Ring the bells
JAMES (live) Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wake the town
Everyone is sleeping
Shout at the crowd
Wake them up
This anger's deeper than sleep
Got to keep awake to what is happening
I no longer feel my God is watching over me
Got to tell the world we've all been dreaming
This is not the end, a new beginning
I no longer feel my God is watching over me
Break break the code
Concentrate
Let the doors swing open
See through all your walls
All your floors
Now you're in deeper than sleep
Got to keep awake to what is happening
I can't see a thing through my ambition,
I no longer feel my God is watching over me
Got to tell the world we've all been dreaming
This is not the end, a new beginning
I no longer feel my God is watching over me
When you let me fall
Grew my own wings
Now I'm as tall as the sky
When you let me drown
Grew gills and fins
Now I'm as deep as the sea
When you let me die
My spirit's free
There's nothing challenging me
The song “Ring the Bells” by James is a call to action, urging the listener to wake up and pay attention to what is happening around them. The lyrics depict a sense of urgency as the singer emphasizes the need to break through barriers and see through walls in order to truly understand what is going on.
The opening lines “Ring ring the bells, wake the town, everyone is sleeping” paint a picture of a society that is unaware of the issues around them. The singer is frustrated by this and wants to wake people up, shouting at the crowd to make them aware of the deeper issues beneath the surface.
The chorus emphasizes the need to stay aware and attentive to what is happening, even though it may be difficult to do so. The singer mentions his own struggles with ambition and his feeling that God is no longer watching over him, presenting a sense of disillusionment with the world.
The final verse is a message of hope, with the singer recalling moments in which he overcame obstacles and grew stronger as a result. The references to falling, drowning, and dying all suggest moments of great adversity, but the singer has emerged from each of these experiences stronger and more resilient than before.
Overall, “Ring the Bells” is a powerful call to action, urging us to break free from complacency and actively engage with the world around us.
Line by Line Meaning
Ring ring the bells
The need to wake people up to what's happening.
Wake the town
The call for the town to come alive.
Everyone is sleeping
People are ignorant of the truth.
Shout at the crowd
The urgency in waking people up.
Wake them up
Getting people to be alert to the realities of life.
This anger's deeper than sleep
The anger is born out of the awareness that people are oblivious of the truth.
Got to keep awake to what is happening
The need to stay alert to what's happening in the world.
I can't see a thing through my ambition
Blindness due to selfish ambition.
I no longer feel my God is watching over me
A sense of hopelessness and loss of faith.
Got to tell the world we've all been dreaming
The reality of life is different from what people have been led to believe.
This is not the end, a new beginning
There's still hope for a better future.
Break break the code
Unravel the mysteries of life.
Concentrate
Focus on discovering the truth.
Let the doors swing open
Be open to new experiences.
See through all your walls
Remove all barriers that block your vision.
All your floors
Be willing to explore new horizons.
Now you're in deeper than sleep
Achieving a deeper awareness and understanding of life.
When you let me fall
Life's challenges can make you stronger.
Grew my own wings
Empowering yourself to take control of your destiny.
Now I'm as tall as the sky
Achieving great heights and fulfilling your potential.
When you let me drown
Facing difficult situations can foster resilience.
Grew gills and fins
Developing new skills to overcome trials.
Now I'm as deep as the sea
Being able to handle deep and complex situations.
When you let me die
Death can free you from earthly limitations.
My spirit's free
Your spirit lives on beyond your physical life.
There's nothing challenging me
The ultimate sense of freedom and fulfillment.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Therenegadeaussie
Ring, ring the bells
Wake the town
Everyone is sleeping
Shout at the crowd
Wake them up
This anger's deeper than sleep.
Got to keep awake to what is happening
I can't see a thing through my ambition,
I no longer feel my God is watching over me
Got to tell the world we've all been dreaming
This is not the end, a new beginning
I no longer feel my God is watching over me.
Break, break the code
Concentrate
Let the doors swing open
See through all your walls
All your floors
Now you're in deeper than sleep.
Got to keep awake to what is happening
I can't see a thing through my ambition,
I no longer feel my God is watching over me
Got to tell the world we've all been dreaming
This is not the end, a new beginning
I no longer feel my God is watching over me.
When you let me fall
Grew my own wings
Now I'm as tall as the sky
When you let me drown
Grew gills and fins
Now I'm as deep as the sea
When you let me die
My spirit's free
There's nothing challenging me.
@snakusyo1132
I'm so glad The X-files introduced me to this song over 20 years ago. It's amazing when I think about it. For over twenty years I've been listening to a song that I heard in a TV show. The first time I heard this was (I think) 1999 when I was really young. It helped me through my teenage depression (I suffer from a mild case of autism). It helped me when I felt lost as a father. Through changes I had to make in life, like moving far away from my family and friends. Through getting a diagnose for a chronic disease. Through being cheated on and eventually through divorce. It was always hard for me to connect with my feelings, and especially of those around me. This song helped me in many ways. I owe so much to this one song, which is something I never thought I'd say. Thank you James for giving me something I can share with thousands of people for years to come.
@MrRjnr
Listen to Robert Plant's first few solo albums too
@duskys3rdeye758
My first time hearing the song a few moments ago , in the same exact x-files as you🤘🏽 Been getting hooked to the show for weeks now
@otherguy314
Same here! I heard this song in the X-Files episode about 20 years ago, and have loved it ever since. I think about that episode every time. This song really spoke to me about my beliefs and how I coped with trauma. It's amazing to know that there is a community of people connected in this weird niche way.
@lisab9934
Me too
@kalleneumann203
Same here, xFiles S3E3 🖖
@Fester_
I'm a British male over 50 years old and finally, many years after my old pals , I don't think that James are a total waste of my rapidly diminishing hearing . Cool, thanks folk. Fine wine.
@horsegnootz4657
I freaking love X files and this song!!! Thank you Mulder and Scully! The truth is out there! ❤
@Marty-pants
I almost forgot this song existed, but like many others I was recently watching an old X-Files episode and instantly recognised it as a James track. I then remembered I even had a copy of the track on the original tape album, so had to dig it out of the loft as soon as I could; now it's rightly back in my regular playlist. One of my favourite James tracks, personally a very underrated group as shown by the low viewing figures for the video. For me it's one of those great tracks that you can play and play again on repeat.
@Markdiob
xfiles is how I learned about this song, I have been playing it since, Jack Black was in that one