Edgar Allan Poe's The Bells sung by Phil Ochs

[@onlyoddity]

I first heard this song from the animated series on youtube called No Evil, and I always loved it. It was pretty. And tonight, I ended up reading EAPs poems, and came across the bells. I never knew this song was originated from one of his poems!

[@Bluemengarou5]

Info was at the end of the episode ;)

[@indevious7997]

imma be honest the raven brought fire got me here

[@tecsppt983]

Same I just found them today !

[@etheosumn9274]

Watch Betsy lee

[@Visplight]

I saw that, thought I had found a new poet who was just fantastic... and it turns out he's been dead for a century and I know all his other stuff. Deeply disappointing.

[@clottedscream]

DUDE SAMMMMEEE

[@dunno4740]

@@Visplight I though Betsy Lee and company made this "cover". Whoops

[@timesnewlogan2032]

One of the best American musicians, adapting one of the best American writers. Over a century apart, and still so close together.

[@evandell849]

i have taught this poem many times to students and out all the readings I have ever heard - Phil Ochs nailed it. When I read this poem I can only read it like this ... the speed, the rythm, the passion. Phil Ochs wins!

[@johnedwards1321]

This is absolutely the best rendition of any poem by Poe I have ever heard by any measure. It is closest rendition of Poe as well. This is simply wonderful.

[@patrickhansma8781]

It's quite good, but Dream Within a Dream by The Yardbirds (the version on the Birdland album particularly) is quite a bit better in my opinion.

[@julieburton9822]

Beautiful song! I wish Phil Ochs were still alive today!

[@2nmo]

Read this poem 56 years ago and became a Poe fan - 2 years on became an Ochs fan, but never knew he had set the poem to music. Wonderful.

[@rinnnnyyyy]

Im glad my english teacher showed us this masterpiece

[@concars1234]

your english teacher is definitely legit

[@rjmacready8830]

Thank you. Beautiful poem, great song. You read the poem and keep seeing the words "The Bells" and you start to hear them in your head.

[@nakedhombre7]

I heard this song first as sung by the Modern Folk Quartet (MFQ). They took this song and arranged it with their unique 4-part harmony. When you hear it you will be electrified no joke! It is ramped up and sensational, no superlatives do justice. The Bells, written by Edgar A. Poe, set to music by Phil Ochs and further arranged by the Modern Folk Quartet, Jerry Yester, Tad (Henry) Diltz, Cyrus Faryar and Chip (?). It'll blow you away. This set my standard high for the possibilities of vocal harmony.

[@maddog7598]

Genius. If only he realized that so many of us thought so when he was alive.

[@concars1234]

Well this is incredible. Phil Ochs has one new appreciator. Better than my reading for sure!

[@TheHG12]

Look how young and gorgeous he looks here!!

[@PrincessThamali]

Yes! 👌🏼

[@BazookaTooth707]

RIP Poe and RIP Ochs. Two of the greatest American poets imo

[@richardkeller3794]

brilliant adaptation of the poe poem to music

[@razy8883]

Cannot stop sing this while I feel afraid about this situation of quarantine...

[@mousely76]

👍

[@keithhood5230]

Feels good man

[@loganc23]

Hi

[@aldonal4544]

1985. I was in the back of my parents’ van, heading to the grocery store with them. Mom, turn that up. What is that? It was Like a Rolling Stone. For Christmas that year I got Biograph, a five record box set. I have the best mom on the planet. To this day, I still get Bob for Christmas.

[@rainbowdash7787]

I can just imagine we are sitting around a camp fire Late At Night and Phil Ochs Is singing this Song To Everyone

[@michaelpuglisi1647]

This is excellent. Seriously, it sounds better than when the poem is recited.

[@prdneri]

Who's here because of No Evil?

[@chrisneubauer2528]

*raises hand*

[@muelhaselhoff1383]

god damit man

[@sooshii8083]

I'm here from No Evil i love the animation

[@someoddusername5677]

hi

[@Arkantolas]

Maybe...

[@timothyhill9938]

Great rendition

[@haruspex54]

One of my very favorites of Phil's. Thanks!

[@PrincessThamali]

haruspex54 No Problem

[@maxryder995]

Thank You God!

[@VincentFardella]

Heartfelt with gusto

[@marcelregeer8296]

What a Fantastic performance. This is really Unbelievable . The best.

[@adtarantula4299]

A truly amazing musical translation of the great Poem of Edgar Poe ; also the guitar style is astonishing. I can tell you this is not easy However Phil is a bit forgotten he songs are covered by many. Bob Dylan admired him.

[@ksrgreen218]

You sir...are amazing O;

[@esetube8782]

+Karen Grajales thanks

[@sahihhawkins6637]

goood........goooood...

[@johnnygeejr500]

great music artist etc RIP Phil

[@N64Goldeneye118]

It's quite a lovely song. Thank you for uploading it!

[@goyavoyage]

I was not expecting this (sung) poem by Edgar Allan Poe to so vividly represent Klonoa 2's four kingdoms (tranquility, joy, discord, indecision).

