Water Song Of The Week - Louisiana 1927 - Randy Newman

The flood of emotion in this song makes you feel for Louisiana, especially now ...

Randy Newman, long known for his satirical songs and long list of awards, used direct water reference to make us feel ever so deeply. Although this song speaks of a big flood in 1927 it became an anthem after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The lyrics - especially, “Loo-eez-ee-ann-a, they’re tryin’ to wash us away."are so simple and poignant.

Now, with the advent of the BP Gusher, one needs to wonder, will we stand up for Louisiana and demand the Gulf region be cleaned up and healed.

Louisiana suffered enough.

Water Song Of The Week - Rivers Of Babylon - The Melodians

How great is that? ... Water referenced in the most famous of the early Reggae tunes.

"Rivers of Babylon" by The Melodians - and often covered by other groups - like the disco group Boney M - was and is currently recognized as an international song of freedom that became an anthem of the entire Rastafarian movement.

Some of you may hear the Psalm 137 - which references both the Rivers of Babylon and Zion

According to Trevor McNaughton, co-founder of The Melodians, they came up with the tune because ...

"Sometimes they get down and there's something to build you up, a prayer to remember about so you would go back and play by the Rivers of Babylon."

For a deeper look into the who, what and why of The Melodians ...

From Wikipedia ...

The Melodians were a reggae band formed in the Greenwich Town area of Kingston, Jamaica in 1965, by Tony Brevett (brother of The Skatalites bassist, Lloyd Brevett), Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton. Renford Cogle assisted with writing and arranging material.In 1966 The Melodians made their recording debut with Coxsone Dodd's Studio One label with the releases "Lay It On" "Meet Me", "I Should Have Made It Up" and "Let's Join Hands (Together)." From 1967 to 1968 they had a number of hits on Duke Reid's Treasure Isle label, including "You Have Caught Me", "Expo 67", "I'll Get Along Without You", and "You Don't Need Me." After recording "Swing and Dine" for record producer Sonia Pottinger, they recorded their biggest hit, "Rivers of Babylon" for Leslie Kong. This song became an anthem of the Rastafarian movement, and was featured on the soundtrack for the movie, The Harder They Come. After Kong's death in 1971, they recorded for Lee Perry and Byron Lee's Dynamic Studios. In 1973, Brent Dowe left the group for a solo career. The group reformed briefly a few years later, and again in the early 1980s.

Now for all you Boney M disco puppets ... WaterMan doesn't want to let you down ... just sayin' ...

I like The Melodians better.

UPDATE: But, Boney M does a good job - makes me wanna dance - now!