Rivers of Babylon

“Rivers of Babylon” – From Reggae Roots to Global Disco Anthem

Originally written and recorded in 1970 by Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton of the Jamaican reggae group The Melodians, “Rivers of Babylon” began as a deeply spiritual Rastafarian song. Its lyrics were adapted from Psalms 19 and 137 of the Hebrew Bible, reflecting themes of exile, faith, and hope. The song first gained international attention after appearing on the soundtrack of the 1972 cult film The Harder They Come, which helped bring reggae to a global audience.

Eight years later, the track was reborn on the European disco scene when Boney M. released their now-legendary cover in 1978. Produced by Frank Farian, the single became a phenomenon, spending five consecutive weeks at No. 1 in the UK and earning a platinum certification. It remains one of the UK’s top ten best-selling singles of all time, with over two million copies sold. The B-side, “Brown Girl in the Ring,” also became a massive hit, further propelling the band’s success.

“Rivers of Babylon” was not only a chart-topper in Germany, Canada, and South Africa (where it stayed at No. 1 for 11 weeks), but also became Boney M.’s first significant U.S. hit, peaking at No. 30 on the Billboard Hot 100. It served as the first single from their landmark album Nightflight to Venus, which defined the peak of their international fame.

While Boney M.’s version retained the song’s spiritual essence, some lyrical changes were made. The original Rastafarian references — such as “King Alpha’s song” and “O Far-I” — were replaced with the biblical wording “the Lord’s song” and “here tonight”, creating a version more aligned with the group’s global audience.

The recording itself went through several evolutions. Early single pressings credited only Frank Farian and Reyam (Hans-Jörg Mayer), but following negotiations, Dowe and McNaughton were rightfully added to the credits. The song’s initial single mix stood out for Liz Mitchell’s soulful ad-libs — “Dark tears of Babylon, you got to sing a song of love…” — which were later reduced to just her iconic “yeah, yeah, yeah” lines in subsequent releases. The U.S. 12” version later revived her full vocal improvisation, giving fans a glimpse of the song’s original depth.

Musically, the single mix and album version also differ subtly: in the single, Mitchell sings the full verse “Let the words of our mouth…” alongside Farian, while on the LP he begins it solo. The single also omits an instrumental bridge before the final “humming” refrain and fades out slightly later, ending with the haunting echo “have the power… yeah, yeah, yeah.”

Together with “Ma Baker,” “Rivers of Babylon” cemented Boney M.’s formula — rich harmonies, vibrant rhythm, and soul-infused disco. What began as a hymn of exile transformed into a universal anthem of unity and resilience, proving that great songs can transcend time, genre, and generation.