Phil Ochs - The Bells

the bells
music by phil ochs
lyrics by edgar allen poe

D G D
hear the sledges with the bells , silver bells ,
C D
what a world of merriment their melody foretells !
C Em A C Em A
how they tinkle , tinkle , tinkle in the icy air of night ,
C Em A C Em A
all the heavens seem to twinkle with a crystalline delight .
D Bm F#m A
keeping time , time , time with a sort of runic rhyme ,
D C D
from the tintinnabulation that so musically wells .
D G D A D G D
from the bells , bells , bells , bells , bells , bells , bells ,
G A D
from the jingling and the tinkling of the bells .

D G D
hear the mellow wedding bells , golden bells ,
C D
what a world of happiness their harmony foretells !
C Em A C Em A
through the balmy air of night , how they ring out their delight ,
C Em A C Em A
through the dances and the yells , and the rapture that impels .
D Bm F#m A
how it swells , how it dwells , on the future , how it tells ,
D C D
from the swinging and the ringing of the molten golden bells .
D G D A D G D
of the bells , bells , bells , bells , bells , bells , bells ,
G A D
of the rhyming and the chiming of the bells .

D G D
hear the loud alarum bells , brazen bells ,
C D
what a tale of terror now their turbulency tells !
C Em A C Em A
much too horrified to speak , oh , they can only shriek ,
C Em A C Em A
for all the ears to know , how the danger ebbs and flows .
D Bm F#m A
leaping higher , higher , higher with a desperate desire ,
D C D
in a clamorous appealing to the mercy of the fire .
D G D A D G D
with the bells , bells , bells , bells , bells , bells , bells ,
G A D
with the clamor and the clanging of the bells .

D G D
hear the tolling of the bells , iron bells ,
C D
what a world of solemn thought their monody compels !
C Em A C Em A
for all the sound that floats , from the rust within our throats ,
C Em A C Em A
and the people sit and groan in their muffled monotone .
D Bm F#m A
and the tolling , tolling , tolling feels a glory in the rolling ,
D C D
from the throbbing and the sobbing of the melancholy bells .
D G D A D G D
oh , the bells , bells , bells , bells , bells , bells , bells ,
G A D
oh , the moaning and the groaning of the bells .

D G D
hear the sledges with the bells , silver bells ,
C D
what a world of merriment their melody foretells !
C Em A C Em A
how they tinkle , tinkle , tinkle in the icy air of night ,
C Em A C Em A
all the heavens seem to twinkle with a crystalline delight .
D Bm F#m A
keeping time , time , time with a sort of runic rhyme ,
D C D
from the tintinnabulation that so musically wells .
D G D A D G D
from the bells , bells , bells , bells , bells , bells , bells ,
G A D
from the jingling and the tinkling of the bells .