There are at least two artists using the name Don Carlos:

1) Italian… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two artists using the name Don Carlos:

1) Italian deep house producer and DJ Carlo Troja
2) Jamaican reggae singer and composer

1) Carlo Troja aka Don Carlos hails from Varese, in the North of Italy, and is active as a DJ from the late 70's.

He debuted as a producer towards the end of the 80's with the single 'Alone' on Calypso Records (Irma), which became one of the cult tracks of the international Deep House scene. His productions have always mixed House rhythms with afro-american jazz sounds, verging sometime towards disco, sometime towards progressive house or electronic soul.

In 1992 IRMA USA released his first album 'Mediterraneo', followed in 1993 by the Montego Bay project, produced together with Stefano Tirone (S-Tone Inc.), also on IRMA. He then released some singles on the Chicago based label Guidance under the Aquanauts moniker. He also reached the UK charts with the hit 'You Make Me Feel', sung by Byron Stingley, cover of the cult song by Sylvester.

In 2000 he released a single on Erik Morillo's Subliminal Soul label and played highly acclaimed gigs at Ministry of Sound and Turnmills in London. In 2002 he released his third album 'Music in My Mind' featuring top guest vocalists like Kim Mazelle, Michelle Weeks, Taka Boom and Kevin Bryant.

Following two mixed compilations ('Cafe De Paris Saint Tropez' and 'DJ Set') in 2004 IRMA released a collection of his 90's productions titled 'Mediterraneo', like his debut US album.

After that a serious car accident kept him away from clubs and recording studio for several months. Finally back in shape he released his fourth album 'The Cool Deep', 8 years since the previous one, which includes all the unreleased material produced during this time.

2) Don Carlos (born Euvin Spencer) was born and raised in one of the most deprived regions of Western Kingston, Jamaica, in a district known as Waterhouse. It was also a musical spawning ground for many of Reggae's greatest talents, such as King Tubby, The Jays, Junior Reid and King Jammy. Don Carlos started his singing career in 1973, as one of the original members of the roots vocal group Black Uhuru.

Alongside other founding members, Don played a prominent role in the recordings of the highly acclaimed Love Crisis album for producer Prince Jammy in 1977. The album was later re-released and re-titled as Black Sounds of Freedom. A year after the trio's ground breaking debut, Don Carlos surprisingly decided to part company in pursuit of a solo career. Having needed at least three years to get the grips of being a soloist, plus developing a knack for song writing and grooming that distinctive, vocal styling it wasn't until May 1981 that Carlos really took the fraternity by storm, courtesy of a heavy, roots and culture flavored show case album Suffering for Negus Roots.

Since then, working alongside Goldie, his side kick, co-writer and back-up vocalist, having built and consolidated a staunch following through touring the live circuit--plus 12 solo albums--there has been no turning back.

Artist website: http://www.doncarlosreggae.com/

Rivers of Babylon
Don Carlos Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

By the rivers of Babylon
Where we sat down
And there we wept
When we remembered Zion
But the wicked carried us away in captivity
Required from us a song
How can we sing King Alpha's song
In a strange land?

Words of our mouth
And the meditations of our heart
Be acceptable in Thy sight
Oh, verai!
But the wicked carried us away in captivity
Required from us a song

How can we sing King Alpha's song
In a strange land?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Don Carlos's rendition of "Rivers of Babylon" are clearly inspired by the Psalm 137, which describes the Babylonian exile of the Israelites. The psalm begins with the famous line, "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion." In the same vein, Don Carlos starts by repeating this line, adding extra emphasis to the sorrowful sentiment. The verses go on to describe how the Israelites were taken captive by the wicked Babylonians and forced to sing songs of King Alpha in a foreign land. The lyrics express a deep sense of longing for their homeland, and a hope that their prayers and meditations will somehow make it back to the ears of their God.

Moreover, the song expresses the theme of exile and oppression that is elevated in reggae music, and "Rivers of Babylon" became a popular Rastafarian hymn. Rastafarianism emerged in Jamaica in the 1930s and was heavily influenced by Marcus Garvey, a Jamaican political leader who advocated for the repatriation of black people to Africa, their ancestral homeland. The Rastafarian movement elevated the theme of exile and oppression to represent the plight of black people around the world, hoping to return one day to their homeland in Africa. Thus, interpreting the lyrics of the song requires an understanding of the cultural and historical context from which it emerged.

Line by Line Meaning

By the rivers of Babylon
In a place far from our homeland, near a river in Babylon

Where we sat down
We sat down in sorrow and defeat

And there we wept
And we cried tears of sadness and homesickness

When we remembered Zion
When we thought of our beloved homeland, Zion

But the wicked carried us away in captivity
But those who were cruel and unjust took us as prisoners

Required from us a song
They demanded that we sing for them

How can we sing King Alpha's song
How can we sing about our revered King Alpha

In a strange land?
While we are trapped in an unfamiliar and unwelcoming place?

Words of our mouth
May the words that we speak

And the meditations of our heart
And the thoughts that we keep in our hearts

Be acceptable in Thy sight
Be pleasing to You, God