[@hezekial]

This is so good, but it bugs me how he left out the part about the ghouls.

[@PrincessThamali]

Same, I know right

[@TheEbrithil2]

+hezekial The text of the Ghoul-part sounds like the intro-song to some children's show, that would have been so awesome

[@kingtyris4992]

+hezekial It would have been cool if he could have made it work. He probably had trouble doing that tho.

[@psyche15184]

They are not man nor woman not creature or human they are ghouls.

[@jerryshunk7152]

hezekial The ghouls are demons of course & their king is Satan & this guy is way to upbeat to get that far into what Poe was really saying. This just isn't, at present, a "Cumbaya" world; but it will soon be.

[@extanegautham8950]

may his memory be blessed. ochs. well poe too of course.

[@sheldrickholmes6787]

Great song .

[@Brain_Waste]

Thank you for uploading this.

[@mungous1000]

If you liked this, check out his version of Alfred Noyes' The Highwayman.

[@xX13Wingman13Xx]

i like this song.

[@vickilewis9190]

We love this song!!!

[@daves543]

I like the poem set to music ... and I wonder who plays the guitar? The critics said something about Phil playing better if his hand was webbed .... if this is him playing we can put that comment to rest. Nice clean guitar playing and I think it adds to the already great poem.

[@thesexyporcupine]

+Dave Seace Phil strummed chords. The second guitarist, doing all the fancy work was Danny Kalb.

[@daves543]

+Cody Gillespie-Lynch - Thanks - Wow just looked him up on Wikipedia. Danny Kalb had an amazing guitar playing history. I'll be checking out his other work.

[@mungous1000]

Danny Kalb was a founding member of the real Blood, Sweat & Tears. The Al Kooper years. Check out the album, Projections.

[@silverblondguy3]

it's just a shortened version of the poem

[@PrincessThamali]

No problem, I didn't see a version of this anywhere on KZbin so decided to. :)

[@silasnicol]

My unofficial and inaccurate lyrics: Hear the sledges with the bells- silver bells. What a world of merriment their melody foretells. As they jingle jingle jingle in the icy air of night. All the heavens seem to twinkle with a crystalline delight Keeping time time time with a sort of runic rhyme With the tintinnabulation which so musically wells From the bells bells bells bells The bells bells bells From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells! Hear the mellow wearing bells- golden bells. What a world of happiness their harmony foretells. Through the balmy air of night How they ring out their delight Through the dances and the yells And the rapture that impels How it swells how it dwells On the future how it tell! From the swinging and the ringing of the molten golden bells From the bells bells bells bells The bells bells bells From the rhyming and the chiming of the bells. Hear the loud alarum bells brazen bells! What a tale of terror now their turbulency tells Much too horrified to speak Oh they can only shriek For all the ears to know how the danger ebbs and flows. Leaping higher higher higher with a desperate desire In a glamorous appealing to the mercy of the fire Of the bells bells bells bells The bells bells bells Of the clamor and the clanging of the bells. Hear the tolling of the bells- iron bells. What a world of solemn thought their monody compels. From all the rust that floats from the rust within our throats And the people sit and groan in their muffled monotone And who tolling tolling tolling Feel a glory in the rolling From the throbbing and the sobbing of the melancholy bells. From the bells bells bells bells The bells bells bells From the moaning and the groaning of the bells. Hear the sledges with the bells- silver bells. What a world of merriment their melody foretells. As they jingle jingle jingle in the icy air of night. All the heavens seem to twinkle with a crystalline delight Keeping time time time with a sort of runic rhyme With the tintinnabulation which so musically wells From the bells bells bells bells The bells bells bells From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells!

[@declandally4992]

My more accurate (but still unofficial) lyrics: Hear the sledges with the bells- silver bells. What a world of merriment their melody foretells. As they jingle jingle jingle in the icy air of night. All the heavens seem to twinkle with a crystalline delight Keeping time time time with a sort of runic rhyme From the tintinnabulation which so musically wells From the bells bells bells bells Bells bells bells From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells! Hear the mellow wedding bells- golden bells. What a world of happiness their harmony foretells. Through the balmy air of night How they ring out their delight Through the dances and the yells And the rapture that impels How it swells how it dwells On the future how it tells! From the swinging and the ringing of the molten golden bells Of the bells bells bells bells bells bells bells Of the rhyming and the chiming of the bells. Hear the loud alarum bells brazen bells! What a tale of terror now their turbulency tells Much too horrified to speak Oh they can only shriek For all the ears to know how the danger ebbs and flows. Leaping higher higher higher with a desperate desire In a glamorous appealing to the mercy of the fire With the bells bells bells bells The bells bells bells With the clamor and the clanging of the bells. Hear the tolling of the bells- iron bells. What a world of solemn thought their monody compels. For all the sound that floats from the rust within our throats And the people sit and groan in their muffled monotone And the tolling tolling tolling Feel a glory in the rolling From the throbbing and the sobbing of the melancholy bells. Of the bells bells bells bells Bells bells bells Of the moaning and the groaning of the bells. Hear the sledges with the bells- silver bells. What a world of merriment their melody foretells. As they jingle jingle jingle in the icy air of night. All the heavens seem to twinkle with a crystalline delight Keeping time time time with a sort of runic rhyme From the tintinnabulation which so musically wells From the bells bells bells bells Bells bells bells From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells!

