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By The Rivers of Babylon - C
A - Bb - C - Eb - F - G - Kbd Lead Part G - Kbd Lead Part Eb          .pdf          More Tracks

"Rivers of Babylon" is a Rastafarian song written and recorded by Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton of the Jamaican reggae group The Melodians in 1970. The song was popularized in Europe by the 1978 Boney M. cover version, which is one of the top ten all-time best-selling singles in the UK.

The song is based on the Biblical Psalm 137:1-4, a hymn expressing the lamentations of the Jewish people in exile following the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem in 586 BC. In the Rastafarian faith, the term "Babylon" is used for any governmental system which is either oppressive or unjust. In Jamaica, Rastafarians also use "Babylon" to refer to the police, often seen as a source of oppression because they arrest members for the use of marijuana (which is sacramental for Rastafarians). Therefore, "By the rivers of Babylon" refers to living in a repressive society and the longing for freedom, just like the Israelites in captivity.

The version here feels more polka than reggae.

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