Boney M. – Rivers Of Babylon (ZDF Disco 12.06.1978)

“Rivers of Babylon” is a Rastafari song written and recorded by Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton of the Jamaican reggae group the Melodians in 1970. The lyrics are adapted from the texts of Psalms 19 and 137 in the Hebrew Bible. The Melodians’ original version of the song appeared on the soundtrack album for the 1972 movie The Harder They Come, which made it internationally known.

“Rivers of Babylon” was covered in 1978 by Germany-based disco band Boney M. The single stayed at the no. 1 position in the UK for five weeks and was also the group’s only significant US chart entry, peaking at no. 30 in the Pop charts. Boney M.’s version of the song remains one of the top ten all-time best-selling singles in the UK, where it is one of only seven songs to have sold over 2 million copies.

“Rivers of Babylon” – Single by Boney M. from the album Nightflight to Venus
Released April 1978
Songwriters Brent Dowe, Trevor McNaughton, Frank Farian,Reyam
Producer Frank Farian
Charted No.30 US Billboard Hot 100; No.1 UK; No.1 West Germany; No.1 Australia; No.1 Austria; No.1 Belgium; No.11 Italy; No.1 Mexico.

Boney M.’s “Rivers of Babylon” was a hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, debuting on June 3, 1978. It peaked at number 30 and spent 17 weeks on the chart, according to Billboard.