The Jamaica Observer’s Entertainment Desk concludes its month-long feature titled ‘Cover Me Good’. The series looked at songs covered by Jamaican artistes which became hits.

Rivers of Babylon by Jamaican rocksteady group The Melodians was a huge hit on local charts in 1970. Eight years later, it received a new lease on life, thanks to a massive cover by Euro-Caribbean group Boney M.

The quartet comprised Jamaican singers Marcia Barrett and Liz Mitchell, Maizie Williams from Montserrat, and Bobby Farrell from Aruba.

In an interview with the Jamaica Observer, Barrett, who resides in Europe, said she is a fan of the original version. It was Boney M producer, Frank Farian, who suggested that they record a cover.

“He produced it and it was released in 1978,” the St Catherine-born Barrett recalled. “I liked the original version of Rivers of Babylon and I found it quite moving. Our version allowed us the merit of being included in the Guinness Book of World Records.”

The Melodians’ Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton are credited as writers of Rivers of Babylon, though its lyrics are adapted from the texts of Psalms 19 and 137.

Their version appears on the soundtrack for the 1972 movie The Harder They Come, as well as the 1999 film Bringing Out the Dead and 2010’s Jack Goes Boating.

Boney M’s version remains one of the best-selling singles in the United Kingdom. Its video was shot at several locations, including the Dunn’s River Falls in St Ann.

“During that session, our fellow Jamaicans were very receptive and we, as well as our film crew, had a blast during our stay,” said Barrett.

Prior to Rivers of Babylon, Boney M had enjoyed worldwide success with Daddy Cool, Sunny, Ma Baker, Belfast and Baby Do You Wanna Bump. Their later hits were Brown Girl in The Ring, Mary’s Boy Child/Oh My Lord, Rasputin, I’m Born Again and El Lute.

Boney M’s Rivers of Babylon is from their album Nightflight to Venus. It was certified gold in the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Australia, Austria, Belgium, and South Africa.

The song was certified platinum in West Germany and multi-platinum in the United Kingdom.

By The Rivers of Babylon is the group’s highest entry in the United States, peaking at number 30.

The original members of Boney M split in 1990. Bobby Farrell died in 2010, while his colleagues continue to perform solo.

Barrett, who says she never gets tired of performing Rivers of Babylon, is still recording. In June, an expanded edition of her album Survival was released digitally, while a Christmas album titled Seasons will be released on December 15.