Palestinians ban 'Rivers of Babylon' song
from West Bank international music fest
from West Bank international music fest
Palestinians are hosting an international arts festival this week -- with performances in Ramallah and other major West Bank cities. Among the performing artists was the Boney M disco group, known for its world-famous "Rivers of Babylon" song.
But before the singers could mount the stage in Ramallah, they were told that "Rivers of Babylon" was out. Why? Because according to an Associated Press report, festival officials would not countenance lyrics about Jewish longing and ties to biblical Israel.
To be precise, these are the words that are verboten in Mahmoud Abbas's West Bank:
Psalms Chapter 137
1 - By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
2 - Upon the willows in the midst thereof we hanged up our harps.
2 - Upon the willows in the midst thereof we hanged up our harps.
3- For there they that led us captive asked of us words of song, and our tormentors asked of us mirth: {N}
'Sing us one of the songs of Zion.'
'Sing us one of the songs of Zion.'
4 - How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a foreign land?
5 - If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
6 - Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I
remember thee not; {N}
if I set not Jerusalem above my chiefest joy.
7 - Remember, O LORD, against the children of Edom theday of Jerusalem; {N}
who said: 'Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.'
8 - O daughter of Babylon, that art to be destroyed; {N}
happy shall he be, that repayeth thee as thou hast served us.
6 - Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I
remember thee not; {N}
if I set not Jerusalem above my chiefest joy.
7 - Remember, O LORD, against the children of Edom theday of Jerusalem; {N}
who said: 'Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.'
8 - O daughter of Babylon, that art to be destroyed; {N}
happy shall he be, that repayeth thee as thou hast served us.
9 - Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the rock. {P}
Video which Arabs want U-Tube to remove
"You can fool some people all the time,
You can fool all the people some of the time,
You can fool all the people some of the time,
but you can not fool all the people all the time.
(Ibrahim Lincoln)
2 comments:
Hi Alex.
If memory serves me right , i think this is not the first time that Boney M is refused or asked to remove this song from their performence.
Found it.
Boney M asked not to sing Rivers of Babylon at West Bank concert July 2010.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/boney-m-asked-to-cut-by-the-rivers-of-babylon-out-of-west-bank-gig-1.303427
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