Lead singer Maizie Williams:
“I don’t know if it is a political thing or what, but they asked us not to do it…”
Boney M asked to skip hit in West Bank gig (AP)
RAMALLAH, West Bank — When the iconic 1970s disco group Boney M rocked Ramallah this week, the local music festival prevented the band from performing one of its biggest hits.
Lead singer Maizie Williams said Palestinian concert organizers told her not to sing “Rivers of Babylon.” The song’s chorus quotes from the Book of Psalms, referring to the exiled Jewish people’s yearning to return to the biblical land of Israel.
Palestinians often question the Jewish historical connection to the Holy Land. Organizers said they asked for the song to be skipped, deeming it “inappropriate.”
“I don’t know if it is a political thing or what, but they asked us not to do it and we were a bit disappointed that we could not do it because we know that everybody loves this song no matter what,” she said.
The band performed its other big hits, like “Ma Baker,” “Daddy Cool,” and “Rasputin” in front of hundreds of screaming fans.
The Palestinian International Festival started Monday and runs through Saturday, bringing international performances to the West Bank cities of Ramallah, Jenin, Hebron and Bethlehem.
The concert comes amid a Palestinian campaign to get international artists to boycott Israel. The Pixies and Elvis Costello, among others, have canceled concerts in Israel following pressure from pro-Palestinian groups.
“I believe you should entertain wherever you are asked to entertain, whether it is Israel, whether it is Palestine, whether it is Lebanon, where ever it is, we go,” Williams said in Ramallah.
“At the end of the day, politics is one thing and entertainment is another thing and when I got into the entertainment business I didn’t get into it for politics. I got into it to make people happy,” she said.
Mary’s Boy Child (Boney M)
Mary’s boy child Jesus Christ was born on Christmas Day.
And man will live for evermore because of Christmas Day.
Long time ago in Bethlehem so the Holy Bible said
Mary’s boy child Jesus Christ was born on Christmas Day.
Bummer. Rondstat did a great version of it.
Adios to Elvis Costello’s music for me, I am boycotting his boycott of Israel and ask others to do the same.
Idiot muslims!! Incapable of living in the 22nd century.
Very selective of the pali’s because “rasputin” glorifies despotism
and “ma baker” gangsterdom, both are in line with islamic interests
rather than the words of Psalm 137 “when we remembered Zion”.
too close to Zionism, right?
Or “let the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart be acceptable in thy sight” (Ps 19) which are not really in line with the
palestinian objectives (war-talk and devising evil)
It certainly shows how spiritually constructive islam really is.
The fakestinians are such hypocrites, the world is supposed to by an illegitimate entity like the fakestinians but they censor a legitimate entity like Jerusalem or the land of Israel-Zion. God forbid the truth be front & center, even at a concert.
Here are the lyrics and “HOLY HOG” I’m with you.
Boney M. Rivers Of Babylon Lyrics
Songwriters: Farian, F;Reyam, G;Dowe, Brent;Macnaughton, James
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 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
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 that ???)
When we remember Zion. (Ooh, have the power)
This really goes to show how people will let themselves be intimidated. If Boney M had any guts they would of done 1 of 2 things.
1. UP yours and sing the song as hard as they could or
2. Boycott the pricks and say ‘we would of liked to sing to you lot but trying to censor us you can got and get F*****D!!!!!’ and for added measure say LONG LIVE ISRAEL…………..
Boney M. Rivers Of Babylon the best.