Friday Night Is Music Night - Babylon Is Fallen

The late, great Dave Brady and Swan Arcade




Hail the day so long expected, hail the day of full release
Zion's walls are now erected, and her watchmen promise peace
Throughout England's wide dominion, shrill the trumpets loudly roar:
Babylon is fallen, is fallen, is fallen.
Babylon is fallen, to rise no more.

All her merchants stand with wonder, what is this has come to pass
Murmuring like a distant thunder, crying O alas, alas.
Swell the sound ye kings and nobles, priest and people rich and poor.
Babylon is fallen, is fallen, is fallen.
Babylon is fallen, to rise no more.

Blow the trumpet in Mount Zion, Christ shall come a second time
Ruling with a rod of iron, all who now as foes combine.
Babel's garments we've rejected and our fellowship is sure.
Babylon is fallen, is fallen, is fallen.
Babylon is fallen, to rise no more.

Tune your harps ye heavenly choirs, shout ye followers of the lamb.
See the city all on fire. Clap your hands and swell the flame.
Now's the day of compensation. Hope of mercy now is o'er.
Babylon is fallen, is fallen, is fallen.
Babylon is fallen, to rise no more.



I've also chucked on Down In The Valley To Pray, an American traditional hymn given a terrific shoeing by the band. Knocks Alison Krauss into a cocked hat - which is not an easy thing to do unless she's in the right mood.


This next one I feel a bit guilty about - as Alan Stivell's 'Reflections' CD is still very much available on Amazon France - that's where I bought mine. Nonetheless some chap seems to have put the whole thing on Youtube - not good when harp-strings are not cheap and M. Stivell has bills to pay. Inshallah it'll get pulled soon - but until it does, for those who like the harp and that certain Breton je ne sais quoi, enjoy "Je Suis Ne Au Milieu De La Mer" aka "I was born beside the seaside" :



Moving forward forty-odd years - via my middle son, Sigur Ros.