The Bells Of Rhymney

This is how I play the song. After listening to it since 1965, it was a

revelation to me (once I started to try to pick it up) how much the

dropped-D tuning adds to the Byrds arrangement. Having the bass tuned

down to D too really puts a floor under the song! The tab, of course,

is not perfect. Corrections, additions, etc. always sought and welcome.

Peace.

Rick

rsambu@aol.com

__________________________________________

THE BELLS OF RHYMNEY

(Idris Davies & Pete Seeger)

as performed by The Byrds on their self-titled first LP

(Robyn Hitchcock does true-to-The-Byrds version)

- one guitar and bass drop low E to D (necessary)

- one 12-string (you know what brand) guitar would be great

opening riff:

e|--------0-2------|----3-2-0-------|--------0-2------|----3-2-0--------|

B|----3-------3----|----------3-----|----3-------3----|----------3------|

G|------2-------2--|------------2---|------2-------2--|-------------2---|

D|-----------------|--------------0-|-----------------|---------------0-|

A|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

D|--0--------------|--0-------------|--0--------------|--0--------------|

(verse 1):

D G D/F# E D(w/opening riff)

Oh what will you give me say the sad bells of Rhymney

Is there hope for the future say the brown bells of Merthyr

Who made the mine owner say the black bells of Rhonda

D G D/F# E D(w/opening riff)

And who killed the miner say the grim bells of Blaina

(opening riff)

(verse 2):

D G D/F# E D(w/opening riff)

Put vandals in court say the bells of Newport

All will be well if if if if if say the green bells of Cardiff

Why so worried sisters why say the silver bells of Wye

D G D/F# E D(w/opening riff)

And what will you give me say the sad bells of Rhymney

(break; also see note):

/ D / D / D / D / G / Em / Edim7 / Edim7 /

(opening riff)

(repeat first verse)

(end):

| opening riff |

G / D / E / E / D / D / D / D /

oh.....oh.....oh..........oh.............

| opening riff |

G / D / A / A / D / D / D / D /

oh.....oh.....oh..........oh.............

__________________________________________

note on break:

If someone wants to post accurate tab for the break, please do. Meanwhile,

what I do is improvise a bit around this. Most of it is strummed~~~~~~~~.

I think Pete Seeger would approve of (any) liberties I've taken; I hope

Roger McGuinn would, too.

 

e|----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|

B|-10~~~~~~~~~~~--|-12~~~~~~~~~~~~--|-10~~~~~~~~~~~~--|---12-10------------|

G|-11~~~~~~~~~~~--|-11~~~~~~~~~~~~--|-11~~~~~~~~~~~~--|---------12--11-----|

D|-12~~~~~~~~~~~--|-12~~~~~~~~~~~~--|-12~~~~~~~~~~~~--|----------------12--|

A|----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|

D|0---------------|0----------------|0----------------|0-------------------|

 

e|-7~~~~~~~~~~~--|--7~~~/12~~~~~~--|--3~~~~~~~~~~~~--|--3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--|

B|-8~~~~~~~~~~~--|--8~~~/12~~~~~~--|--2~~~~~~~~~~~~--|--2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--|

G|-7~~~~~~~~~~~--|--9~~~/12~~~~~~--|--3~~~~~~~~~~~~--|--3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--|

D|---------------|-------14~~~~~~--|--2~~~~~~~~~~~~--|--2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--|

A|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|

D|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|

__________________________________________

some chords for the dropped-D guitar:

 

e|----3------x-------0-------2------3-------0-------0-------0-------2-----|

B|----2------x-------0-------3------2-------0-------1-------2-------3-----|

G|----3------x-------1-------2------3-------0-------0-------2-------4-----|

D|----0------5-------2-------0------2-------2-------2-------2-------4-----|

A|----0------5-------2-------0------x-------2-------3-------0-------2-----|

D|----0------5-------2-------4------x-------2-------x-------x-------x-----|