Lyr Req/Add: Ring Dem Bells / Ring Them Bells

Subject: ring dem bells
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Feb 01 - 10:13 AM

request lyrics of ring dem bells

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: Sorcha
Date: 09 Feb 01 - 10:23 AM

Is this it? Ring Them Golden Bells

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: GUEST,chanteyranger
Date: 09 Feb 01 - 11:42 AM

Or is it the spiritual that goes, "Oh, Mary. Oh, Martha. Oh, Mary ring them bells (repeat). I hear archangels rocking jerusalem, I hear archangels ringing them bells" (repeat), etc. The title of that one is "Rocking Jerusalem."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: GUEST,jaze
Date: 09 Feb 01 - 02:06 PM

There's also the Dylan-written song "Ring Them Bells" with a line that goes "Ring them bells sweet Martha for the poor man's son." Joan Baez does it on a couple of lps including the live "Ring Them Bells" album.

Subject: Lyr Add: RING THEM BELLS
From: GUEST,Wavestar
Date: 09 Feb 01 - 02:32 PM

The words to that last, as far as I can tell (off her Ring them Bells CD) are below. I would welcome corrections, people telling me I can't properly, etc.

-J

RING THEM BELLS

Ring them bells you heathens
For the city that dreams
Ring them bells from the sanctuaries
'Cross the valleys and streams
For they're deep and they're wide
And the world's on its side
And time is running backward
and so is the bride

Ring them bells St Peter, where the four winds blow
Ring them bells with an iron hand, for the people will know
What s*** will now
the wheel and the plow
And the sun is going down upon
the sacred cow
Ring them bells sweet Martha
For the poor man's son
Ring them bells so the world will know
That God is one
And the shepherd's asleep
Where the willows weep
And the mountains they are filled
With lost sheep
Ring them bells
For the blind and deaf
Ring them bells
For all of us who are left
Ring them bells
For the chosen few
Who judge the many
when the day is through
Ring them bells
For the time that flies
For the child that cries
When her innocence dies

Ring them bells St Catherine
From the top of the room
Ring them bells from the fortress
For the lilies that bloom
For the lines? they are long
and the fighting is strong
And they're breaking down the distance
between right and wrong

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: GUEST,DrWord
Date: 09 Feb 01 - 03:59 PM

I think that like where you have the "***will now" is ...so the people will know *That it's rush hour now* neat song :)

Subject: Lyr Add: RING THEM BELLS (Bob Dylan's version)
From: Little Hawk
Date: 09 Feb 01 - 07:30 PM

Ring Them Bells

Ring them bells, ye heathen
From the city that dreams,
Ring them bells from the sanctuaries
Cross the valleys and streams,
For they're deep and they're wide
And the world's on its side
And time is running backwards
And so is the bride.

Ring them bells St. Peter
Where the four winds blow,
Ring them bells with an iron hand
So the people will know.
For it's rush hour now
On the wheel and the plow
And the sun is going down
Upon the sacred cow.

Ring them bells Sweet Martha,
For the poor man's son,
Ring them bells so the world will know
That God is one.
For the shepherd is asleep
Where the willows weep
And the mountains are filled
With lost sheep.

Ring them bells for the blind and the deaf,
Ring them bells for all of us who are left,
Ring them bells for the chosen few
Who will judge the many when the game is through.
Ring them bells, for the time that flies,
For the child that cries
When her innocence dies.

Ring them bells St. Catherine
From the top of the room,
Ring them from the fortress
For the lilies that bloom.
For the lines they are long
And the fighting is strong
And they're breaking down the distance
Between right and wrong.

- Bob Dylan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: GUEST,Wavestar
Date: 09 Feb 01 - 08:02 PM

Thanks LH. Nice to know I was close anyway. Several of the little differences in the lyrics I copied down are presumably because this is a live recording of Baez doing it, and she changes the words as suits her fancy. That one line makes much more sense now. But do we know yet whether this is what our GUEST was looking for?

-J

PS Sorry about the line breaks.... GRR.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: raredance
Date: 10 Feb 01 - 01:49 AM

The Dylan "Ring Them Bells" was also rather unexpectedly recorded by Gordon Lightfoot.

rich r

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Feb 01 - 11:03 AM

The following posts are from a duplicate thread running at:

http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=30624

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: Gern
Date: 10-Feb-01 - 09:51 AM

Is this word association? Title mentioned is a Duke Ellington insturmental that sounds like it may have gospel origins.

