# Lyrics to the Westminster chimes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 25, 2006, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-to-the-westminster-chimes/349821 "2006-03-25T02:50:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-to-the-westminster-chimes/349821/1 "2006-03-25T02:50:00Z")
When I was small – many many years ago – I sang a song to the Westminster chimes on my grandfather’s grandfather clock. I’m not sure where I learned the lyrics, but I think maybe it was from a beginner’s book of piano lessons. In any case the last two lines were (at least approximately) From its high tower Strikes out the hour. Nobody I’ve asked can supply me with the first two lines. Nor do they even recall ever hearing such a song. Any help? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-to-the-westminster-chimes/349821/2 "2006-03-25T04:07:47Z")
I once saw the lyrics “Ding dong dong ding / hear the chimes ring / From the high tower / All hark the hour”. I think that you’re correct about it being in a book of piano lessons… John Thompson’s Modern Graded Course? Of course, if we’re both remembering the same source, then this doesn’t really add any additional support. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-to-the-westminster-chimes/349821/3 "2006-03-25T04:56:30Z")
[Google](http://www.clocksnmore.com/clock_chimes.asp) to the rescue. > [@](#): > > The world’s most famous chimes are the Westminster. Nearly everyone associates the Westminster chimes with the Victoria Clock Tower of the House of Parliament in London. Originally, however, they were fitted to the clock of the University Church, St Mary’s the Great, in Cambridge, England. The words to this beautiful chime come from Handel’s symphony, “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth” and could be our daily prayer: > > **Lord through this hour, > Be Thou our guide > So, by Thy power > No foot shall slide.** DD ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-to-the-westminster-chimes/349821/4 "2006-03-25T06:04:05Z")
If a site describes it as a Handel ‘symphony’, it’s worth looking elsewhere. Fortunately, Cecil doesn’t make the same mistake: [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990430b.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990430b.html) ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-to-the-westminster-chimes/349821/5 "2006-03-25T07:48:13Z")
Why, did, we, vote For, toe, knee, blay, air Bush, ez, bee, itch It’s, just, not, fair Dumb, Dumb, … ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-to-the-westminster-chimes/349821/6 "2006-03-25T08:59:41Z")
Moved to CS. - **xash** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/96bed5/32.png) [@Cat\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-to-the-westminster-chimes/349821/7 "2006-03-25T11:17:09Z")
When I was a wee thing in the [Brownie Guides](http://www.girlguiding.org.uk/members/brownies/) (oh my god how they’ve changed !) we used to end each 'meeting ’ with a prayer sung to the tune of the Westminster chimes - something aloing the lines of “Oh lord our God, hear our call, grant us they peace, and bless us all”. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-to-the-westminster-chimes/349821/8 "2006-03-25T11:47:26Z")
Ah, yes, I see that **Cat Jones** has the same Brownie Guide experience as I did. (I still don’t know why we worshpied and jumped over a large model of _amanita muscaria_. Most odd.) “O Lord our God, thy children call grant us thy peace and bless us all” NOTE - Other answers have nailed the real words - this is jsut one that I expect all Brownies had to put up with. I like **Dan Blather** ’s version better, though. ---
**Author:** ![rarodrinker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8491ac/32.png) [@rarodrinker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rarodrinker)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-to-the-westminster-chimes/349821/9 "2017-07-23T03:30:06Z")
The real lyrics are not a symphony, rather a set of pieces known as Handel’s Messiah many know from Christmas time performances in many churches. The first stanza is: I know that my redeemer liveth The verse that many quote as from the Brownie guidebook come later in the piece. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-to-the-westminster-chimes/349821/10 "2017-07-23T05:16:00Z")
“Ding fries are done, ding fries are done.” ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-to-the-westminster-chimes/349821/11 "2017-07-23T06:38:53Z")
The lyrics are not from The Messiah. The TUNE is a variation on a portion of the aria “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth” from The Messiah. The lyrics to that aria are, in full: > [@The Messiah](#): > > I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day > Upon the earth. And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall > I see God. (Job 19:25-26) > For now is Christ risen from the dead, the first fruits of them that > Sleep. As Cecil pointed out in the column linked. Since when do we not simply defer to the Perfect Master on this site when he has already answered a factual question for us? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-to-the-westminster-chimes/349821/12 "2017-07-23T07:43:46Z")
… and the lyrics referenced by **OldGuy** and **Chronos** are from John Thompson’s “Teaching Little Fingers How to Play” ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-to-the-westminster-chimes/349821/13 "2017-07-23T17:56:46Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > … and the lyrics referenced by **OldGuy** and **Chronos** are from John Thompson’s “Teaching Little Fingers How to Play” Which, as far as potentially awkward titles go, is pretty up there. ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-to-the-westminster-chimes/349821/14 "2017-07-23T18:15:40Z")
Is this the same song as [Oranges and Lemons?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91Za-Nu2XW4) ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyrics-to-the-westminster-chimes/349821/15 "2017-07-23T19:03:28Z")
Nah, chimes are the rhythm of the bells \*, to which words were added apparently [**Westminster Chimes**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdWN59fEzIE) on a Bulova Clock [\*\* Oranges and Lemons\*\*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oranges_and_Lemons) is a song listing London Churches. - As in that wondrous old poem which comforted us as scared little children And the people–ah, the people-- They that dwell up in the steeple, All alone, And who, tolling, tolling, tolling, In that muffled monotone, Feel a glory in so rolling On the human heart a stone-- They are neither man nor woman-- They are neither brute nor human-- They are Ghouls:-- And their king it is who tolls ; And he rolls, rolls, rolls, rolls, Rolls A pæan from the bells! And his merry bosom swells With the pæan of the bells! And he dances, and he yells ; Keeping time, time, time, In a sort of Runic rhyme, To the pæan of the bells-- Of the bells etc.