The group took off after being signed to Capitol Records in 1952 at the insistence of high profile fan, Stan Kenton. They remained popular throughout the 50s and early 60s, releasing a wide array of successful albums, movie and television appearances and performing countless sold-out concerts. The band eventually lost mainstream attention with the emergence of the British pop bands of the 1960s, even though they managed to stay together even after the retirement of final original member Bob Flanigan in 1992.
As of 2001, the Freshmen have been composed of Bob Ferreira, Brian Eichenberger, Curtis Calderon, and Vince Johnson. Although the new lineup of the Four Freshmen have continued the legendary vocal tradition of the original band and perform many of the same standards, the current sound has more of a lounge sound rather than focusing primarily upon harmonies. This modernized sound has proven quite successful, as the group won Down Beat magazine's reader's poll award for Vocal Group of the Year in 2000, proving the quartet's prominence in the jazz world today.
Dry Bones
The Four Freshmen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ezekiel connected them bones, them dry bones
Ezekiel connected them bones, them dry bones
I hear the word of the Lord
Your toe bone connected to your foot bone
Your foot bone connected to your ankle bone
Your ankle bone connected to your leg bone
Your knee bone connected to your thigh bone
Your thigh bone connected to your hip bone
Your hip bone connected to your back bone
Your back bone connected to your shoulder bone
Your shoulder bone connected to your neck bone
Your neck bone connected to your head bone
I hear the word of the Lord
Them bones, them bones gonna walk around
Them bones, them bones gonna walk around
Them bones, them bones gonna walk around
I hear the word of the Lord
Disconnect them bones, them dry bones
Disconnect them bones, them dry bones
Disconnect them bones, them dry bones
I hear the word of the Lord
Your head bone connected from your neck bone
Your neck bone connected from your shoulder bone
Your shoulder bone connected from your back bone
Your back bone connected from your hip bone
Your hip bone connected from your thigh bone
Your thigh bone connected from your leg bone
Your leg bone connected from your ankle bone
Your ankle bone connected from your foot bone
Your foot bone connected from your toe bone
I hear the word of the Lord
I hear the word of the Lord
The lyrics, "Ezekiel connected them bones, them dry bones," come from the popular African American spiritual, "Dem Bones" (also known as "Dry Bones"). The song refers to a story in the Old Testament book of Ezekiel, in which God brings Ezekiel to a valley filled with dry, dead bones, and commands him to prophesy over them, causing them to come to life and join together into complete skeletons.
The act of connecting the bones serves as a metaphor for the restoration of the nation of Israel, which had been destroyed by the Babylonians. The lyrics go on to describe how the various bones in the body are connected to each other, alluding to the idea that we are all part of one interconnected whole, much like the restored nation of Israel.
The repetition of the phrase "I hear the word of the Lord" emphasizes the spiritual or prophetic nature of the song, and suggests that the singer is receiving a message or divine inspiration.
Overall, the song is a celebration of life and the power of the divine to bring new life to that which was once dead.
Line by Line Meaning
Ezekiel connected them bones, them dry bones
Ezekiel miraculously joined these disconnected, parched bones
I hear the word of the Lord
I am listening to God's message
Your toe bone connected to your foot bone
Your smallest toe joint links to your foot structure
Your foot bone connected to your ankle bone
The ankle joint connects to the bones in your foot
Them bones, them bones gonna walk around
These bones will come to life and start moving
Disconnect them bones, them dry bones
Disassemble these bones that lie motionless
Your head bone connected from your neck bone
Your skull is connected to the rest of your skeleton through the neck
I hear the word of the Lord
I am still listening to God's message
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, PETER PAN MUSIC PUBLISHING, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bill (usa) Black, Traditional, Pd Traditional
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@s111333777
3/17/2021.Still listening and i love it.
Ezekiel cried dem dry bones
Ezekiel cried dem dry bones
Ezekiel cried dem dry bones
Now I hear the word of the Lord
Ezekiel connected dem dry bones
Ezekiel connected dem dry bones
Ezekiel connected dem dry bones
Now I hear the word of the Lord
Well, your toe bone connected to your foot bone
Your foot bone connected to your heel bone
Your heel bone connected to your ankle bone
Your ankle bone connected to your leg bone
Your leg bone connected to your knee bone
Your knee bone connected to your thigh bone
Your thigh bone connected to your hip bone
Your hip bone connected to your back bone
Your back bone connected to your shoulder bone
Your shoulder bone connected to your neck bone
Your neck bone connected to your head bone
I hear the word of the Lord!
A dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around
A dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk around
A dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk around
I hear the word of the Lord!
Disconnect dem bones, dem dry bones
Disconnect dem bones, dem dry bones
Disconnect dem bones, dem dry bones
I hear the word of the Lord
Well, your head bone connected from your neck bone
Your neck bone connected from your shoulder bone
Your shoulder bone connected from your back bone
Your back bone connected from your hip bone
Your hip bone connected from your thigh bone
Your thigh bone connected from your knee bone
Your knee bone connected from your leg bone
Your leg bone connected from your ankle bone
Your ankle bone connected from your heel bone
Your heel bone connected from your foot bone
Your foot bone connected from your toe bone
I hear the word of the Lord, oh well
A dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones
A dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones
A dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones
I hear the word of the Lord, mmh
A dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones
A dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones
A dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones
Now I hear the word of the Lord
@buckylove6918
My dad is the one on the far right. He said they weren't allowed to do all of their songs that night because some were deemed "unsuitable for white audiences". I remember the whole quartet came over one Thanksgiving and sang several songs on the porch. The entire neighborhood ended up coming out to listen. It was a magical evening that I'll never forget.
@synergymedia2009
Bucky Love, what was your father’s name?
@charliedicanio3063
I am a huge fan of this group and music of this era born in the late nineties i dont like todays music
@charliedicanio3063
I got the album features qnd favorites of the delta rhythm boys on 45RPM this past christmas, its a good album.
@wolfedelasandia3109
That's so messed up! I wish we could change history. Glad they had a magical moment on Thanksgiving. They're really good!
@illuminaticake4528
@@synergymedia2009 the one on the far right is lee gaines
@TucsonRo
I had heard many different versions of Dry Bones, but IMHO, these guys are the ONLY ones who can really carry it off!
@tjh7591
That's my Dad the second from the left. They couldn't express more emotion because in that day they were under strict direction on what a black group could and could not do. Love the song though!
@PeeWeeEssex
T Henderson, they were/are awesome! I love them, and I have to hear more. So special that you have such nice video and audio of your dad. 🥰
@PeeWeeEssex
What year was this video made?