Boney M, the popular disco group was stopped by crowds as they sing one of their greatest hits.
Boney M is the 1970s iconic disco group that wowed Ramallah this week. However, the local music festival stopped the group from completing their performance by not letting them to sing one its greatest hits.
Maizie Williams, the lead singer of the band was told by the Palestinian concert coordinators not to sing “Rivers of Babylon.” The music’s chorus part was from the Book of Psalms, indicating the deported Jewish community’s longing to go back to the biblical soil of Israel.
Palestinians often inquire to the Jewish historical relationship with the Holy Land. Event organizers stated they asked the band to omit the song, which they called “inappropriate.”
Williams exclaimed that she does not know whether the song is against the audience’s political persuasions. However, the people asked them not to do it and they are somewhat frustrated that the people do not want them to sing it. Williams also added that people in places where they perform, love the song.
The group performed their other hits such as Rasputin, Daddy Cool, and Ma Baker before hundreds of loyal fans. Monday was the start of the Palestinian International Festival and will go on until Saturday, inviting international presentations to Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, and West Bank city of Ramallah.
The concert took place in the middle of a Palestinian movement urging international artists to stay away from Israel. Among others, Pixies and Elvis Costello have withdrawn their concerts in Israel because of pressure from different Palestinians organizations.
In Ramallah, Williams said that she believes they should perform wherever they were asked to entertain, regardless of what place or country they are in.
She also added that politics is politics and it should not interfere with the entertainment business. Boney M simply wants to make their fans happy and there is no intention on heating up a political conflict with anyone.