Lyrics

Ring Joy and Peace to the World

Three times a day on the Maine street of Brunswick
that old Universalist bell
rang out the morning, the noon and the evening
all of the town knew it well
old Colonel Dennison, he sent back the first one
he said that the tone wasn't pure
and we Universalists, so few in number
have gotta sing out if we want to be heard
ringing joy and peace to the world
ring joy and peace to the world

forty years later one October evening
was lit by a terrible fire
next Sunday morning the bell lay in ruins
in the ashes and bones of the spire
the years had been hard as those black walnut pews
and the church could have easily died
but they rolled up their sleeves and picked up the pieces
recast the bell, and right there on the side said
ring joy and peace to the world
ring joy and peace to the world

that bell rang in change for 125 years
rang out freedom with beautiful noise
it rang out in hope and it rang out in sorrow
it rang till the next fire took its voice

some folks will tell you the church is so stubborn
we don't even know when we're beat
some folks will tell you the church has got gumption
we know how to land on our feet
all that I know is the work was unfinished
we all felt the need to go on, build a
home here for bringing that bell back to ringing
our voices still singing out loud with the song
ringing joy and peace to the world
ring joy and peace to the world