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Lyr Req: Phil Och's 'The Bells'

13 Sep 99 - 07:46 PM (#113986)
Subject: Phil Och's 'The Bells'
From: Bob Lusk

Hi - I'm looking for an exact trranscription to Phil Och's song "The bells". I know it's a poem - by Tenneyson I believe. Chords would also be helpful.

Thanks

Bob

13 Sep 99 - 08:01 PM (#113992)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phil Och's 'The Bells'
From: Mike Regenstreif

I can't help with a transcription, but I can tell you that the poem is by Edgar Allan Poe.

Mike Regenstreif

13 Sep 99 - 09:06 PM (#114011)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phil Och's 'The Bells'
From: raredance

THE BELLS (Phil Ochs based on poem by Edgar Allen Poe)

Hear the (D)sledges with the bells, (G)silver (D)bells,
What a world of merriment their (C)melody fore(D)tells.
How they (C)tinkle, (Em)tinkle (A)tinkle in the (C)icy (Em)air of (A)night
All the (C)heavens (Em)seem to (A)twinkle with a (C)crystal(Em)-line de-(A)light,
keeping (D)time, time, (Bm)time with a (F#m)sort of runic (A)rhyme,
with the (D)tintinabulation that so (C)musically (D)wells,
from the (D)bells (G)bells (D)bells (A7)bells (D)bells (G)bells (D)bells,
from the (G)jingling and the (A7)tinkling of the (D)bells.

Hear the mellow wedding bells, golden bells.
What aworld of happiness their harmony foretells.
Through the balmy air of night how they ring our their delight
Through the dances and the yells and the rapture that impels
How it swells, how it dwells, on the future how it tells.
From the swinging and the ringing of the molten golden bells
Of the bells.....
Of the rhyming and the chiming of the bells.

Hear the loud alarm bells, brazen bells
What a tale of terror now their turbulency tells
Much too horrified to speak, oh they can only shriek
For all the ears to know how the danger ebbs and flows,
Leaping higher higher higher in a desperate desire
IN a clamourous appealing to the mercy of the fire
With the bells.....
With the clamor and the clanging of the bells.

Hear the tolling of the bells, iron bells
What a world of solemn though their monody compels
For all the sound that floats from the rust within our throats
And the people sit and groan in their muffled monotone,
And the tolling tolling tolling feels a glory in the rolling
From the throbbing and the sobbing of the melancholy bells
Of the bells.....
Of the moaning and the groaning of the bells.

Repeat verse 1

Recorded by Ochs on "All The News That's Fit To Sing" and "There And Now - Live in Vancouver 1968" and on the compilations "Chords of Fame" and "Farewells and Fantasies".

Recorded by the Back Porch Majority on "BPM" Recorded by The Roches on "A Tribute To Phil Ochs"

I think there may be more recordings.

rich r

15 Sep 99 - 10:34 PM (#114576)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phil Och's 'The Bells'
From: BobLusk

Right - thanks - It was the Highwayman that was by Tennyson. But the way I remember seeing it played was with different chords for the Loud Alarm bells verse. Any thoughts on this? Thanks for the words. They will be a big help.

Bob

15 Sep 99 - 11:13 PM (#114591)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phil Och's 'The Bells'
From: John Hindsill

Sorry, wrong again, Bob, but "The Highwayman" is by Alfred Noyes. In addition to being a wonderful ballad poem it was a dreadful film starring Philip Friend as the hero and Wanda Hendrix as Bess, the landlord's daughter. But best of all it is a fine song by Ochs.---John

07 Oct 99 - 06:38 PM (#121849)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phil Och's 'The Bells'
From: BobLusk

Sounds like I'm striking out all over the place. I am grateful for the words and chords though. Does anyone have them to Phil Och's version of 'The Highwayman'?

Bob

07 Oct 99 - 07:20 PM (#121862)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phil Och's 'The Bells'
From: Stewie

Bob,

Katy Moffatt does 'The Highwayman' as arranged by Ochs on her 'Midnight Radio' CD on Watermelon. I thought it a strange choice for her. However, the words (I presume those used by Ochs, but they sound pretty close to the Noyes original as far as I can recall it) are in the insert. If no one else can supply, I will transcribe them for you later.

Regards, Stewie.

07 Oct 99 - 11:40 PM (#121941)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phil Och's 'The Bells'
From: DonMeixner

I have down loaded The Highwayman, chords and all from the Phil Ochs site. Aim the serch engine to Phil Ochs and wait for it.

Don

19 Dec 99 - 11:47 PM (#151759)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phil Och's 'The Bells'
From: BobLusk

Thanks to everyone - I have the words - disagree with the chordsbut htat's all right.

Bob

19 Dec 99 - 11:50 PM (#151764)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phil Och's 'The Bells'
From: DonMeixner

Hey Bob,

Did you try the Phil Ochs site for the chords?

Don

21 Dec 99 - 12:53 AM (#152309)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Phil Och's 'The Bells'
From: raredance

Chords for The Highwayman (Noyes/Ochs)

The (C)wind was a torrent of (Em)darkness
A-(Am)mong the gusty trees,
the (Em)moon was a ghostly (F)galleon
(Dm)Tossed upon cloudy (G7)seas,
And the (C)road was a ribbon of (Em)moonlight
(Am)Over the purple moor,
And the (F)highwayman came (C)riding, (E)riding, (Am)riding,
Yes the (F)highwayman came (C)rid-(Am)ing
(Dm)Up to the old inn (G7)door.

Chords are certainly subjective and open to interpretation. Both the ones here and the earlier ones I posted above for "The Bells" are taken from the book "The Complete Phil Ochs: Chords of Fame", 1978 Alamo Publications (ISBN 0-89705-010-X)

rich r

21 Dec 99 - 02:22 AM (#152322)
Subject: RE: Phil Och's 'The Bells'
From: Joe Offer

Click here to get to Poe's poetry, including "The Bells." Click here for two versions of "The Highwayman," but not the full, original version. Click here for what appears to be the whole shebang. Finally, click here for an impressive collection of Phil Ochs lyrics.
-Joe Offer-