Rivers Of Babylon Apr 2026

While the reggae version is the original, the 1978 disco cover by Boney M. became a massive international hit and is one of the best-selling singles of all time in the UK.

The most prominent feature of the song "Rivers of Babylon" is its lyrics, which are . The song specifically fuses two different scriptures from the Old Testament:

💡 The "rivers" mentioned in the title (and the Bible) refer to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in what is now present-day Iraq. Rivers Of Babylon

In the original Rastafarian context, "Babylon" represents any oppressive or unjust governmental system.

It was originally a Rastafari anthem recorded by the Jamaican reggae group The Melodians in 1970. While the reggae version is the original, the

The song features prominently in the 1972 cult classic film The Harder They Come , which helped introduce reggae music to a global audience.

The section beginning with "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart" is taken from the end of this psalm. Key Historical & Musical Features The song specifically fuses two different scriptures from

The opening lines about sitting by the rivers and weeping for Zion come from this psalm, which describes the Jewish people's yearning during their Babylonian exile.