For the song by Alice in Chains, see Them Bones.
Not to be confused with "Dry Bones", a similar folk song.
"Dem Bones" (also called "Dry Bones" and "Dem Dry Bones") is a spiritual song. The melody was composed by author and songwriter James Weldon Johnson (1871–1938) and his brother, J. Rosamond Johnson. First recorded by The Famous Myers Jubilee Singers in 1928. Both a long and a shortened version of the song are widely known. The lyrics are inspired by Ezekiel 37:1–14, where the prophet Ezekiel visits the "Valley of Dry Bones" and prophesies that they will one day be resurrected at God's command, picturing the realization of the New Jerusalem.
The song
The chorus and verses are noted for many variations among performers, but fall into the following style. The second verse reverses the first in a pattern similar to:
- The neck bone (dis)connected from the head bone
- … etc…
- Ezekiel connected dem dry bones,
- Ezekiel connected dem dry bones,
- Ezekiel in the Valley of Dry Bones,
- Now hear the word of the Lord.
- Toe bone connected to the foot bone
- Foot bone connected to the heel bone
- Heel bone connected to the ankle bone
- Ankle bone connected to the shin bone
- Shin bone connected to the knee bone
- Knee bone connected to the thigh bone
- Thigh bone connected to the hip bone
- Hip bone connected to the back bone
- Back bone connected to the shoulder bone
- Shoulder bone connected to the neck bone
- Neck bone connected to the head bone
- Now hear the word of the Lord.
- Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around.
- Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around.
- Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around.
- Now hear the word of the Lord.
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- Ezekiel disconnected dem dry bones,
- Ezekiel disconnected dem dry bones,
- Ezekiel in the Valley of Dry Bones,
- Now hear the word of the Lord.
- Head bone (dis)connected from the neck bone
- Neck bone connected from the shoulder bone
- Shoulder bone connected from the back bone
- Back bone connected from the hip bone
- Hip bone connected from the thigh bone
- Thigh bone connected from the knee bone
- Knee bone connected from the shin bone
- Shin bone connected from the ankle bone
- Ankle bone connected from the heel bone
- Heel bone connected from the foot bone
- Foot bone connected from the toe bone
- Now hear the word of the Lord.
- Dem bones, dem bones gonna rise again.
- Dem bones, dem bones gonna rise again.
- Dem bones, dem bones gonna rise again.
- Now hear the word of the Lord.
- 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.
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Artists
Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians recorded the song on 30 April 1947 and released it on the 78 rpm record Decca 23948. The Delta Rhythm Boys recorded it in 1950 under the name "Dry Bones".
A recording of the song by the Canadian vocal group The Four Lads was featured prominently in "Fall Out", the final episode of the 1967-68 science fiction series, The Prisoner. The song is also performed at several points in the episode, most notably when the character of Number 48 spontaneously begins to lip sync to the recording in order to disrupt a ceremony involving the show's protagonist, Number 6. Later, several characters are shown dancing to the same recording.
Fred Gwynne performs a solo version, accompanying himself on guitar, in a 1965 episode of the Munsters: "Will Success Spoil Herman Munster".
