Byrds — The Bells Of Rhymney Tab
#——————————————————————————————————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: RSambu@aol.com
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
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
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—————|