Skip to content
The Bells of Rhymney cover art

The Bells of Rhymney

The Byrds
Tab
4.8(8)

This is tablature — fret positions rather than chord names. Wide lines scroll sideways on their own, so the page never does.

Song

#----------------------------------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. #

#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##

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-----|

Comments

Spotted a wrong chord, or know a capo position that sounds closer to the record?

Sign in to join the conversation.

No comments yet. If you play this one, say what works.