Re: Rivers of Babylon

[Owen Davidson <owend...>]

Delicately now: out on the limb...

Have you considered what a marvelous song of spiritual longing and dedication
this is?  It takes the text of Psalm 137: "By the Rivers of Babylon," and, in
true Rastafarian fashion, picks and chooses carefully the sentiments it will
evoke.

"By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered
Zion.

("We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.)

"For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; (and they
that wasted us [required of us] mirth, [saying] Sing us one of the songs of
Zion.

"How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?"

And here the song leaves behind the Romany-style self-malediction ("If I
forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget [her] cunning, If I do not
remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not
Jerusalem above my chief joy.") and the horrific will to blood-vengeance
("Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said
'Rase [it], rase [it], [even] to the foundation thereof.  O daughter of
Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy [shall he be], that rewardeth thee as
thou hast served us.  Happy [shall he be] that taketh and dasheth thy little
ones against the stones.")

Rather than proffer this shocking vision, the gentle song cleaves away to
remind us of the closing verse of Psalm 19 "The Heavens Declare the Glory of
God:"

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in
thy sight, (O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.)

"Over I."  Amen.

The translation here is from the King James version of the bible.  Some
Rastafarian lore teaches that James was a wicked king who adulterated and
corrupted the holy scripture in order to mislead and subjugate the people.



Dan Peck wrote:

> Rivers of Babylon was recorded in 1979 by the Delaware Water Gap
> String Band on "From the Rivers of Babylon to the Land of Jazz"
> (Kicking Mule Records KM-205). It is long out-of-print.
>
> Members of the band included David Brody (who went on to play for the
> Klezmer Conservatory Band) and our very own Henry "Hank" Sapoznik.
>
> Does that make it Jewish music?
>
> >"Rivers of Babylon" (performed by The Melodians)
> >originally from the soundtrack of the film,
> >The Harder They Come (c.1973).
> >
> >"By the rivers of Babylon, where he sat down
> >And there he wept when he remembered Zion"
>
> >robert wiener wrote:
> >
> >  > How about Boney M's "Rivers of Babylon"?
> --
>
> Dan Peck    Milesquare Associates  Living Traditions
> Co-Author of Filemaker 5 Advanced: Visual Quick Pro Guide (Peachpit Press)
> Member: Filemaker Solutions Alliance
> Old Time Music
>

--
Owen Davidson
Amherst  Mass
The Wholesale Klezmer Band

The Angel that presided oer my birth
Said Little creature formd of Joy & Mirth
Go Love without the help of any King on Earth

Wm. Blake


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