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Call of the Bellbird

Marius, Fabian and Berard Webb

This is a classic 1953 Australian country & western song by three young men in Brisbane who decided to go back up north to the family cattle farm near Gympie. But we have bellbirds here in New Zealand too, and I loved singing this song at Mangamahu when I was a kid. 

C                                                 G 
I've been a wayward wanderer, but found I like to rest 
                                                     C 
In my home up in the mountains, the place I love the best.
                                           G 
I wandered to the City in quest of better times 
                                            C 
But now I am returning to my home up in the pines.
 

Chorus:
   F                                  C 
So ring your bell, bellbird, you're a-calling me back home 
      G                           C           C7 
To my home up in the mountains no more I will roam 
     F                                C 
For there will be contentment, and my heart will be at ease 
          G                                 C 
Where the bellbird's call at evening floats on the mountain breeze

Instr:	 (replay last line)


It seems I hear the bellbird in the valley far below
It brings back old-time memories of the days so long ago
So I'm finished with my wandering - I'm goin' to settle down
In this wild little valley 'bout a hundred miles from town

Chorus, Instr

I'm leaving in the morning - I'll soon be back again
To my life up in the mountains where my heart will know no pain
And then again at evening I'll sit outside the door
Just to listen to the bellbirds and hear their call once more

Chorus, Instr 

C                                     G 
Ring ting-a-ling-a ring ting-a-ling-a bellbird 
                                C 
Ring ting-a-ling-a call me back home  
                                      G 
Ring ting-a-ling-a ring ting-a-ling-a bellbird 
                                C 
Ring ting-a-ling-a call me back home  
G                  F       G    C 
Ring ting-a-ling-a call me back home

Thanks to Dexter Muir for these lyrics and chords.


The Webb brothers

Apart from brief periods in Brisbane after leaving boarding school, Fabian, Marius and Berard have lived all their lives on their "Thornside" properties, in the hills behind Gympie, 100 miles north of Brisbane. They are well known for their excellent cattle production there, and they are equally talented in writing and performing Australian country music.

Fabian took guitar lessons during his boarding school years in the 1940s, and he then then taught Marius. Berard has written most of the brothers' original works, but Fabian and Marius are also accomplished songwriters.

They formed themselves into a group in about 1952, mostly for their own enjoyment. The following year they auditioned for the Australian Amateur Hour, and were successful in winning their heat, and a chance to record their songs.

Travelling to Sydney for the first time, they recorded "The Call of the Bellbird" and "Just Sing Sing Sing." The "The Call of the Bellbird" proved to be particularly popular (I remember it on the hit parade in New Zealand at the time) and it is still selling today in 2003.

The Webb brothers are still singing too. For more details see their website. Webb brothers

Bellbirds

The Australian and new Zealand Bellbirds are two different but similar species.

The Webbs were singing about Manoria melanophrys, a small olive-green bird (18 cm) with an orange-red spot behind its eye.

They are territorial and tend to be found in large groups in rainforest with a shrubby understory, feeding on nectar and small insects.

Because of its olive colouring, it is more often heard than seen. It makes a "Tink" call, with groups producing tinkling bell-like sounds. This is quite loud and resonates through the air wherever they are found. (WAV soundfile of Australian Bellbird call)



But here in New Zealand we call Anthornis melanura the Bellbird (or Korimako). It is a honeyeater (like the Tui, which imitates the bellbird's call.) Bellbirds (and Tuis) feed on a mixture of nectar, fruit, and insects.

NZ Bellbirds are also dark olive green, and have a red eye. The female has narrow white stripe across its head, and the male has a glossy purple head.

When many Bellbirds sing at once, mostly during the dawn chorus and at dusk, the famous bell notes are impressive. (MP3 of NZ Bellbird call)


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Page made 10th October, 2003