Chimes of Freedom is beautifully arranged in the key of G. So McGuinn uses C and D major also to make up the I, IV, V relationship. He uses a picking style using a plectrum between thumb and index finger, and two metal fingerpicks on the middle and ring fingers leaving the baby finger free. Don’t get too bothered about getting the intro right as there is a second rhythum guitar shadow in the background.
If you were in jail for a year and had the Byrds version and the Dylan version, the Byrds version would win out. It is also true about The Byrds doing other Dylan tunes, they excell all the time.
The song sounds as if alot more chords are used, but McGuinn is very descreet and clever in the way he uses them. I enjoy playing the song all the time, so here is my version.
INTRO;
——3———0———3———2———3———0———3——2———-0—-3
——-0———1———0———3———0———1———0——3———-1—-0
——————0———0——-2———-0———0———0——2———-0—-0
———————————-0———————————0———————————-3——-2—————————3—————————3—————3————————————-3——————3————-333——-3—-
G C G/B D G C G D G C G
For the verses the chords used are the ones above using the picking style
Verse 1:
G G/B C
Far between sundowns finish
G G/B C
And midnight’s broken toll
G G/B C D G C G
We ducked inside the doorway thunder crashing
G G/B C
As majestic bells of bolts
G G/B C
Struck shadows in the sounds
G G/B C D G C G
Seeming to be the chimes of freedom flashing
For the chorus the first line has a D D2 Dsus4 pattern and the rest is the usual G, C and D chords.
——2——2———-0——0————3——3———————————————-3——3———3——2———-3——-3———————————————2—————-2——————2———2——————————————-0—————-0——————0———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
D D2 DSUS4
Flashing for the warriors
C G D G
Whose strength is not to fight
C
Flashing for the refugees
G D
On the unarmed road of flight
G C
And for each and every underdog
G C
Soldier in the night
G C D G C G
And we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing
The Dee Dee Dee bit is:
DUM
C G D DSUS4 DSUS2 D C G D G C G
Verse 2:
Even though the clouds white curtain
The far off corner flashed
And the hypnotic splattered mist was slowly lifting
Electric light still struck like arrows
Fired but for the ones
Condemned to drift or else be kept from drifting
Chorus 2:
Tolling for the searching ones on their speechless seeking trail
For the lonesome hearted lovers with too personal a tale
And for each unharmful gentle soul misplaced inside a jail
And we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing
Dee dee dee etc.
Verse 3:
Starry-eyed and laughing