Guitar Tab:The Bells Are Ringing

• Song
• Lyrics
• Interpretations
• Credits
• Guitar Tab
• Bass Tab
• Chronology

The Bells Are Ringing

By: They Might Be Giants

Key: C Major

Year: 1996

Tabbed By: Samuel Prinzi and AtionSong

C F C F Bum Bum Bum Bum Bum Bum Bum Bum e|-8--------8----------- B|---8-10-----8-10---8-- G|--------7--------7---- D|---------------------- A|---------------------- E|---------------------- (Main chords): C Dm The bells are ringing C/E The song they're singing F G The sound is bringing the people 'round C Dm They hear the instructions C/E They follow directions F G 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 (Post-hook, rhythm chords): Am Dm C/E F They are persuaded by the music of the bells Dm C/E F G They're not responsible for anything they do Am Dm The people know Am Dm The way to go F G C The bells are ringing they hear the sound F Am D They hear the sound, they hear the sound, they hear the sound F Am D They hear the sound, they hear the sound, they hear the sound C (4 bars) They hear the sound (Main chords): 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 (Post-hook chords): 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 "Car alarm"-style riff: e|-------------------------|-------------------------| B|----13----13-------13----|-13----13----13----------| G|-------------12----------|-------------------12----| D|-10----10-------10----10-|----10----10----10-------| A|-------------------------|----------------------10-| E|-------------------------|-------------------------| Am Dm C/E F Dm C/E F G e|-------------------------|-------------| B|----13----13-------13----|-13----------| G|-------------12----------|-------12----| D|-10----10-------10----10-|----10-------| A|-------------------------|----------10-| E|-------------------------|-------------| Am Dm Am Dm F G (Repeat Chorus) (Repeat Post-hook; both chords and riff) (Bridge): F C Dm C/E C A girl with cotton in her ears D G Am G/B 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 They pull away her earplugs (Main chords): 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 (Same chords and riff as post-hook): 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 (Repeat chorus 3x; marching beat during the last two choruses) Outro: Marching beat with the "bum bum bum bum" vocalization; no chords in the outro.