belfast, Ireland
This spent five weeks at #1 in the UK and was the biggest-selling single of 1978 there. It is also the biggest ever selling record by a black act in the UK. This song broke the record for most weeks at #1 in Germany - 17 weeks.
At the end of 2007 Boney M. were the only act to have two singles in the UK all-time Top 10 best sellers list. At that date, this song was the fifth top selling single of all time in the UK and Boney M's medley of "Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord" was the tenth. (UK's top selling single of all time is Elton John's "Candle In The Wind").
The song was written and originally recorded by Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton of the Jamaican roots reggae act The Melodians in 1970 and became an anthem of the Rastafarian movement. Their version appeared in the soundtrack to the 1972 movie The Harder They Come.
Haitian born Wyclef Jean performed this song along with his sister Melky on the charity telethon, Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief, which was held on January 22, 2010.

Comments: 9

Gospel Ejeh from Benue State Nigeria This song reminds ME of my old relationship with God anytime I listen to it.
it's so powerful and inspiring.
more Grace to Boney M.
Ell Ess from Canada"Rough bits" of Babylon -that's a laff - Try "Prophets" of Babylon
Christine from ZambiaI love the song and I need it
Eisso from Groningen, NetherlandsWhy put the Boney M version on your website and not the original reggae version? Boney M are little more than a cover band, making money out of other people's creativity.
Cyberpope from Richmond, CanadaAnybody else notice it's the same tune as for Berlin's "How Dry I Am"?
Mel from Riverbank, CaThis song was covered by Sublime on album 40 Oz. To Freedom
Howard from St. Louis Park, MnThis was one of the few songs along with the Byrds Turn Turn Turn that was based on a biblical passage.
Olaf from Occidental, CaThis song was written by Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton of the Jamaican group The Melodians. They recorded it in 1969.
It has been covered by Linda Ronstadt and others.
Axel Titus from Lake Forest, CaBoney M's only Top 40 hit in the US.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Handle With CareThe Traveling Wilburys

"Handle With Care" started as a George Harrison song with guest appearances by Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne, but it went so well the five of them decided to form a group - The Traveling Wilburys - and record an entire album.

Psycho KillerTalking Heads

The French part in Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer" explains that the killer is going after a girl, like Norman Bates in the movie Psycho.

Ur So GayKaty Perry

Katy Perry says her 2008 song "Ur So Gay" is about "guys who wear the guyliner, steal your jeans, and that whole almost hipster emo scene."

LightsEllie Goulding

Ellie Goulding's hit song "Lights" is about her fear of the dark, which forces the singer to sleep with the lights on.

Born on the BayouCreedence Clearwater Revival

John Fogerty was not born on the bayou - he's from Berkeley, California. He got the idea for the song when CCR was on tour in Louisiana.

Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)Katy Perry

When "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" climbed to #1 on the Hot 100, Katy Perry became the first woman to send five songs from one album to the top of the charts. The four previous chart-toppers from her Teenage Dream set were "California Gurls," "Teenage Dream," "Firework" and "E.T."