Bell Ringer

[Intro – church bells echoing over Mellotron strings, distant foghorn] [Verse 1 – jangly guitar + soft timpani] In San Francisco, back in the Sixties Flowers in the streets, love on the breeze Bells were ringing from the old mission towers Trucks rolling slow through the acid-rain hours Words poured from the speakers like holy wine Haight-Ashbury prophets losing their minds Then I saw her… through the haze and the rain A silhouette framed in windowpane [Verse 2 – strings swell, piano enters] She was in the basement, hands on the keys Pouring out rivers of ivory dreams The sound climbed the stairs, wrapped around my soul Made the whole house shake like a cathedral bell toll Outside it was pouring, inside it was fire Every note she played took me higher and higher [Pre-Chorus – full orchestra crescendo] I heard the bells in the distance call She played the piano through the wall [Chorus – massive orchestral rock explosion, gang vocals] She’s the bell ringer The bell ringer In San Francisco On this rainy day In the Sixties She’s the bell ringer Ringing through my heart Never gonna fade away [Verse 3 – Mellotron flutes + driving drums] Hippies in the doorway, eyes like stained glass Time stood still in that Victorian pass Her fingers danced like lightning on the keys Turning minor chords into major pleas The city disappeared, only sound remained Every hammer strike broke another chain [Chorus – even bigger, strings soaring] She’s the bell ringer The bell ringer In San Francisco On this rainy day In the Sixties She’s the bell ringer Ringing through the storm Till the break of day [Guitar/Orchestral Solo – 12-string arpeggios + violin counter-melody] [Final Chorus – full choir + orchestra at max] She’s the bell ringer The bell ringer In San Francisco Summer of Love in the rain In the Sixties She’s the bell ringer Still ringing in my head Fifty years later… the same [Outro – bells fade into Mellotron wind, single piano note rings] She’s the bell ringer… San Francisco… 1967… Still ringing.