------------------------------------

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: Gern
Date: 10-Feb-01 - 09:54 AM

Sorry -- I now see that this is a lyric request. Ellington's version was an instrumental. I would also be interested in these lyrics. The use of 'dem' suggests there may be a little minstrelsy in this tune, in addition to the gospel flavor mentioned above. ------------------------------------

Subject: Lyr Add: RING THEM CHARMING BELLS
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Feb 01 - 11:30 AM

It's probably not this one, but it's so pretty I thought I'd share it with those of you interested in the one requested. Or maybe it's a variant. And the source is a treasure itself (see below).

RING THEM CHARMING BELLS

Mary and Martha just gone along
Mary and Martha just gone along
Mary and Martha just gone along
To ring them charming bells. Crying:

CHORUS
Free grace, undying love
Free grace, undying love
Free grace, undying love
To ring them charming bells.

Preacher and the teacher just gone along
Preacher and the teacher just gone along
Preacher and the teacher just gone along
To ring them charming bells. Crying:

CHORUS

Way over Jordan roll,
Way over Jordan roll,
Way over Jordan roll,
To ring them charming bells. Crying:

CHORUS


SOURCE INFO:
This is from a gem found moldering away, in brand-new condition, at a music store: Oak Publications' 1968: A Folksinger's Guide to Grassroots Harmony. Quoting the cover copy:
"42 songs in traditional folk harmony in a collection of ways to sing them. Transcribed from the singing of the Carter Family, the Mainer Family, the Stanley Brothers, Woody Guthrie and Cisco Houston, Rosa and Doc Watson, Pete Seeger and Jack Elliott, The Staple Singers, the Georgia Sea Island Singers, and others. Ed. Ethel Rain and Josh Dunson, ill. Art Rosenbaum."

NOTES APPEARING WITH THE SONG:
"On its appearance in 1959, 'Mickey Miller Sings American Folksongs accompanied by Bess Hawes' (Folkways FA 2393) created a whirlwind of excitement among the small grouping of city people who were interested in traditional music. Mickey and Bess created a rare blend of voices that introduced to many city singers for the first time, the idiomatic harmonic possibilities of Pretty Polly, Now He's Gone, and the song below, Ring Them Charming Bells. Bess Hawes writes:
...this song is sung by both Negro and white congregations in the South today. The term 'charming bells,' incidentally, was likely 'chiming bells' originally; we think this way is much prettier."


The song in 2/2 time and is shown with unison verses and 2-part chorus.

CHORDS (line by line as above):

verses-- A
E, A
A7, D
A, E7, A

chorus-- A
E, A
A7, D
A, D7, A


~Susan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Feb 01 - 11:34 AM

O stinky poo. Missed a couple of linebreaks.

~S~

Subject: ADD: OH, PETER GO RING DEM BELLS
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Feb 01 - 05:42 PM

OH, PETER GO RING DEM BELLS
(Traditional Spiritual)

Oh, Peter, go ring dem bells,
Peter, go ring dem bells,
Peter, go ring dem bells,
I heard from Heaven today.

I wonder where my mother is gone,
I wonder where my mother is gone,
I wonder where my mother is gone,
I heard from heaven today.

I wonder where brother Moses is gone,
I wonder where brother Daniel's gone,
Dey's gone where Elija's gone,
I heard from Heaven today.

I heard from Heaven today,
I heard from Heaven today,
I heard from Heaven today.
I thank God, and I thank you too.

Oh, Peter, go ring dem bells,
Peter, go ring dem bells,
Peter, go ring dem bells,
I heard from Heaven today.

---

This is a more traditional version of "Ring Dem Bells." It's very similar to "Peter Go Ring Dem Bells," which you'll find in Johnson & Johnson's The Books of American Negro Spirituals. I found the lyrics here (click) which was much easier than transcribing them from the Johnson book.
I wonder what lyrics Ellington used in his composition. Anybody know?

-Lazy Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Feb 01 - 05:48 PM

Copied from another thread, which was deleted.
-Joe Offer-

---

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: Gern
Date: 10-Feb-01 - 09:51 AM

Is this word association? Title mentioned is a Duke Ellington insturmental that sounds like it may have gospel origins.

---

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: Gern
Date: 10-Feb-01 - 09:54 AM

Sorry -- I now see that this is a lyric request. Ellington's version was an instrumental. I would also be interested in these lyrics. The use of 'dem' suggests there may be a little minstrelsy in this tune, in addition to the gospel flavor mentioned above.

