Ring Them Bells (song)

Last updated
"Ring Them Bells"
Song by Bob Dylan
from the album Oh Mercy
ReleasedSeptember 18, 1989
RecordedMarch/April 1989
Studio Mobile studio at 1305 Soniat St., New Orleans
Genre
Length3:00
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s) Bob Dylan
Producer(s) Daniel Lanois
Oh Mercy track listing
10 tracks
  1. "Political World"
  2. "Where Teardrops Fall"
  3. "Everything Is Broken"
  4. "Ring Them Bells"
  5. "Man in the Long Black Coat"
  6. "Most of the Time"
  7. "What Good Am I?"
  8. "Disease of Conceit"
  9. "What Was It You Wanted"
  10. "Shooting Star"

"Ring Them Bells" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released in 1989 as the fourth track on his album Oh Mercy . It is a piano-driven, hymn-like ballad that is considered by many to be the best song on Oh Mercy [1] and it is the track from that album that has been covered the most by other artists. [2]

Contents

The song has been anthologized on the albums Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Volume 3 in 1993 [3] and Dylan in 2007. [4] It was produced by Daniel Lanois. It charted at #14 in Denmark. [5]

Composition and recording

In their book Bob Dylan All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track, authors Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon cite the Gospel of Matthew as Dylan's main source of inspiration in writing the lyrics: "The bells ring to announce the celestial reign of God, who sent his son Jesus Christ to fulfill his divine will on earth and put the 'lost sheep' back on the right track. These bells proclaim the end of humankind". [6]

In his memoir Chronicles: Volume One , Dylan praised Daniel Lanois' role as producer in creating this specific track: "Lanois captured the essence of it on this, put the magic into its heartbeat and pulse. We cut this song exactly the way I found it...two or three takes with me on the piano, Dan on guitar and Malcolm Burn on keyboards". [7] The song is performed in the key of D-flat major. [8]

Critical reception

An article in The Daily Telegraph about Dylan's "30 greatest songs" ranked "Ring Them Bells" 27th, calling it a "post-apocalyptic gospel prayer" and praising its "stately piano chord progression" and Dylan's lyrics for their "Biblical richness and elegance". [9]

Spectrum Culture included it on a list of "Bob Dylan's 20 Best Songs of the 1980s". In an article accompanying the list, critic Justin Cober-Lake sees it as an example of Dylan "step(ping) deep into spiritual waters, with churches and saints and holy tintinnabulation. Across a sacred piano and plenty of Lanois-produced void, Dylan sings of St. Peter (possibly the person and the basilica) and proclaims the end of time, liberation for the poor, healing for the blind and deaf. In the world of the song, judgment comes to right the world, and Dylan peaceably watches it come in". [10]

In their book Bob Dylan All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track, authors Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon note that the "dynamic of the arrangement and the keen harmonic sense of the song establish 'Ring Them Bells' as one of the triumphs of this album'". [11]

Bruce Springsteen, in an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2020, cited it as one of his three favorite Dylan songs (along with "Like a Rolling Stone" and "Visions of Johanna"). [12]

Dylan scholar and musicologist Eyolf Ostrem considers it to be one of Dylan's most complex songs ever from a musical perspective (along with 1967's "Dear Landlord", 1980's "In the Garden" and 2020's "Black Rider"). [13]

A USA Today article ranking "all of Bob Dylan's songs" placed "Ring Them Bells" 86th (out of 359). [14] A 2021 Guardian article included it on a list of "80 Bob Dylan songs everyone should know". [15]

The song plays at the end of the 1999 HBO film The Jack Bull . [16] It is also prominently featured in Larry Clark's 2014 film The Smell of Us . [17]

Other versions

The Bootleg Series Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs: Rare and Unreleased 1989–2006 contains two different versions of the song: an alternate version recorded during the Oh Mercy sessions and a live full-band acoustic version from Dylan's residency at the Supper Club in New York City on November 17, 1993. [18]

Dylan performed the song with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra in Nara, Japan as part of a UNESCO-backed concert titled The Great Music Experience in 1994. It was the first time Dylan had ever played with an orchestra, which was conducted by Michael Kamen. The concert was broadcast on television in 50 countries and earned Dylan rave reviews. [19]

