Dem Bones

Dem Bones, Dry Bones or Dem Dry Bones is a well-known traditional spiritual song, used to teach basic anatomy to children. 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 abridgment of the first. The lyrics are based on Ezekiel 37:1-14, where the prophet visits the Valley of Dry Bones^[1] and prophesies that they will become alive by God's command.

The song

Chorus

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.

Verses

Toe bone connected to the foot bone

Foot bone connected to the leg bone

Leg bone connected to the knee bone...

Artists

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

• The Delta Rhythm Boys
• Deep River Boys Featuring Harry Douglas with Pete Brown's Orchestra (Recorded in Oslo on August 23, 1956 and released on the 78 rpm record HMV AL 6019)
• Fats Waller
• The Four Lads
• The Lennon Sisters
• Mills Brothers
• Shirley Caesar
• Rosemary Clooney
• The Kingsmen
• The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
• The Wiggles

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 titular operation, sings the song in an effort to refresh his memory. He bungles the lyrics and ends up singing "the red thing's connected to my wristwatch" upon realizing that his watch had caught on something in Homer's chest.
• Bob Barner based a children's book of anatomy on this song.^[2]
• In the musical Li'l Abner, the political satire song "The Country is in The Very Best of Hands" contains a long passage which references this song, rewritten to be about politicians sitting around on their "thigh bones." It contains lines like "the nominee's connected to the treasury."

See also

• Ezekiel Saw the Wheel

References

1. ^ "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
2. ^ "Bob Barner" Contemporary Authors Online, Gale, 2005. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale. 2005. retrieved 5 December 2005