Dem Bones, Dry Bones or Dem Dry Bones is a well-known traditional spiritual song, used allegedly to teach basic anatomy to children (although its description is not anatomically correct). The melody was written by African-American author and songwriter James Weldon Johnson (1871–1938). Two versions of this traditional song are used widely, the second an abridgement of the first. The lyrics are based on Ezekiel 37:1-14, where the prophet visits the Valley of Dry Bones^[1] and causes them to become alive by God's command.

Contents 1 The song 1.1 Chorus 1.2 Verses 2 Artists 3 References in popular culture 4 See also 5 References

[edit] The song

[edit] Chorus

The chorus of the song is as follows:

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.

[edit] Verses

followed by the verses:

Toe bone connected to the foot bone

Foot bone connected to the leg bone

Leg bone connected to the knee bone...

[edit] Artists

Over the years, the song has been played and recorded by many artists, including:

• The Delta Rhythm Boys
• Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians
• The Four Lads
• Mills Brothers
• Shirley Caesar
• Rosemary Clooney
• Kingsmen
• The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
• The Wiggles

[edit] References in popular culture

• The song is an integral part of "Fall Out," the final episode of British ITC spy series The Prisoner. It is performed on screen in one scene and heard on a car radio in another. This version is performed by The Four Lads, and titled "Dry Bones".
• The Kinks used the chorus on the song "Skin and Bone" on their 1971 album Muswell Hillbillies.
• Peter O'Toole sings the song in the 1972 film, The Ruling Class as a call-to-arms to the upper-classes to "bring back fear" by means of the breaking wheel.
• Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians sing a dance version in the 1986 BBC television serial, The Singing Detective.
• In The Simpsons episode, "Homer's Triple Bypass," Dr. Nick Riviera, stumped in the middle of the operation, sings the song in an effort to refresh his memory (although he bungles the lyrics and ends up singing "the red thing's connected to my wristwatch").
• Bob Barner based a children's book of anatomy on this song.^[2]

[edit] See also

• Ezekiel Saw the Wheel, a paraphrase of Ezekiel 1:15-21

[edit] References