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Artist: They Might Be Giants
Song: The Bells are Ringing
Album: Factory Showroom
Verse:
C F C F
Bum Bum Bum Bum Bum Bum Bum Bum
C F
The bells are ringing
C F
The song they're singing
C F G
The sound is bringing the people 'round
C F
They hear the instructions
C F
They follow directions
C F G
They travel great distances to the sound
C F
The bells are ringing
C F
The song they're singing
C F G
The sound is bringing the people 'round
C F
They hear the instructions
C F
They follow directions
C F G
They travel great distances to the sound
Chorus:
Am F C
They are persuaded by the music of the bells
Am F G
They're not responsible for anything they do
Am F
The people know
Am F
The way to go
F G C
The bells are ringing they hear the sound
Fill:
F Am C
They hear the sound, they hear the sound, they hear the sound
F Am C
They hear the sound, they hear the sound, they hear the sound
Verse:
The bells are ringing
And everyone's walking
With arms extended in a trance
Forgetting their washing
Neglecting the children
They're dropping all businesses at hand
Chorus:
A voice is telling them to act a different way
They tilt their heads so they won't miss what it will say
And when it's so
There's this to know
The bells are ringing they hear the sound
Verse:
The bells are ringing
The song they're singing
The sound is bringing the people 'round
They hear the instructions
They follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound
Chorus:
They are persuaded by the music of the bells
They're not responsible for anything they do
The people know
The way to go
The bells are ringing they hear the sound
Bridge:
F C
A girl with cotton in her ears
F G
Is shielded from the bells' effect
A
As if by hidden signal,
Dm
The people turn to face her
F
One thousand eyes are staring
G C
They pull away her earplugs
Verse:
The bells are pealing
And they're revealing
The simple key to happiness
It isn't evil
It isn't good
It's only what the people miss
Chorus:
The bells explain what they've been lacking all along
They were disorganized and that was what was wrong
And now they know
The way to go
The bells are ringing they hear the sound
Verse:
The bells are ringing
The song they're singing
The sound is bringing the people 'round
They hear the instructions
They follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound
The bells are ringing
The song they're singing
The sound is bringing the people 'round
They hear the instructions
They follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound
The bells are ringing
The song they're singing
The sound is bringing the people 'round
They hear the instructions
They follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound
( Drum Outro )
Brought to you by the GUITARMASTA - http://www.guitarmasta.net
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No Picture
SOCIETY DWELLIN Average |
#1 by SOCIETY DWELLIN MOTHER FUCKER! at Sep 4, 1970 at 8:13 AM EST |
| I agree more or less with Smokler, Its about religion. But I think "narcotic" is the wrong word. You notice how most people mistake this for a x-mas song, but its actually about mind controll? I LOVE that. It was even used on malcom in the middle as a x-mas song. awsome. the movie "a clockwork orange" goes well with this. | |
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No Picture
Joshua Wanna Be |
#2 by Joshua Osprey at Dec 22, 1974 at 11:55 PM EST |
| If it is about Nazism, it the cheeriest song about Nazism I've ever heard. | |
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No Picture
Bloody Mess All Musical Thunder |
#3 by Bloody Mess All Over My Clothes at Mar 21, 1976 at 2:48 PM EST |
| A brilliant bit of sci-fi in the tradition of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". The drones try to explain to the last few hold-outs that their way (mindless, hypnotic conformity) is best, but it matters little whether they are convinced, because the bells will take over in the end. "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" was really about the Red Scare (communism or McCarthy-ism... take your pick), but "The Bells Are Ringing" seems like it could be about pop music, and the conformity found among fans of any given genre. Britney Spears is compelling you to drink Pepsi. They Might Be Giants are turning you into a cynical, campy, indie-rock geek. The very song warning you of this phenomenon could also be part of it. Spooky. | |
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No Picture
david Average |
#4 by david maynard at Feb 26, 1978 at 7:34 AM EST |
| Personally I think it's about religion as a narcotic. | |
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No Picture
NIK Average |
#5 by NIK blaszczyszyn at Sep 19, 1983 at 4:55 PM EST |
| .... Tucker.... Where do you see nazi-ism in this? Disorganized = not killing jews? Who's the girl with cotton in her ears, Anne Frank? Yes, I realize you are entitled to your opinion, but I also wholeheartedly agree with Smokler. Random fact: Soviet (WWII) communism overruled genocide. They didn't kill people of a particular race, creed, or religion. They killed everyone. | |
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No Picture
Justin Wanna Be |
#6 by Justin at Oct 22, 1995 at 3:01 AM EST |
| This song is so obviously about the Nazi rise to power and how ordinary Germans were brainwashed by Nazi propaganda. I think it is one in a series of TMBG songs about World War Two. | |