Rivers of Babylon

• By: The Melodians

Lyrics:

Vocabulary in this song:

Vocabulary	Meanings
rivers /ˈrɪvərz/ A1	noun - large natural stream of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another such stream.
Babylon /ˈbæbɪlɒn/ B1	noun - an ancient city in Mesopotamia
wept /wɛpt/ B1	verb - shed tears; cry
remembered /rɪˈmɛmbərd/ A2	verb - recalled from memory
Zion /ˈzaɪən/ B2	noun - a hill in Jerusalem; often used as a symbol of Judaism or the Jewish people.
wicked /ˈwɪkɪd/ B1	adjective - evil or morally wrong
carried /ˈkærid/ A2	verb - transported or conveyed
captivity /kæpˈtɪvɪti/ B2	noun - the state of being imprisoned or confined
required /rɪˈkwaɪərd/ B1	verb - needed or demanded
sing /sɪŋ/ A1	verb - to make musical sounds with the voice
strange /streɪndʒ/ A2	adjective - unfamiliar or unusual
land /lænd/ A1	noun - the part of the earth's surface that is not permanently covered by water
words /wɜːrdz/ A1	noun - units of language
mouth /maʊθ/ A1	noun - the opening in the face through which food is taken in and vocal sounds are emitted
meditation /ˌmɛdɪˈteɪʃən/ C1	noun - the act of focusing one's mind for a period of time
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - the organ that pumps blood through the body
acceptable /əkˈsɛptəbəl/ B2	adjective - able to be tolerated or allowed
sight /saɪt/ A2	noun - the ability to see

Grammar:

• By the rivers of Babylon Where he sat down

  ➔ Relative Clause with implied antecedent. The complete phrase would be 'By the rivers of Babylon WHERE he sat down'. Here 'Where' introduces a relative clause modifying the rivers of Babylon.

  ➔ The word "where" connects to the preceding location, Babylon, implicitly.

• And there he wept When he remembered Zion

  ➔ Adverbial Clause of Time introduced by "When". 'When he remembered Zion' is an adverbial clause modifying the verb 'wept'.

  ➔ "When" indicates the timing of the weeping; it happened at the moment of remembering Zion.

• Cause, the wicked carried us away in captivity

  ➔ Past Simple Tense - "carried". Used to describe a completed action in the past. The use of 'Cause' (Because) introducing a reason or explanation.

  ➔ "Carried" indicates the act of taking them into captivity happened and finished in the past.

• Required from us a song

  ➔ Passive Voice with an Inverted Word Order: The standard form would be 'A song was required from us.' The inversion emphasizes 'required'.

  ➔ The standard sentence would be 'A song was required from us'. The actual usage shifts the focus to emphasize the act of requiring.

• How can we sing King Alpha's song In a strange land?

  ➔ Modal verb 'can' expressing ability, in an interrogative sentence. 'King Alpha's song' uses the possessive 's' to indicate ownership.

  ➔ The question conveys not just the inability, but also the inappropriateness or difficulty of singing their sacred song in a foreign context.

• So let the words of our mouth And the meditation of our heart Be acceptable in Thy sight Oh, verai!

  ➔ Imperative Mood with 'let', expressing a wish or prayer. "Thy" is an archaic form of "your", used in religious contexts. The sentence also utilizes a series of parallel structures: 'the words of our mouth' and 'the meditation of our heart.'

  ➔ The use of 'let' here is similar to 'may it be', expressing a desire or hope for something to happen. 'Thy sight' means 'in your presence' or 'acceptable to you'.