The band began as a ska group but quickly transcended the genre, mixing punk, reggae, rock, swing and jazz influences. They sing in both French and English, sometimes mixing the two in songs. Their third album, Dances of Resistance, was recorded in 2003 and largely has an anti-war theme. In 2009 they launched their latest album La Belle Étoile. Since then they are still on tour all over the world, from their own country France to other countries in Europe, but also to foreign places like Abu Dhabi and New Zealand.
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Babylon Requiem
Babylon Circus Lyrics
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Je prie Mahomet
Je prie le Bouda,
Et je prie Yahvé
Je prie l'éternel
Et je prie Allah
Je prie l'infini
Je prie, je médite
Je fais Mardi gras
Je fais le shabbat
Je suis la charia
Je prie Confucius
Je lis saint thomas
Je prie dans la bible
Et dans la Torah
Does anybody know
Anybody
Does anybody know
What's best for me
Je prie les Dieux grecs
Les dieux égyptiens
Je prie vers la Mecque
Je prie en latin
Je prie apollon
Je prie Athéna
Et le Parthénon
Le Walhalla
Je prie le vaudou
Je prie les fétiches
Je prie les poupées
Je prie les postiches
Je prie les esprits
Je prie dans la brume
Je prie les zombies
Le serpent à plumes
Je prie la fortune
Et Robin des bois
Je prie l'ASSEDIC
À la fin du mois
Je prie l'UNESCO
Je prie l'ONU
Je prie tous les mots
Je prie dans la rue
Je prie pour l'Afrique
Et pour le Pérou
Je prie pour du fric
Pour tous et partout
Je prie la matière
Et les éléments
Je prie la poussière
Et les fleurs des champs
The lyrics of Babylon Requiem by Babylon Circus are a plea for universal unity and tolerance. The singer expresses his faith in various religions and belief systems, praying to Jesus Christ, Mahomet, Buddha, Yahvé, Allah, and other deities. He acknowledges the diversity of human spiritual practices, by listing traditional rituals from different cultures, such as Mardi Gras, Shabbat, and the charia. Furthermore, the prayer encompasses the full range of cosmic and earthly forces, from the infinite and eternal to the finite and material. The refrain "Does anybody know what's best for me?" suggests that the worshipper is searching for guidance and enlightenment, and that he is open to receive it from any source.
The choice of words and references in Babylon Requiem reinforces the idea that spirituality is a personal and multifaceted experience, which cannot be confined to any single societal or dogmatic framework. The song title itself, "Babylon Requiem", alludes to the ancient city that symbolizes the confusion and strife caused by the imposition of a single culture or ideology over the others. The lyrics are not only a call for coexistence and peace, but also a critique of the narrow-mindedness and intolerance that still exist in contemporary religious practices.
Line by Line Meaning
Je prie Jésus-Christ
I pray to Jesus Christ
Je prie Mahomet
I pray to Mohammed
Je prie le Bouda,
I pray to Buddha
Et je prie Yahvé
And I pray to Yahweh
Je prie l’éternel
I pray to the eternal
Et je prie Allah
And I pray to Allah
Je prie l’infini
I pray to the infinite
Et le nirvana
And to the Nirvana
Je prie, je médite
I pray, I meditate
Je fais Mardi gras
I celebrate Mardi Gras
Je fais le shabbat
I celebrate the Sabbath
Je suis la charia
I follow the Shariah law
Je prie Confucius
I pray to Confucius
Je lis saint thomas
I read Saint Thomas
Je prie dans la bible
I pray in the Bible
Et dans la Torah
And in the Torah
Does anybody know
Does anybody know
Anybody
Anybody
Does anybody know
Does anybody know
What’s best for me
What is best for me
Je prie les Dieux grecs
I pray to the Greek gods
Les dieux égyptiens
The Egyptian gods
Je prie vers la Mecque
I pray towards Mecca
Je prie en latin
I pray in Latin
Je prie apollon
I pray to Apollo
Je prie Athéna
I pray to Athena
Et le Parthénon
And the Parthenon
Le Walhalla
The Walhalla
Je prie le vaudou
I pray to voodoo
Je prie les fétiches
I pray to fetishes
Je prie les poupées
I pray to dolls
Je prie les postiches
I pray for toupees
Je prie les esprits
I pray to spirits
Je prie dans la brume
I pray in the mist
Je prie les zombies
I pray to zombies
Le serpent à plumes
The feathered serpent
Je prie la fortune
I pray for fortune
Et Robin des bois
And Robin Hood
Je prie l’ASSEDIC
I pray for unemployment benefits
À la fin du mois
At the end of the month
Je prie l’UNESCO
I pray for UNESCO
Je prie l’ONU
I pray for UN
Je prie tous les mots
I pray for all the words
Je prie dans la rue
I pray in the street
Je prie pour l’Afrique
I pray for Africa
Et pour le Pérou
And for Peru
Je prie pour du fric
I pray for money
Pour tous et partout
For everyone and everywhere
Je prie la matière
I pray for matter
Et les éléments
And the elements
Je prie la poussière
I pray for dust
Et les fleurs des champs
And the wildflowers
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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