The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #10091   Message #1060388
Posted By: Joe Offer
25-Nov-03 - 01:59 AM
Thread Name: Origin: Bells of Rhymney (Idris Davies/Pete Seeger
Subject: DTCorr: Bells of Rhymney
There is a rather noticeable mistake in the middle of the DT lyrics for "Bells of Rhymney." Here is the corrected text I submitted to the Digital Tradition. Did I make any mistakes?

BELLS OF RHYMNEY
(Idris Davies & Pete Seeger)

Oh what will you give me?
Say the sad bells of Rhymney
Is there hope for the future?
Cry the brown bells of Merthyr.
Who made the mine owner?
Say the black bells of Rhondda.
And who robbed the miner?
Cry the grim bells of Blaina.

They will plunder willy-nilly,
Cry the bells of Caerphilly.
They have fangs, they have teeth,
Say the loud bells of Neath.
Even God is uneasy,
Say the moist bells of Swansea.
And what will you give me?
Say the sad bells of Rhymney

Put the vandals in court
Say the bells of Newport.
All would be well if, if, if,
Cry the green bells of Cardiff.
Why so worried, sisters, why?
Sang the silver bells of Wye.
And what will you give me?
Say the sad bells of Rhymney.


Lyrics from "Gwalia Deserta" by Welsh poet Idris Davies, who lived in Tonypandy in the Rhondda Valley the heart of the coalfields of South Wales. The poem was written in about 1927, and published in 1938. Tune by Pete Seeger, 1959.
Copyright Ludlow Music, 1959.

Source: "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" - a book by Pete Seeger.

@Welsh
recorded by Ian Campbell Folk Group
filename[ BELLRHYM
TUNE FILE: BELLRHYM
CLICK TO PLAY
SOF


Here are the DT lyrics, still incorrect in 2019:


BELLS OF RHYMNEY (DT Lyrics)

Oh what will you give me
Say the sad bells of Rhymney
Is there hope for the future
Cry the brown bells of Merthyr
Who made the mine owner
Say the black bells of Rhondda
And who robbed the miner
Cry the grim bells of Blaina

They will plunder willy-nilly
Cry the bells of Caerphilly
They have fangs, they have teeth
Say the loud bells of Neath
Even God is uneasy
Say the moist bells of Swansea
They will plunder willy-nilly
Say the bells of Caerphilly

Put the vandals in court
Say the bells of Newport
All would be well if, if, if
Cry the green bells of Cardiff
Why so worried, sisters, why
Sang the silver bells of Wye
And what will you give me
Say the sad bells of Rhymney

@Welsh
recorded by Ian Campbell Folk Group
filename[ BELLRHYM
TUNE FILE: BELLRHYM
CLICK TO PLAY
SOF