Tabs
This is how I play the song. After listening to it since 1965, it was a
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 MajorD too really puts a floor under the song! The tab, of course,
is not perfect. Corrections, additions, etc. always sought and welcome.
Peace.
Rick
[email protected]
__________________________________________
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 MajorE to D MajorD (necessary)
- one 12-string (you know what brand) guitar would be great
opening riff:
e|--------0-2------|----3-2-0-------|--------0-2------|----3-2-0--------|
BB|----3-------3----|----------3-----|----3-------3----|----------3------|
G+G|------2-------2--|------------2---|------2-------2--|-------------2---|
D MajorD|-----------------|--------------0-|-----------------|---------------0-|
A augmentedA|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D MajorD|--0--------------|--0-------------|--0--------------|--0--------------|
(verse 1):
D MajorD G+G 
D/F#D/F# E MajorE D(w/opening riff)
Oh what will you give me say ...
C majorC 
E minorEm A augmentedA
Is there hope for the future say ...
D MajorD C majorC E minorEm A augmentedA
Who made the mine owner ...
D MajorD G+G D/F#D/F# E MajorE D(w/opening riff)
And who killed the miner say ...
(opening riff)
(verse 2):
D MajorD G+G D/F#D/F# E MajorE D(w/opening riff)
Put vandals in court say ....
B minorBm C majorC E minorEm A augmentedA
All will be well if if if if if ...
D MajorD B minorBm G+G E MajorE
Why so worried sisters why say ...
D MajorD G+G D/F#D/F# E MajorE D(w/opening riff)
And what will you give me ...
(break; also see note):
/ D MajorD / D MajorD / D MajorD / D MajorD / G+G / E minorEm / 
Edim7Edim7 / Edim7Edim7 /
(opening riff)
(repeat first verse)
(end):
| opening riff |
G+G / D MajorD / E MajorE / E MajorE / D MajorD / D MajorD / D MajorD / D MajorD /
oh.....oh.....oh..........oh.............
| opening riff |
G+G / D MajorD / A augmentedA / A augmentedA / D MajorD / D MajorD / D MajorD / D MajorD /
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.
D MajorD D MajorD D MajorD D MajorD
e|----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
BB|-10~~~~~~~~~~~--|-12~~~~~~~~~~~~--|-10~~~~~~~~~~~~--|---12-10------------|
G+G|-11~~~~~~~~~~~--|-11~~~~~~~~~~~~--|-11~~~~~~~~~~~~--|---------12--11-----|
D MajorD|-12~~~~~~~~~~~--|-12~~~~~~~~~~~~--|-12~~~~~~~~~~~~--|----------------12--|
A augmentedA|----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
D MajorD|0---------------|0----------------|0----------------|0-------------------|
G+G E minorEm Edim7Edim7 Edim7Edim7
e|-7~~~~~~~~~~~--|--7~~~/12~~~~~~--|--3~~~~~~~~~~~~--|--3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--|
BB|-8~~~~~~~~~~~--|--8~~~/12~~~~~~--|--2~~~~~~~~~~~~--|--2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--|
G+G|-7~~~~~~~~~~~--|--9~~~/12~~~~~~--|--3~~~~~~~~~~~~--|--3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--|
D MajorD|---------------|-------14~~~~~~--|--2~~~~~~~~~~~~--|--2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--|
A augmentedA|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
D MajorD|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
__________________________________________
some chords for the dropped-D guitar:
D MajorD G+G E MajorE D/F#D/F# Edim7Edim7 E minorEm C majorC A augmentedA B minorBm
e|----3------x-------0-------2------3-------0-------0-------0-------2-----|
BB|----2------x-------0-------3------2-------0-------1-------2-------3-----|
G+G|----3------x-------1-------2------3-------0-------0-------2-------4-----|
D MajorD|----0------5-------2-------0------2-------2-------2-------2-------4-----|
A augmentedA|----0------5-------2-------0------x-------2-------3-------0-------2-----|
D MajorD|----0------5-------2-------4------x-------2-------x-------x-------x-----|
Other versions of The Bells Of Rhymney
Alternative guitar chords and tabs for The Bells Of Rhymney by The Byrds
