there's a poetry calling
it's not a desperate sound
but a muted brass bell
ring, ring, ring

and all who hear it may choose to ignore it
they can try to sleep, enjoy their food
make love and come three times
but that bell rings on

it's not an ominous clank, mind you
more like a clock chime
on every minute
on every hour
for every day that they will ever know

me, i don't have a bell
i only hear serene silences
the whistling wind
the seagull cries like children
on the beach walking towards sunsets and loving arms

there's no war in my world
there's no war in my world
there's no war in my world
there's no war in my world
only the anarchy of stillness
only the anarchy of stillness

and someone who will never forget my name
someone who will never forget my name
someone who is gonna write it in their book a thousand times
and someone who will stand in line long after i die
and clean my flags, tell my stories
and take care of my pets

it's so sad that one day i will have to leave this world
you never have to leave this world
i really wanna help
i really wanna help
each and every man and woman find and destroy that bell
find and destroy that bell

i think i know where all the bells are
i think i know where all the bells are
ring, ring, ring, ring
ring, ring, ring, ring
ring, ring, ring, ring
ring, ring, ring, ring
ring them bells
ring those motherfucking bells
ring those bells
let me hear your bells
let me know your bells
let me smell them
let me taste them
let me fuck them
let me suck them
let me hear them
ring those bells
ring those motherfucking bells
ring those bells
ring

Ring the Bells   (normal version)
Ring the Bells   (live 12/13/01 late show)

there's a poetry calling
it's not a desperate sound
but a muted brass bell
ring, ring, ring

and all who hear it may choose to ignore it
they can try to sleep, enjoy their food
and make love and come three times
but that bell rings on

it's not an ominous clank, mind you
it's more like a clock chime
it's more like a clock chime
every minute
on every hour
for every day that you will ever know

me, i don't have a bell
i only hear serene silences
the whistling winds
the seagull cries like children
on the beach walking towards sunsets and loving arms

there's no war in my world
there's no war in my world
there's no war in my world
there's no war in my world
only the anarchy of stillness
only the anarchy of stillness

and someone who will never forget my name
someone who will never forget my name
someone who is gonna write it in their book a thousand times
and someone who long after i die will stand in line
and they're gonna clean my flags
and mow my lawn and take care of my pets
and tell my stories too

'cause it's so sad
one day i will have to leave this place
one day i will have to leave this world
i really wanna help
i really wanna help
i really wanna help
each and every man and woman on this planet
find and destroy that bell

i think i know where all the bells are
i think i know where all the bells are
they go ring, ring, ring, ring
ring, ring, ring, ring
ring, ring, ring, ring
ring, ring, ring, ring
ring, ring them bells
ring them bells
ring them bells
ring them bells
ring them bells
ring them bells
ring them bells

Zwan. Lyrics to the 12/13/01 early show performance