BELLS: any good songs with bells (a.k.a. keyboards)?

Cafe Society
#1

When I was in high school I had the pleasure of being at some band competition somewhere (it’s irrelevant), and I saw four young dudes whackin’ out some of the coolest keyboard bells music I’ve ever heard, thanks to their strong sense of harmonization and innovative timing.

Some songs have bells in them that envision the twinkling cold atop a freshly laid blanket of snow. It’s a very warm feeling, and I’d like to hear any recommendations you Dopers may have.

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy has it, the song “There Is a Number of Small Things” by Múm has a pretty little bit of it. Mogwai’s “tracy” is a lovely song that has the effect.

Assuming someone will know what I’m talking about…any suggestions? Classical music preferred.

#2

Carol of the bells?

#3

Rush: Xanadu
Frank Zappa: Why Does it Hurt When I Pee? (Yes it’s a flip title, but the bell part is seriously cool.

#4

Futurama theme song.

Oh, I just saw that you said you prefer classical; 1812 Overture?

The instrument used in Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy is a keyboard instrument called Celeste. Bartok wrote Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta, but it’s been a long time since I’ve heard it, so I don’t even remember what the piece is like.

#5

Also, bell choirs are very popular in churches, and I’m sure there are lots of recordings available.

#6

Flaming Lips - Do you Realize

#7

Mike Oldfield, Tubular Bells:

The music from the movie The Exorcist

#8

If you rent The Madness of King George, there is a nice scene in which the royal court is entertained by some bell-using muscians. I forget the tune; it might have been Greensleeves.

#9

I would highly recommend The Mercury Program. Most of their songs have no vocals but include a vibraphone. They are surprisingly terrific live.

#10

I would highly recommend The Mercury Program. Most of their songs have no vocals but include a vibraphone. They are surprisingly terrific live.

#11

Van Morrison’s cover of Bob Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” has an excellent keyboard & bells line, which was so good that Beck stole-slash-sampled it for his song “Jack-Ass”.

#12

Disarm, by Smashing Pumpkins…

#13

Would the bridge of Sweet’s “Love is Like Oxygen” qualify?

Some of the work of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra features “bells”, IIRC.

#14

There are no actual bells, but at the end of Kate Bush’s “The Ninth Wave,” the song cycle on Hounds of Love, Kate beautifully evokes the sound bells simply by singing.

#15

“Mr. Blue Sky” by ELO has bells.

#16

What are keyboard bells? Do you mean something like a carillon? Or simply sampled bells played on a synth?

FWIW, my faves include:
Carol of the Bells (Track 4 for the general idea)
Futurama theme
Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells, aka the music from The Exorcist

#17

You might also dig the glockenspiel in Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run”. The tones are at least bell-like.