Peak
30
Weeks
17
Score
1,658
Chart Year
1978
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Some of the lyrics came from Psalm 137 of The Bible. The original Psalm was written during the Jews exile in Babylon in around 600 BC. >> This spent five weeks at #1 in the UK and was the biggest-selling single of 1978 there. It is also the biggest ever selling record by a black act in the UK. This song broke the record for most weeks at #1 in Germany - 17 weeks. At the end of 2007 Boney M. were the only act to have two singles in the UK all-time Top 10 best sellers list. At that date, this song was the fifth top selling single of all time in the UK and Boney M's medley of "Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord" was the tenth. (UK's top selling single of all time is Elton John's "Candle In The Wind"). The song was written and originally recorded by Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton of the Jamaican roots reggae act The Melodians in 1970 and became an anthem of the Rastafarian movement. Their version appeared in the soundtrack to the 1972 movie The Harder They Come. Haitian born Wyclef Jean performed this song along with his sister Melky on the charity telethon, Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief, which was held on January 22, 2010.
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down Yeah we wept, when we remembered Zion By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down Yeah we wept, when we remembered Zion When the wicked Carried us away in captivity Required from us a song Now how shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land When the wicked Carried us away in captivity Requiering of us a song Now how shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah let the words of our mouth and the meditations of our heart Be acceptable in thy sight here tonight Let the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts Be acceptable in thy sight here tonight By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down Yeah we wept, when we remembered Zion By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down Yeah we wept, when we remembered Zion By the rivers of Babylon (dark tears of Babylon) There we sat down (you got to sing a song) Yeah we wept, (sing a song of love) When we remember Zion (yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah) By the rivers of Babylon (rough bits of Babylon) There we sat down (you hear the people cry) Yeah we wept (they need their god) When we remember Zion (ooh, have the power) By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down Yeah we wept, when we remembered Zion
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jun 3, 1978 | 87 | 39 |
| 2 | Jun 10, 1978 | 76 | 50 |
| 3 | Jun 17, 1978 | 66 | 60 |
| 4 | Jun 24, 1978 | 56 | 70 |
| 5 | Jul 1, 1978 | 48 | 78 |
| 6 | Jul 8, 1978 | 46 | 80 |
| 7 | Jul 15, 1978 | 44 | 82 |
| 8 | Jul 22, 1978 | 39 | 87 |
| 9 | Jul 29, 1978 | 37 | 89 |
| 10 | Aug 5, 1978 | 35 | 91 |
| 11 | Aug 12, 1978 | 33 | 93 |
| 12 | Aug 19, 1978 | 31 | 95 |
| 13 | Aug 26, 1978 | 30 | 96 |
| 14 | Sep 2, 1978 | 49 | 77 |
| 15 | Sep 9, 1978 | 69 | 57 |
| 16 | Sep 16, 1978 | 69 | 57 |
| 17 | Sep 23, 1978 | 100 | 26 |