Henry's Songbook

Chorus:
The bells of the town, they bounce and they ring
They waken the morning with their early calling
The bells of the town, they dance and they sing
They're breaking the day, the bells of the town
Ring - don, hark to the bells of the town
Ring - don, hark to the bells of the town

Hear how they welcome the boats from the river
Piping the sailors ashore
Ready to spend their pay, such a long time away
Won't sail away any more

On Sundays the empty streets echo their melody
Calling the last few to prayer
Frosted in mornings, they startle the pigeons
And scatter them into the air

Once they were warning invasion and danger
The enemies close to the wall
Now they ring peals for the fluttering bridesmaid
Who congregate at the church door

(as sung by The McCalmans)

[1986:] Early one Sunday morning we were sailing back from the Isle of Man when the bells of Liverpool's churches began to peal out over the deserted sunlit streets. Nick wrote this song a couple of months later. (Notes McCalmans, 'Peace and Plenty')