Dem Bones

"Dem Bones" (also called "Dry Bones" and "Dem Dry Bones") is a spiritual. The melody was composed by author and songwriter James Weldon Johnson (1871–1938). Some sources also credit his brother, J Rosomond Johnson.^[1] First recorded by The Famous Myers Jubilee Singers in 1928. Both a long and a shortened version of the song are widely known. The lyrics are inspired by Ezekiel 37:1-14, where the prophet Ezekiel visits the "Valley of Dry Bones"^[2] and prophesies that they will one day be resurrected at God's command, picturing the national resurrection of Israel.

The song

The chorus and verses are noted for many variations among performers, but fall into the following style. The second verse reverses the first in a pattern similar to:

The neck bone (dis)connected from the head bone

… etc…

Intro 1: Ezekiel connected dem dry bones,; Ezekiel connected dem dry bones,; Ezekiel in the Valley of Dry Bones,; Now hear the word of the Lord.
Verse 1: Toe bone connected to the foot bone; Foot bone connected to the heel bone; Heel bone connected to the ankle bone; Ankle bone connected to the shin bone; Shin bone connected to the knee bone; Knee bone connected to the thigh bone; Thigh bone connected to the hip bone; Hip bone connected to the back bone; Back bone connected to the shoulder bone; Shoulder bone connected to the neck bone; Neck bone connected to the head bone; Now hear the word of the Lord.
Chorus: Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around.; Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around.; Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around.; Now hear the word of the Lord.

Intro 2: Ezekiel disconnected dem dry bones,; Ezekiel disconnected dem dry bones,; Ezekiel in the Valley of Dry Bones,; Now hear the word of the Lord.
Verse 2: Head bone (dis)connected from the neck bone; Neck bone connected from the shoulder bone; Shoulder bone connected from the back bone; Back bone connected from the hip bone; Hip bone connected from the thigh bone; Thigh bone connected from the knee bone; Knee bone connected from the shin bone; Shin bone connected from the ankle bone; Ankle bone connected from the heel bone; Heel bone connected from the foot bone; Foot bone connected from the toe bone; Now hear the word of the Lord.
Chorus: Dem bones, dem bones gonna rise again.; Dem bones, dem bones gonna rise again.; Dem bones, dem bones gonna rise again.; Now hear the word of the Lord.
Finale: Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones.; Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones.; Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones.; Now hear the word of the Lord.

Artists

Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians recorded the song on 30 April 1947 and released on the 78 rpm record Decca 23948.^[3]. It is used in the 1986 BBC television serial The Singing Detective.

References

↑ "Locust St". Retrieved 1 November 2014.
↑ "Dry Bones, Valley of," in Dictionary of Biblical Tradition in English Literature, David L. Jeffery, editor. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, November 1, 1992, pages 216-217, ISBN 0-8028-3634-8
↑ Entry for Decca 23948 on http://www.discogs.com (including image of disc label). Accessed 13 March 2012.

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[1] "Locust St". Retrieved 1 November 2014.

[Jeffrey-2] "Dry Bones, Valley of," in Dictionary of Biblical Tradition in English Literature, David L. Jeffery, editor. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, November 1, 1992, pages 216-217, ISBN 0-8028-3634-8

[3] Entry for Decca 23948 on http://www.discogs.com (including image of disc label). Accessed 13 March 2012.

Dem Bones

The song

Artists

See also

References