Help me find this tune!

October 20, 2008 8:30 PM

I'm trying to find an African song sung in English that I saw on a Marley documentary.

So I went to see the British documentary "Exodus 77" the other night, and was struck by this song they played a few times throughout. Its a woman singing, with maybe just a guitar. The only lyrics I remember were the chorus, and went something like "then the white man come, and he carry I away, to a foreign land..."

Just throwing this out there in case anybody has an idea what this song is or where it came from.

Thanks!

posted by osloheart to Media & Arts (4 answers total)

Sounds like Rivers of Babylon, originally recorded by The Melodians, used on the soundtrack to The Harder They Come. The lyrics are based on Psalm 137 from the bible. It's been covered a bunch of times.
posted by Etaoin Shrdlu at 1:50 AM on October 21, 2008

Response by poster: Aww thanks but thats not it..
posted by osloheart at 10:15 AM on October 21, 2008

Old pirates, yes, they rob I;
Sold I to the merchant ships,

from Bob Marley:Redemption Song
posted by Dr.Pill at 4:58 PM on October 21, 2008

Response by poster: nope its none of these. it was just a woman, singing a capella, and i know for sure it wasnt redemption song. ah well, i will just have to try to track it down
posted by osloheart at 11:09 PM on November 22, 2008