---

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: GUEST,Wavestar
Date: 10-Feb-01 - 10:03 AM

There appear to be two threads on this request, and this is the one one with less information. Please, only start one thread at a time asking for your lyrics. If you find the other thread, Guest, and tell us which of the three songs mentioned so far you're after,, we can help you more. Thanks, Gern, for you help, or offer...

-J

---

All fixed. I copied over the messages from the other thread, and then deleted it. Duplicate threads are most often started by accident. If the requester has sluggish Internet or a hot trigger finger on the mouse button, we get duplicate threads. It probably doesn't help to tell people not to start duplicate threads unless it's obvious they've done it intentionally. It it also probably also not a good idea to copy messages over from a duplicate thread unless you have an edit button so you can delete the duplicates.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: GUEST,Wavestar
Date: 10 Feb 01 - 09:15 PM

Sorry, Joe. I wasn't meaning to be mean or rude.

-J

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 19 Sep 01 - 11:32 PM

Peter, Go Ring Dem Bells is in Thomas Fenner, 1874, Hampton Institute (Also in Jubilee Singers, Fisk). It is rendered in authentic dialect in Fenner, not to be confused with minstrels imitation. Collected from a slave who was a blacksmith by a J. M. Waddy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: masato sakurai
Date: 20 Sep 01 - 05:42 AM

A sheet music version of "Oh Peter go ring dem bells! [and] Swing low sweet chariot" is in American Memory, Library of Congress. It is from Songs of the Original Kentucky Jubilee Singers (San Francisco: Bancroft, A. L., 1884), arranged by Frederick G. Carnes. The chorus is:

Oh Peter go ring dem bells,
Peter go ring dem bells,
Oh Peter go ring dem bells,
I Heard from Hebben today.

And other titles with "ring dem bells" or similar words in American Memory are: "Hark! Don't you hear dem bells a ringing" (2 items); "Ring dem chimin' bells" (2 items); "Ring dem heavenly bells" (2 items); "Gwine to ring dem hebenly bells"; and "Ring dem charmin' bells."

Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 20 Sep 01 - 01:47 PM

The sheet music also is illustrated on the North Carolina Hampton site, from Thomas Fenner 1874.

Subject: Lyr Add: MARY AND MARTHA
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Dec 08 - 01:04 PM

Many variants on "Mary and Martha" ("Ring Those Charming Bells").
This one is similar to "Ring Them Charming Bells," posted above, but it is easier to post the whole rather than point out variant verses.

Lyr. Add: MARY AND MARTHA

Mary and a Martha's just gone 'long,
Mary and a Martha's just gone 'long,
Mary and a Martha's just gone 'long,
To ring those charming bells.

Chorus:
Crying:
Free grace and dying love,
Free grace and dying love,
Free grace and dying love,
To ring those charming bells.
Oh! way over Jordan, Lord,
Way over Jordan, Lord,
Way over Jordan, Lord,
To ring those charming bells.

2
The preacher and the elder's just gone 'long, (3x)
To ring those charming bells.
3
My father and my mother's just gone 'long, (3x
To ring those charming bells.
4
The Methodist and the Baptist's just gone 'long, (3x)
To ring those charming bells.

Gilbert Clifford Noble, 1911, "The Most Popular Plantation Songs," pp. 28-29 with musical score. Hinds, Noble & Eldridge, NY.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 26 Dec 08 - 02:15 PM

Jim Cullum has a traditional jazz band in San Antonio, Texas. For years, he and his band, along with a long string of guests and great old recordings have had a public radio broadcast called "Live, From The Landing" (the name of his nightclub on the San Antonio River). I recall hearing a version of "Ring Dem Bells" as done by Fats Waller, I believe, on his show. It looks like this tune, or variants, have wound up in several guises, including "hot jazz."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Dec 08 - 02:50 PM

Tj, thanks for reminding me. Waller's piano version (1941) can be heard and down-loaded from Red Hot Jazz. It is the Ellington- Mills take, quite a stretch, but no doubt rooted in the old spiritual.
Waller

Scroll down the Discography to find it. Lots more of Waller's fine interpretations on the list.

