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.
It was originally a Rastafari anthem recorded by the Jamaican reggae group The Melodians in 1970. Rivers Of Babylon
The song features prominently in the 1972 cult classic film The Harder They Come , which helped introduce reggae music to a global audience. While the reggae version is the original, the
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 song features prominently in the 1972 cult
💡 The "rivers" mentioned in the title (and the Bible) refer to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in what is now present-day Iraq.
In the original Rastafarian context, "Babylon" represents any oppressive or unjust governmental system.
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.