By the Waters of Babylon

This short song is based on Psalm 137. It is slightly adapted from a more complex, 4-line hymn attributed to English organist Philip Hayes (1738–1797), which was first published page 105 in "The Muses Delight: Catches, Glees, Canzonets and Canons" (1786) edited by Hayes (ref).

More-recent settings have been recorded by artists including Don McLean and Australian Catholic folk/rock singer, Sr Janet Mead.

It can be treated as either a three-voice round, using only the first verse, or a three-verse song.

Downloads

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As a round

Lead sheet (melody + guitar chords)

PowerPoint slides

As a song

Lead sheet (melody + guitar chords)

PowerPoint slides

Examples

Singer, unaccompanied

Professional recording of the original Philip Hayes hymn

Singer, mixed as a round

Don McLean recording, with banjo

Individual singers, virtual choir mix with ukulele(s)

Lyrics

By the waters, the waters of Babylon,
We sat down and wept, and wept, for thee Zion.
We remember, we remember, we remember, thee Zion.

On the willows, the willows of Babylon,
We hung up our harps our harps, for thee Zion.
How can we sing, how can we sing, how can we sing of Zion,

There our captors, our captors from Babylon,
Tried to make us sing, and sing, of thee Zion.
We could not sing, we could not sing, we could not sing of Zion.

ABC Notation