Subject: Lyr Add: OH, PETER GO RING DEM BELLS
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 10:52 AM

A printed version of PETER, GO RING DEM BELLS with musical notation in 4-part harmony, can be found in Hampton and Its Students by Mary Frances Armstrong and Helen Wilhelmina Ludlow, "with fifty cabin and plantation songs arranged by Thomas P. Fenner" (New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1874). These are the lyrics:


OH, PETER GO RING DEM BELLS

1. Oh, Peter, go ring dem bells.
Peter, go ring dem bells.
Peter, go ring dem bells.
I heard from Heaven today.
I wonder where my mother is gone.
I wonder where my mother is gone.
I wonder where my mother is gone.
I heard from heaven today.

CHORUS: I heard from Heaven today.
I heard from Heaven today.
I thank God, and I thank you too.
I heard from Heaven today.

2. I wonder where sister Mary's gone.
I heard from heaven today.
I wonder where sister Martha's gone.
I heard from heaven today.
It's good news and I thank God.
I heard from heaven today.
Oh, Peter, go ring dem bells.
I heard from heaven today.

3. I wonder where brudder Moses gone.
I heard from heaven today.
I wonder where brudder Daniel's gone.
I heard from heaven today.
He's gone where Elijah has gone.
I heard from heaven today.
Oh, Peter, go ring dem bells.
I heard from heaven today.

Subject: ADD: Come on, ring those bells
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 11:09 AM

I don't see why we can't add non-AA related songs where they fit or contrast-- IN know Joe would like that. We did one just last week. It's a contemporary children's gospel song. I'll try to add the words later-- have to dig up the songsheet.

~S~

Subject: Lyr Add: ROCKIN' IN JERUSALEM
From: Azizi
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 12:01 PM

chanteyranger on Date: 09 Feb 01 - 11:42 AM referred to the version of this song that I remember from my childhood at a Black Baptist church in New Jersey, 1950s. {Actually I only remember the chorus and the first verse].

Here's the lyrics as found at http://www.metrolyrics.com/rockin-in-jerusalem-lyrics-mahalia-jackson.html

ROCKIN' IN JERUSALEM

Oh Mary, o Martha
Oh Mary, o Martha
Oh Mary, gon' ring them bells

I hear arch angels rockin' in Jerusalem
Hear arch angels ringin' them bells
Hear arch angels rockin' in Jerusalem
Hear arch angels rinin' them bells

Church gettin higher
(rockin' in Jerusalem)
Church gettin higher
(ringin them bells)
Church gettin higher
(rockin in Jerusalem
Church gettin higher
(ringing them bells)

Oh Mary, o Martha
Oh Mary's gonna ring them bells
Oh Mary, o Martha
Oh Mary's gonna ring them bells

Hear arch angels rockin' in Jerusalem
Hear arch angels rining them bells
Hear arch angels rockin' in Jerusalem
Hear arch angels ringing them bells

New Jerusalem, New Jerusalem
New_______________
Gon' ring them bells

I hear arch angels rockin' in Jerusalem
Hear arch angels ringing them bells
Hear arch angels rockin' in Jerusalem
Hear arch angels ringing them bells
Them bells!

-snip-

I believe that it's important to note that the word "dem" is sung as "them" in this Mahalia Jackson version as well as in the version of the song found on the Negro Spiritual website:

http://www.negrospirituals.com/news-song/oh_peter_go_ring_them_bells.htm

In my lifelong experience, few African Americans sing spirituals with "dis" and "dems" and few African Americans want to hear spirituals sung that way.

Subject: Lyr. Add: RING THE BELLS (Diton, SC)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 12:56 PM

Lyr Add: RING THE BELLS
SC spiritual

1
Ring the bells! all God's children, ring the bells!
So they say; Not today, Not tomorrow, ring the bells!
Ring the bells! all God's children, ring the bells!
So they say; Not today, Not tomorrow, ring the bells!
2
Ring the bells! when in trouble, ring the bells!
So they say; Not today, Not tomorrow, ring the bells!
Ring the bells! when in trouble, ring the bells!
So they say; Not today, Not tomorrow, ring the bells!
3
Ring the bells and tell the Saviour, ring the bells!
So they say; Not today, Not tomorrow, ring the bells!
Ring the bells and tell the Saviour, ring the bells!
So they say; Not today, Not tomorrow, ring the bells!
4
Ring the bells and let Him hear you, ring the bells!
So they say; Not today, Not tomorrow, ring the bells!
Ring the bells and let Him hear you, ring the bells!
So they say; Not today, Not tomorrow, ring the bells!

No. 24, p. 40, with musical score; collected at Frogmore, SC (island community near Beaufort), sung by J. E. Blanton, 1913.
Carl Diton, 1928, Thirty-six South Carolina Spirituals, Collected and Harmonized by Carl Diton; G. Schirmer Inc. New York.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 04:41 PM

Footnote to Jim Dixon posting, "Oh, Peter Go Ring Dem Bells."

