Ring Them Bells Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Ring them bells, ye heathen
From the city that dreams
Ring them bells from the sanctuaries
’Cross the valleys and streams
For they’re deep and they’re wide
And the world’s on its side
And time is running backwards
And so is the bride


[Verse 2]
Ring them bells St. Peter
Where the four winds blow
Ring them bells with an iron hand
So the people will know
Oh, it’s rush hour now
On the wheel and the plow
And the sun is going down
Upon the sacred cow

[Verse 3]
Ring them bells Sweet Martha
For the poor man’s son
Ring them bells so the world will know
That God is one

Oh, the shepherd is asleep
Where the willows weep
And the mountains are filled
With lost sheep

[Verse 4]
Ring them bells for the blind and the deaf
Ring them bells for all of us who are left
Ring them bells for the chosen few
Who will judge the many when the game is through
Ring them bells, for the time that flies
For the child that cries
When innocence dies

[Verse 5]
Ring them bells St. Catherine
From the top of the room

Ring them from the fortress
For the lilies that bloom
Oh, the lines are long
And the fighting is strong
And they’re breaking down the distance
Between right and wrong

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About

Genius Annotation

“Ring Them Bells” is the fourth track From Dylan’s 1989 album Oh Mercy. It is one of two songs on the album that was released with its live vocals intact.

Oh Mercy was considered a comeback record for Dylan after almost a decade of disappointing releases. The album was produced by Daniel Lanois who had previously worked with U2 and Brian Eno.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did Bob Dylan say about "Ring Them Bells"?
Genius Answer

Song Talk: “Ring Them Bells” [from “Oh Mercy”]

Dylan: It stands up when you hear it played by me. But if another performer did it, you might find that it probably wouldn’t have as much to do with bells as what the title proclaims. Somebody once came and sang it in my dressing room. To me. [Laughs] To try to influence me to sing it that night. [Laughter] It could have gone either way, you know. Elliot Mintz: Which way did it go?

Dylan: It went right out the door. [Laughter] It went out the door and didn’t come back. Listening to this song that was on my record, sung by someone who wanted me to sing it… There was no way he was going to get me to sing it like that. A great performer, too.
http://www.interferenza.com/bcs/interw/1991zollo.htm

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