"The Bells of Rhymney" is a poem by Idris Davies set to music by Pete Seeger. Idris Davies (January 6, 1905 - April 6, 1953), was a Welsh poet, originally writing in Welsh, but later writing exclusively in English. He is now known mostly for this song, a song on a mining accident on the pattern of the nursery rhyme "Oranges and Lemons". There is a dance tune named "Oranges and Lemons" in Playford's Dancing Master but there is no known connection to the rhyme or the children's game associated with it. The locations mentioned in the song are located in the coal country of southern Wales, not far from some of my family's roots in Merthyr Tydfil. Times were tough in the 1920's, especially in the mining valleys and most of the towns in the region were distressed. Wye, closer to England was not as troubled. Davies was born and brought up in Rhymney Valley, Mid Glamorgan, Wales (formerly Monmouthshire) and began work as a coal miner on leaving school at 14. He studied by correspondence, having in 1926 decided to leave the pits after the failure of the General Strike. He wrote from a Socialist perspective. He qualified as a teacher through courses at Loughborough College and the University of Nottingham. He took teaching posts in London, and then Wales, returning to Rhymney in 1947. His second collection of poems was taken by T. S. Eliot for Faber and Faber (1945). Davies died from cancer in 1953, aged 48. "The Bells of Rhymney" was covered by The Byrds; and later by many others, including Jimmy Page, Judy Collins, Dick Gaughan, Cher, Robyn Hitchcock, Oysterband, The Alarm, Bob Dylan and Robin Williamson on an album of readings. John Denver covered this while with the Mitchell Trio and also performed it live by himself. Also by Pete Seeger in this section:       "Where Have All The Flowers Gone",       "Turn, Turn, Turn". It was printed in Pete Seeger's book, also titled, The Bells of Rhymney.