[@locke7596]

The lyrics actually come from an old Edgar Allen Poe Poem

[@Visplight]

It's a 200 year old poem, sweetie. We can just google it.

[@fishlordusername891]

@@Visplight it's actually not a one-to-one of the poem. If you want to sing along, these comments are more useful than the actual poem, since that one has additional lines to it.

[@GlabtharTheDestroyer]

I wonder what version he sings, because the version I have in my Edgar Allen Poe book is very different.

[@parden3743]

He may adapted to fit in a song

[@chortkoffandriggio]

My sister gave me bells. I want to learn to play this with them.

[@frostfiredirewolf8517]

Yo! If you're still around tell me where to find THIS version of the song. I can't find it anywhere. The only one on Amazon seems to be live or in a somewhat different sound to it. Would really be glad to listen to this while I work.

[@MrsDobbs-jn8eh]

First album: All the News That's Fit to Sing

[@krummcutie]

This version, I believe is on the Album “All the news that’s fit to sing”. When I was a kid I remember hearing it off of the album called “Chords of Fame” as well. Such a brilliant singer

[@parden3743]

If you want the file, there are many sites where you can take the link from this video and download de mp3 file. If you use something like Spotify they probably already have it. I found in mine, called Deezer

[@howie14w]

The Dillards recorded a song called ANNABELLE LEE in the 1970s and when I bought a copy of the poem at the Poe Museum in Richmond, the words didn't match at all.

[@yippedoodah]

This song cut out a lot of lines and moved others to different spots. I was reading the poem while listening to this when I noticed the differences.

[@vickilewis9190]

i take it back

[@Arthur-gg3ir]

YES

[@itsjosh9076]

Is there one of two guitars playing, I can't tell.

[@jacywebster1590]

It's josh 907 one guitar, strumming and picking

[@imgonnasayitnow]

@@jacywebster1590 nope, two guitars on this album. Danny Kalb is the second guitar. Phil was a good player but not THAT good

[@jacywebster1590]

@Tori Nelson yes, it’s obvious to me now, I was probably drinking when I wrote that! 🙄

[@meyatetana2973]

should this song make you cry?

[@catdogcattt]

The poem is meant to end in death, as all things do. However, he ends it with the beginning: birth and childhood. Some may appreciate the repeat of the first stanza and I don't mind that he used his own interpretation of the poem. But personally, I feel that the repeat ruins the original meaning and purpose of the poem. Through our life we go through many stages and aspects of existence but we always end with the sound of death's somber bells. Nothing that we do would make it possible for us to end with the twinkling of life. However, this is merely my personal interpretation....sorry if I ranted.

[@d4arken3ds0ul]

catdogcattt i think its more he was trying to keep the upbeat nature of the song Since the final section (srry im not too good with poem terminology) is a bit darker

[@clearmelody6252]

Unless you believe in reincarnation, in which case it's perfectly possible.

[@GuardianAngel1032]

All things pass away and all becomes new.

[@baileys2494]

I appreciate that. I'm planning a cover of the song and your insight will help with my own interpretation.

[@mungous1000]

@@baileys2494 insight? Listen to some dull recitation of Poe's version and then tell me Phil Ochs didn't do justice to the poem. He is, after all, a composer, singer and interpreter. You will not listen to the poem ever again without Phil's musical version ringing in your head, urging it to go faster.

[@jinig4833]

Is it just me or does it sound like something that Robin Hood would be singing? 😂

[@parden3743]

Take a look at this animation, it's the second episode, but there is no spoiler if you want to watch it all kzbin.info/www/bejne/jImweqqCdt1-kKc

[@extanegautham8950]

just you

[@OutlawsforLife10]

Am I the only one with an Edgar Alan Poe book? Yes. No? Ok

[@concars1234]

I got randomly reminded of this poem so I read it out loud and then found this video. awesome stuff

[@PrincessThamali]

He takes out some parts.

[@gordongauniel3191]

you know this guy did this before that dam thing

[@xl-hardchannel8813]

Who's here because Lenich and kirya?

[@jacywebster1590]

If you thumbed down this this song you don’t understand English or music.

[@alyssawyant1366]

This would be so much better if he had used the whole poem and kept the overall feeling the same

[@danperer7066]

I just had a great idea for a drinking game...

[@strangedreamer2510]

I feel like my choir sounds better 😕. It's all girls, for our class 😂

[@Mintlicious]

That Cat girl A larger amount of people usually does create a fuller sound. Being able to sing better than 1 man with multiple individuals is no feat.

[@mungous1000]

You really ARE a dreamer!

[@Majick0003]

Just no. this is an atrocity.

[@PrincessThamali]

No problem, I didn't see a version of this anywhere on KZbin so decided to. :)

[@PrincessThamali]

No problem, I didn't see a version of this anywhere on KZbin so decided to. :)