They Might Be Giants

The Bells Are Ringing

They Might Be Giants


Tom: C

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