The Bells of Rhymney
Pete Seeger
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Oh what can 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 Neathe. 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.
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Written by: WOODY GUTHRIE
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Historical Background"The Bells of Rhymney" is a song composed by Pete Seeger in the 1950s. It was based on a poem by Welsh poet, Idris Davies, which was inspired by a mining disaster in Rhymney, a town in South Wales.
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LyricsThe lyrics of the song were adapted from a poem that Davies wrote, depicting the industrial tragedy in various Welsh towns and their specific church bells reflected in the lyrics with lines like "Oh, what will you give me? Say the sad bells of Rhymney."
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Political MessageThe song carries a powerful political message. It speaks for the lives and the plight of the working class people involved in the coal mining industry. This is characteristic of many of Seeger's compositions.
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LegacyKnown as a classic folk song, "The Bells of Rhymney" has been covered by various musical artists from different generations including The Byrds, John Denver, Cher, Robyn Hitchcock, Oysterband, and Ralph McTell.
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Famous CoversPerhaps, the most famous cover of Pete Seeger's "The Bells of Rhymney" is by The Byrds, an American rock band. Their version was featured on their debut album, "Mr. Tambourine Man," in 1965.
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Musical CompositionThe tune Seeger composed for the song has a haunting feel that empathizes with the plight of the coal miners depicted in the lyrics. This dramatic tune makes the song one of the most memorable folk songs in history.
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First PerformancePete Seeger is known to have first performed "The Bells of Rhymney" on June 8, 1959, on the BBC Radio show "Ballads and Blues."
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InspirationThe inspiration to set Davies’ poem to music came to Seeger after reading it in a book of poems given to him by British folk-singer A.L. Lloyd.
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RelevanceThe song maintains its relevance today as it echoes social and economic divides that, unfortunately, remain in some societies. It continues to inspire artists to use their platform to raise awareness about such issues.
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RecognitionIn 2010, "The Bells of Rhymney" was selected by the Library of Congress for inclusion in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
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Citation
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