#———————————-PLEASE NOTE———————————#
#This file is the author’s own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
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From: [email protected]
Date: Tue, 31 Oct 1995 10:34:52 -0500
Subject: TAB: The Bells of Rhymney by the Byrds
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
[email protected]
__________________________________________
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
C Em A
Is there hope for the future say the brown bells of Merthyr
D C Em A
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
Bm C Em A
All will be well if if if if if say the green bells of Cardiff
D Bm G E
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.
D D D D
e|—————-|——————|——————|———————|
B|-10~~~~~~~~~~~—|-12~~~~~~~~~~~~—|-10~~~~~~~~~~~~—|—12-10————|
G|-11~~~~~~~~~~~—|-11~~~~~~~~~~~~—|-11~~~~~~~~~~~~—|———12—11——|
D|-12~~~~~~~~~~~—|-12~~~~~~~~~~~~—|-12~~~~~~~~~~~~—|—————-12—|
A|—————-|——————|——————|———————|
D|0—————|0—————-|0—————-|0——————-|
G Em Edim7 Edim7
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:
D G E D/F# Edim7 Em C A Bm
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——|