Rivers of Babylon/Sweet Honey/Clearwater

[robert wiener <wiener...>]

Now available on the 2 CD set "Sweet Honey In The Rock: Selections
1976-88".

I remember when I was first introduced to Sweet Honey.  Glad to see
the tradition continue.

I'm pretty sure that one of the place that I heard them was at the
Clearwater festival when it was hosted by Westchester Community
College.  I'm not sure if Clearwater is doing any Jewish music this
year.

Bob

-----Original Message-----
From: Eliott Kahn <Elkahn (at) JTSA(dot)EDU>
To: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
Date: Monday, May 08, 2000 11:34 AM
Subject: Re: Rivers of Babylon


>I, too, love this song. The version I'm familiar with is by Sweet
Honey in
>the Rock on, I believe, their "In the Upper Room" recording. I have
sung it
>on occasion in Reform synagogues after the silent prayer, instead of
"Y'hi
>L'ratzon," which is the Hebrew version of "May the words of my mouth
..."
>
>Eliott Kahn
>
>
>At 11:25 PM 5/7/00 -0400, you wrote:
>>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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>