Live performances

Between 1989 and 2005 Dylan performed the song 34 times in concert on the Never Ending Tour. [20] A live performance from E. Rutherford, New Jersey on November 13, 1999 was made available to stream on Dylan's official website in March 2000. [21] A live version from the Supper Club in New York City (the early show on November 16, 1993), a different performance from the one included on The Bootleg Series Vol. 8, was made available to stream on Dylan's official website in September 2001. [22] The live debut occurred at Mid-Hudson Arena in Poughkeepsie, New York on October 20, 1989 and the last performance (to date) took place at Messehalle in Erfurt, Germany on November 6, 2005. [23]

Notable covers

There have been dozens of covers of "Ring Them Bells". Among them:

Related Research Articles

<i>World Gone Wrong</i> 1993 studio album by Bob Dylan

World Gone Wrong is the twenty-ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on October 26, 1993, by Columbia Records.

"Talkin' World War III Blues" is a song written and performed by the American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan that was first released as the tenth track of his 1963 album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. Like nearly every song on the album, it is performed by Dylan solo, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar and harmonica played in a rack.

"As I Went Out One Morning" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released as the second song on his 1967 album John Wesley Harding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Sick (Bob Dylan song)</span> 1998 single by Bob Dylan

"Love Sick" is a minor-key love song by American musician and Nobel laureate Bob Dylan. It was recorded in January 1997 and appears as the opening track on his 30th studio album Time Out of Mind (1997). It was released as the second single from the album in June 1998 in multiple CD versions, some of which featured Dylan's live performance of the song at the 1998 Grammy Awards. The song was produced by Daniel Lanois.

"When the Deal Goes Down" is a love song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, originally released as the fourth track on his 2006 album Modern Times and anthologized on the compilation albums Dylan in 2007 and reissues of The Essential Bob Dylan beginning in 2010. As with much of Dylan's 21st-century output, he produced the song himself under the pseudonym Jack Frost.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Someday Baby</span> 2006 song by Bob Dylan

"Someday Baby" is a Grammy Award-winning blues song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released as the fifth track on his 2006 album Modern Times. The song had considerable success, garnering more airtime on U.S. radio than any other track on the album. It spent twenty weeks on Billboard's Adult Alternative Songs chart, peaking at #3 in November 2006. It was also anthologized on the compilation album Dylan in 2007.

"Sugar Baby" is a song written and performed by the American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released in 2001 as the 12th and final track on his album Love and Theft. Like most of Dylan's 21st century output, he produced the song himself under the pseudonym Jack Frost.

"High Water " is a song written and performed by the American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released as the seventh track on his 31st studio album "Love and Theft" in 2001 and anthologized on the compilation album Dylan in 2007. Like much of Dylan's 21st century output, he produced the track himself under the pseudonym Jack Frost.

"You're a Big Girl Now" is a song by Bob Dylan, released on his 15th studio album, Blood on the Tracks, in 1975. It is one of five songs on the album that Dylan initially recorded in New York City in September 1974 and then re-recorded in Minneapolis in December that year. The latter recording, made on December 27, 1974, became the album track.

"Outlaw Blues" is a song by Bob Dylan, recorded on January 14, 1965. It was originally released on Dylan's fifth studio album, Bringing It All Back Home.

"Standing in the Doorway" is a song written and performed by the American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, recorded in January 1997 and released in September that year as the third track on his album Time Out of Mind. The song was produced by Daniel Lanois.

"Tryin' to Get to Heaven" is a song written and performed by the American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, recorded in January 1997 and released in September that year as the fifth track on his album Time Out of Mind. The recording was produced by Daniel Lanois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Political World</span> 1989 song by Bob Dylan

"Political World" is an uptempo folk rock song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released as the opening track on his 1989 album Oh Mercy and as a single in Europe in 1990. It was produced by Daniel Lanois.

"Señor " is a minor-key ballad written and performed by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan and released as the sixth track of his 18th studio album Street-Legal (1978). The song was produced by Don DeVito and later anthologized on the Biograph box set in 1985. Street-Legal was remixed and remastered for a 1999 compact disc release, with a further 5.1 remix done for a Super Audio CD release in 2003. Both re-releases featured the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everything Is Broken</span> 1989 single by Bob Dylan

"Everything is Broken" is an uptempo rock song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, and released as the first single from his 1989 album Oh Mercy, where it appears as the third track. It was later anthologized on the compilation albums The Essential Bob Dylan in 2000 and Dylan in 2007. The song spent eight weeks on Billboard's "Mainstream Rock Songs" chart, peaking at number eight on October 27, 1989. It was produced by Daniel Lanois.