Clarence Cameron White, 1927, "Forty Negro Spirituals Compiled and Arranged for Solo Voice," pp. 28-31, provided a full score, pp. 28-31. He included a verse:

O Peter, go ring dem bells,
Peter, go ring dem bells,
Peter, go ring dem bells,
I heard from heaven today.
Oh, dey is gone where Elijah is gone.
Oh, dey is gone where Elijah is gone,
Oh, dey is gone where Elijah is gone,
I heard from heaven today.

Printed by Theo. Presser Co., Philadelphia.
At the time, Mr. White, an Af-Am composer, was teaching at the West Virginia Collegiate Institute, then a Black school. The school has evolved into West Virginia State University.

Subject: Lyr. Add: DON'T YER HEAR DEM BELLS?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Jan 09 - 02:56 PM

Lyr. Add: DON'T YER HEAR DEM BELLS?

Wukking all day in de cotton an' de corn,
Wid my feet an' my han's so so',
Looking for ole Gab'l to blow his horn,
So I won't hab ter wuk no mo'.

Don't yer hear dem bells? (Yes, my Lord!)
Don't yer hear dem bells? (Yes, my Lord!)
Dey are ringin' up de glory ob de morn.
Hallelujah!

Don't yer hear dem bells? (Yes, my Lord!)
Don't yer hear dem bells? (Yes, my Lord!)
Dey are ringin' up de glory ob de morn.

20. Religious Songs and Parodies of Religious Songs; "From Alabama; Negroes; MS of W. O. Scruggs; 1908."
E. C. Perrow, Songs and Rhymes from the South, JAFL, vol. 26, pp. 123-173; 1913.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: ring dem bells
From: chazkratz
Date: 24 Dec 09 - 07:34 PM

I just found this thread doing a google search on "ring them chiming bells"

Sorcha posted the song mostly the way we sing it Monday nights at Sally's, but there are some differences:

The chorus we sing is

Free grace, I'm dying, Lord
Free grace, I'm dying, Lord
Free grace, I'm dying, Lord
To ring them chimin' bells

The emphasis here is on the concept of actual dying to go to heaven and ring the bells, and "dying" as filled with enthusiasm to go to heaven to ring those bells--at any time of life.

The people mentioned in the song are people who have died and gone on to ring the bells--Mary and Martha; Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; the teacher and the preacher, all "just gone along/ to ring them chiming bells." The "Way over Jordan, Lord," verse emphasizes this. Also, although we don't usually sing it that way, the song is open-ended: You can add anyone--"momma and papa," "my auntie and my uncle," "Martin, Bobby, and John," whoever.

We also add bass lines starting at the end of the verse and leading into the chorus:
(a-crying free) Free grace, I'm dying, Lord
(Free grace) Free grace, I'm dying, Lord
(Free grace) Free grace, I'm dying, Lord
To ring them chimin' bells.

Charles

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Ring Dem Bells / Ring Them Bells
From: chazkratz
Date: 26 Dec 09 - 07:46 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Ring Dem Bells / Ring Them Bells
From: chazkratz
Date: 01 Jan 10 - 01:19 PM

In looking over this thread again, I discovered I had made a mistake (big surprise) in crediting Sorcha with first posting the lyrics to the song as my Monday night jam group sings it. In actuality, it was WYSIWYG. If "What you see is what you get," it doesn't necessarily mean that WYRIWIS: "What you remember is what it is."

Charles (famed for shooting from the lip)

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Ring Dem Bells / Ring Them Bells
From: olddude
Date: 01 Jan 10 - 01:51 PM

Lightfoot did a superb job on this song

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Ring Dem Bells / Ring Them Bells
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 02 Jan 10 - 11:03 AM

While tidying up after Christmas, I unearthed an old Zonophone 78 rpm record with the song, "Hear Dem Bells". It is subtitled a Jubilee song and is being performed by Vernon Dalhart and Carson Robison. A lovely bouncy song with the chorus:

Hear dem bells, don't you hear dem bells? They're ringing out the glory of the Lamb!

I'd forgotten all about that one! Must work it up again.......


Best wishes,

Peter

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Ring Dem Bells / Ring Them Bells
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Jan 10 - 11:39 AM

Due to CRS, seed, I actually believed you that Sorcha found it first! :~)

~S~