They Might Be Giants › Lyrics › The Bells Are Ringing

The bells are ringing, the song they're singing
The sound is bringing the people 'round
They hear the instructions, they follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound

The bells are ringing, the song they're singing
The sound is bringing the people 'round
They hear the instructions, they follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound

They are persuaded by the music of the bells
They're not responsible for anything they do
No, the people know, no, the way to go
The bells are ringing, they hear the sound

They hear the sound
They hear the sound
They hear the sound
They hear the sound

The bells are ringing and everyone's walking
With arms extended in a trance
Forgetting their washing, neglecting the children
They're dropping all businesses at hand

A voice is telling them to act a different way
They tilt their heads so they won't miss what it will say
No, and when it's so, no, there's this to know
The bells are ringing, they hear the sound

The bells are ringing, the song they're singing
The sound is bringing the people 'round
They hear the instructions, they follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound

They are persuaded by the music of the bells
They're not responsible for anything they do
No, the people know, no, the way to go
The bells are ringing, they hear the sound

A girl with cotton in her ears
Is shielded from the bells' effect
As if by hidden signal
The people turn to face her
One thousand eyes are staring
They pull away her earplugs

The bells are pealing and they're revealing
The simple key to happiness
It isn't evil, It isn't good
It's only what the people miss

The bells explain what they've been lacking all along
They were disorganized and that was what was wrong
No, and now they know, no, the way to go
The bells are ringing, they hear the sound

The bells are ringing, the song they're singing
The sound is bringing the people 'round
They hear the instructions, they follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound

The bells are ringing, the song they're singing
The sound is bringing the people 'round
They hear the instructions, they follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound

The bells are ringing, the song they're singing
The sound is bringing the people 'round
They hear the instructions, they follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound