What is the origin of the song by the 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 song was re-popularized in Europe by the 1978 Boney M.

Is Rivers of Babylon a gospel song?

Originally composed as a reggae song using words from Psalm 137, this song has been adapted to a variety of styles. The version I sing and teach has a gospel flavor and is based on an arrangement by former women’s acapella group from Colorado, The Rhythm Method.

Where are the rivers of Babylon located?

Iraq
The town of Babylon was located along the Euphrates River in present-day Iraq, about 50 miles south of Baghdad. It was founded around 2300 B.C. by the ancient Akkadian-speaking people of southern Mesopotamia.

What happened by the rivers of Babylon?

The pattern of forced migration was set by the Babylonian conquest of 587-586 BCE, when the elite of Judah were marched to Babylon and the temple destroyed. Like the story of Moses and the Exodus from Egypt, which happened several centuries earlier, the Babylonian exile dwells at the heart of Judaism.

What group sang Rivers of Babylon?

Black Lace
Brown Girl in the Ring / Rivers of Babylon / Hooray Hooray/Artists

Who sings the song River of Babylon?

What Psalm is by the rivers of Babylon?

Psalm 137
Psalm 137 is the 137th psalm of the Book of Psalms, and as such it is included in the Hebrew Bible. In English it is generally known as “By the rivers of Babylon”, which is how its first words are translated in the King James Version.

What does 137 mean in the Bible?

In religion The Bible says that Ishmael, Levi and Amram all lived to be 137 years old. The three appearances make it the most common lifespan of individuals in the Bible. According to the verse in Genesis (17:17) there was a ten-year age gap between Abraham and Sarah.

Who wrote the song the Rivers of Babylon?

Frank Farian
Brent DoweTrevor McNaughton
Brown Girl in the Ring / Rivers of Babylon / Hooray Hooray/Lyricists

Who sang the original by the rivers of Babylon?

Boney M.
Rivers of Babylon/Artists