"Man in the Long Black Coat" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released in 1989 as the fifth track on his album Oh Mercy. It is a minor-key folk ballad, often described as "haunting" and frequently cited as a highlight of the album. The song was produced by Daniel Lanois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silvio (song)</span> 1988 single by Bob Dylan

"Silvio" is a folk rock song written by Bob Dylan and Robert Hunter and released by Dylan as the seventh track of his 1988 album Down in the Groove. Performed alongside the Grateful Dead, the song was released as the album's only single and spent eight weeks on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart, peaking at #5 on July 1, 1988.

"Long and Wasted Years" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan that appears as the fourth track on his 2012 studio album Tempest and was anthologized on the 2016 reissue of The Essential Bob Dylan. Like much of Dylan's 21st-century output, he produced the song himself using the pseudonym Jack Frost.

"Shooting Star" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released in 1989 as the tenth and final track on his album Oh Mercy. It was produced by Daniel Lanois.

"Po' Boy" is an acoustic folk/jazz song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan that appears as the tenth song on his 2001 album Love and Theft. It was anthologized on the compilation album Dylan in 2007. Like most of Dylan's 21st century output, he produced the song himself under the pseudonym Jack Frost.

References

  1. ↑ "Ring them bells: more Times a-Changing than religious treatise | Untold DylanUntold Dylan". 2015-05-12. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  2. ↑ "Cover versions of Ring Them Bells written by Bob Dylan | SecondHandSongs". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  3. ↑ "Greatest Hits Volume 3 | The Official Bob Dylan Site". www.bobdylan.com. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
  4. ↑ "Dylan | The Official Bob Dylan Site". www.bobdylan.com. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
  5. ↑ "Ring Them Bells".
  6. ↑ Margotin, Philippe (27 October 2015). Bob Dylan : all the songs : the story behind every track. Guesdon, Jean-Michel (First ed.). New York. ISBN   978-1-57912-985-9. OCLC   869908038.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. ↑ Dylan, Bob, 1941- (2004). Chronicles. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN   0-7432-2815-4. OCLC   56111894.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ↑ Bob, Dylan (2013-06-24). "Ring Them Bells". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved 2021-07-03.
  9. ↑ "Bob Dylan: 30 greatest songs". The Telegraph. 2015-07-24. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  10. ↑ "Bob Dylan's 20 Best Songs of the '80s". Spectrum Culture. 2020-09-04. Retrieved 2021-05-05.
  11. ↑ Margotin, Philippe; Jean-Michel Guesdon (2015). Bob Dylan : all the songs : the story behind every track (First ed.). New York. ISBN   978-1-57912-985-9. OCLC   869908038.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  12. ↑ "Can You Guess Bruce Springsteen's Favorite Bob Dylan Songs? - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  13. ↑ "Black Rider – Dylan's most complex song ever – things twice" . Retrieved 2021-05-01.
  14. ↑ "Ranking all of Bob Dylan's songs, from No. 1 to No. 359". For The Win. 2015-11-06. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  15. ↑ "Beyond Mr Tambourine Man: 80 Bob Dylan songs everyone should know". the Guardian. 2021-05-22. Retrieved 2021-05-22.
  16. ↑ Mitchell, Sean (April 18, 1999). "A Tower of Self-Control". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  17. ↑ The Smell of Us (2014) - IMDb , retrieved 2021-02-27
  18. ↑ "The Bootleg Series, Vol 8: Tell Tale Signs | The Official Bob Dylan Site". www.bobdylan.com. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  19. ↑ Egil (2017-05-22). "May 22: Bob Dylan The Great Music Experience, Nara, Japan 1994 (video)". All Dylan - A Bob Dylan blog. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  20. ↑ "Bob Dylan Tour Statistics | setlist.fm". www.setlist.fm. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  21. ↑ "Online Performances (bobdylan.com)". searchingforagem.com. Retrieved 2021-03-06.
  22. ↑ "Online Performances (bobdylan.com)". searchingforagem.com. Retrieved 2021-05-05.
  23. ↑ "Setlists | The Official Bob Dylan Site". www.bobdylan.com. Retrieved 2021-05-30.
  24. ↑ Ring Them Bells - Joan Baez | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic , retrieved 2021-09-26
  25. ↑ "The Roots, Patti Smith Highlight Dylan Tribute". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  26. ↑ "Various Artists: I'm Not There OST". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.