The Bells of Rhymney

Pete Seeger

About The Bells of Rhymney

"The Bells of Rhymney" is a song first recorded by folk singer Pete Seeger, which consists of Seeger's own music and words written by Welsh poet Idris Davies.


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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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Pete Seeger

Peter "Pete" Seeger (born May 3, 1919) is an iconic American folk singer. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead Belly's "Goodnight, Irene", which topped the charts for 13 weeks in 1950. Members of The Weavers were blacklisted during the McCarthy Era. In the 1960s, he re-emerged on the public scene as a prominent singer of protest music in support of international disarmament, civil rights, and environmental causes. more »

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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.
Lyrics
The 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."
Political Message
The 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.
Legacy
Known 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.
Famous Covers
Perhaps, 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.
Musical Composition
The 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.
First Performance
Pete Seeger is known to have first performed "The Bells of Rhymney" on June 8, 1959, on the BBC Radio show "Ballads and Blues."
Inspiration
The 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.
Relevance
The 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.
Recognition
In 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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