“Rivers of Babylon” is a Rastafari song whose lyrics are adapted from the texts of Psalms 19 and 137 in the Hebrew Bible. The Melodians' version appeared on the soundtrack album for the 1972 movie The Harder They Come, which made it internationally known. It has been covered many times, perhaps most...
[Refrain]
By the rivers of Babylon
Where he sat down
And there he wept
When he remember Zion
[Verse 1]
'Cause di wicked carried us away captivity
Require from us a song
How can we sing King Alpha's song in a strange land?
'Cause di wicked carried us away captivity
Require from us a song
How can we sing King Alpha's song in a strange land?
(Sing it out loud!)
[Chorus]
Sing a song of freedom, sister!
Sing a song of freedom, broth-brother!
We got to sing and shout it!
We got to jump and shout it! (Yes-yes)
Shout the song of freedom now (Wow-wow-wow!)
[Verse 2]
So, let the words of our mouth
And di meditation of our heart
Be acceptable in Thy sight
Oh, 'Fari!
So, let the words of our mouth
And the meditation of our heart
Be acceptable in Thy sight
Oh, 'Fari! (Sing it out, wo-ho!)
[Chorus]
We've got to sing it together (Ah-ah-ah-ah)
We've got to shout it together (Ah-ah-ah-ah)
Oh-oh, na-na-na (Ah-ah-ah-ah)
[Refrain]
By the rivers of Babylon
Where he sat down
And there he wept
When he remember Zion
[Outro]
'Cause di wicked carried us away captivity
Rivers of Babylon was written by Brent Dowe.