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
(verse 1):
DGD/F#ED(w/opening riff)
Oh what will you give me say the sad bells of Rhymney
CEmA
Is there hope for the future say the brown bells of Merthyr
DCEmA
Who made the mine owner say the black bells of Rhonda
DGD/F#ED(w/opening riff)
And who killed the miner say the grim bells of Blaina
(opening riff)
(verse 2):
DGD/F#ED(w/opening riff)
Put vandals in court say the bells of Newport
BmCEmA
All will be well if if if if if say the green bells of Cardiff
DBmGE
Why so worried sisters why say the silver bells of Wye
DGD/F#ED(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.
DDDD
e|----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
B|-10~~~~~~~~~~~--|-12~~~~~~~~~~~~--|-10~~~~~~~~~~~~--|---12-10------------|
G|-11~~~~~~~~~~~--|-11~~~~~~~~~~~~--|-11~~~~~~~~~~~~--|---------12--11-----|
D|-12~~~~~~~~~~~--|-12~~~~~~~~~~~~--|-12~~~~~~~~~~~~--|----------------12--|
A|----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
D|0---------------|0----------------|0----------------|0-------------------|
GEmEdim7Edim7
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:
DGED/F#Edim7EmCABm
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-----|