The 282 laws of King Hammurabi inscribed on an eight-foot-tall stone pillar from ancient Babylon (now on display at the Louvre) remind us that juvenile delinquency, generational conflicts, and arguments with neighbors were problems then, as now. The punishments, however, have changed a bit, thankfully. The stele, discovered in an excavation in 1901, features the image of King Hammurabi standing before the sun god Shamash. The code reflects the social stratification of ancient Babylon: punishments differed according to social class, gender, wealth, and so on. The musical setting was inspired by Prince Buster’s “Judge Dread,” a courtroom drama-on-record that warned Jamaica’s rude boys of the 1960’s to stop terrorizing the neighborhood. Asheville School alumnus Noah Francis voices all the parts--bailiff, judge and criminals.
lyrics
All rise! Order!
Judge: First allow me to introduce myself
My name is Judge Lex Talionis
Some people call me Judge Dread
Also known as Judge Stele Eyes, Judge Babylon, Judge Throw-Him-In-The-Tigris
Remember, without the rule of law, there is no civilization in the nation!
Rude Boy Number One!
Rude Boy #1: Yes sir!
Judge: You have been charged with knocking out the teeth of your friend during a drunken brawl. How do you plead?
Rude Boy #1: Not guilty, sir
Judge: Nevertheless, I sentence you according to Hammurabi’s Law Number 200: Your teeth shall be knocked out!
Rude Boy #1: Noooo!
Judge: Take him away!
Rude Boy Number Two!
Rude Boy #2: Present!
Judge: You have been accused of stealing your neighbor’s shadoof. Guilty or not guilty?
Rude Boy #2: Not guilty, sir.
Judge: I believe your neighbor. According to Hammurabi’s Law Number 260, you must pay 300 dollars.
Rude Boy #2: I can’t afford that, I don’t even have a shekel…
Judge: Silence! Take him away!
Rude Boy Number Three!
Rude Boy #3: Yes sir!
Judge: You have been charged with striking your father. How do you plead?
Rude Boy #3: He hit me first, sir.
Judge: Hush up! According to Hammurabi’s Law Number 195, your hand shall be chopped off!
