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Lyr Req: Hear the Bells (The Tokens)

13 May 08 - 04:50 PM (#2339599)
Subject: Lyr Req: Can anyone help with the lyrics?
From: GUEST

Although the 'net has been a TERRIFIC boon to searches for song lyrics and the like, one from my misspent childhood still evades me. I heard it, once, close to 50 years ago, and have never heard it since. No clue as to the title, singers, etc. The only information I can provide is that it seemed to be some sort of traveling song, and it had a line about "the bells are calling from the village just a mile ahead." There was a chorus which only consists (in my memory) of nonsense syllables, something phonetically similar to: "ha ha ha, letsayma (laissez-moi?), vong vong into the volley-way." Much obliged to anyone who can assist!


13 May 08 - 04:56 PM (#2339605)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Can anyone help with the lyrics?
From: GUEST

If you could post obvious (though clearly not to you) information such as what Country you live in, the region of that Country if possible, the circumstances of hearing it (if you remember) etc, etc, you will make it much easier for people to help you


13 May 08 - 05:10 PM (#2339620)
Subject: RE: Can anyone help with the lyrics-ha ha ha, letsayma
From: Joe Offer

Well, the first thing that came to mind was the Hut-Hut Song, but maybe not. It does sound very familiar, though. I added a bit to the thread title to make it a bit more specific. Hope you don't mind.
-Joe-


13 May 08 - 07:11 PM (#2339758)
Subject: RE: Can anyone help with the lyrics-ha ha ha, letsayma
From: GUEST

As suggested, I heard this one probably circa 1962 on a local radio stattion in Oklahoma City. I'm sure it was a group, as opposed to a solo act, and would have been about the right time for the Kingston Trio (which I don't think it was), possibly the Limelighters, or any number of the folk revival types.

To joe; Thanks! I'll take all the help I can get!


13 May 08 - 07:34 PM (#2339779)
Subject: RE: Can anyone help with the lyrics-ha ha ha, letsayma
From: olddude

Old Irish folk song "I'll tell me MA"
perhaps


13 May 08 - 07:39 PM (#2339785)
Subject: RE: Can anyone help with the lyrics-ha ha ha, lets
From: Joe Offer

There's a Weavers song floating in my head, but it won't come out...

I may have to play all my Weavers CD's to find it. If you want to call and sing the song to me, maybe that will help me remember.

-Joe Offer (530)878-8419-
joe@mudcat.org


14 May 08 - 09:58 PM (#2340865)
Subject: RE: Can anyone help with the lyrics-ha ha ha, letsayma
From: Jim Dixon

It wouldn't be THE THREE BELLS / LES TROIS CLOCHES would it?


15 May 08 - 03:10 PM (#2341523)
Subject: RE: Can anyone help with the lyrics-ha ha ha, lets
From: GUEST

I don't think Three Bells is it, but it's the closest I've come so far!

Thanks!


16 Apr 09 - 02:35 PM (#2612584)
Subject: RE: Can anyone help with the lyrics-ha ha ha, lets
From: GUEST,mcarp

I found this page while Googling for these same lyrics - specifically 'village just a mile ahead.'

This was the B side of a single, and I am also trying to recall who recorded it. My dad had it when I was a kid - early to mid-sixties.


18 Apr 09 - 01:49 PM (#2613932)
Subject: RE: Can anyone help with the lyrics-ha ha ha, letsayma
From: Jim Dixon

mcarp: can you remember any other lyrics? Were there really nonsense syllables in the chorus? If so, can you give us another guess as to how they were spelled or pronounced? Do you have any idea what was on the A side of the single? Any other information?


04 May 10 - 12:19 PM (#2899855)
Subject: RE: Can anyone help with the lyrics-ha ha ha, letsayma
From: GUEST

To all who threw in suggestions, thank you so much! I believe I have solved the mystery:    the song appears to be "Hear the Bells (Ringing Bells)" by the Tokens (yep, the same bunch who popularized sleeping lions...). The lyrics and music fit fairly well with my memory (such as it is), and the chorus is indeed nonsense syllables, which are phonwetically pretty close. I suppose I can die happy.


04 May 10 - 12:33 PM (#2899868)
Subject: RE: Can anyone help with the lyrics-ha ha ha, letsayma
From: GUEST

Oops! One other tidbit. Although "Hear the Bells" seems to be correct, I was wondering if anyone knows if anyone besides the Tokens did a cover of the song. Again, faulty memory, doesn't recall the hopped up chorus in the Tokens' version. Not bad for a gap of 47 years, though...


06 May 10 - 12:28 PM (#2901340)
Subject: Lyr Add: HEAR THE BELLS (The Tokens)
From: Jim Dixon

From the recording at YouTube:


HEAR THE BELLS
Margo/Margo/Medress/Siegel/Lowe*
As sung by The Tokens

Hear the bells a-calling from the village just a mile away.
My true love is waiting in the village just a mile away.

Hear the bells a-ringing in the village and they seem to say
I'll soon be with my true love in the village just a mile away.

Hear the bells a-ringing in the village just a mile away.
I'll soon be with my true love in the village just a mile away.


[The verses are interspersed with nonsense "doo-wop" sounds that I didn't bother to transcribe. The arrangement is very reminiscent of WIMOWEH.]

[* Jay Siegel, Mitch Margo, Neil Sedaka, Phil Margo, Hank Medress, and Joe Venneri were members of the original Tokens. Sammy Lowe was their orchestra leader. At repertoire.BMI.com, Bob Gibson is also credited as one of the co-writers, although he is not named on the record label.]


18 Jul 15 - 01:24 PM (#3724604)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hear the Bells (The Tokens)
From: vlmagee

Here's the Brothers Four performing it in Belgium in 1963!

Hear the Bells.

It's the first song of the set. Neat video!


18 Jul 15 - 08:38 PM (#3724666)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ringing Bells (was Hear the Bells)
From: vlmagee

PS: OK, it's really called "Ringing Bells", and Bob Gibson was the songwriter (probably the only one, in spite of how it may have been credited on the Tokens version). Bob Flick says they (The Brothers Four) learned it from Gibson. They used it as a concert opener for quite a while, and it was released as a single in 1963, but never put on an album (to Bob's knowledge).