The Bells Of Liberty

Whether we think of the iconic Liberty Bell or the bell that's rung on Patriot Day or the chimes that pepper pretty much every patriotic song we can think of, bells are wonderful American symbols. They lend themselves nicely to our revue in this regard, and so we have crafted a gentle song that features them. It provides a quiet contrast to the rest of the revue and gives you an opportunity to put a spotlight on your own bell ensemble. If you don't have an ensemble, don't worry. The song works without them as well.

Beginning with the words, "Oh, say can you..." the lyrics immediately feel familiar and patriotic. In fact, you may have a little difficulty at first – as we did – getting your students to sing "hear" instead of "see." They'll catch on with repetition though.

Besides being a patriotic song that gives you a chance to feature bells, you'll see that this song is a round. The first time through, it's sung in unison so that everyone learns and hears the content well. The second time through, it breaks into two parts (optional) to become a round. It's easy enough that most age groups should be able to perform it without too much difficulty.

As mentioned, you don't have to use bells to perform this piece, but if you have them, they are a nice addition. The bells part is not too advanced and can be adapted to use fewer notes whenever there are chords, if you prefer. We have extracted the part and put it on page 17 for your convenience. We have also provided an alternative accompaniment version of this song for free downloading that includes the kids' handbells on it, in case the reinforcement helps. (See details on page 78.) The regular accompaniment uses orchestral and synth bells as well, so however you use it, the bells are covered. Since players start in measure 1, you will hear a two measure count-off to get you started.