by the rivers of babylon

i once won an arguement with a homeless black gentleman who kept coming in to the coffee shop that i worked at (the onyx, circa 1990) after he had been kicked out many a time.

he tried pulling the race card with me, saying that i hated the black man.

i took him aside and showed him my ashy elbows, and he said 'all respects...'

he then wandered down the street and it wasn't until last night, half hallucinating after a late night dropping off mavis and my parents to the airport (costa rica trip)
that i realized what song old 'red zulu' was singing:


By the rivers of babylon, there we sat down
Ye-eah we wept, when we remembered zion.

By the rivers of babylon, there we sat down
Ye-eah 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 lords song in a strange land

When the wicked
Carried us away in captivity
Requiering of us a song
Now how shall we sing the lords song in a strange land

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
Ye-eah we wept, when we remembered zion.

By the rivers of babylon, there we sat down
Ye-eah 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)
Ye-eah 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)
Ye-eah we wept, (they need their God)
When we remember zion. (ooh, have the power)

***********************

i'll always prefer the melodians (original?) version to the boney m disco riff