"Church Bells May Ring"
Single by The Willows
B-side	"Baby Tell Me"
Released	February 1956 (1956-02)
Genre	Doo-wop
Length	2:25
Label	Melba
Songwriter(s)	The Willows, Morty Craft
The Willows singles chronology
"So Help Me" (1954) "Church Bells May Ring" (1956) "This Is the End" (1956)

"Church Bells May Ring" is a song written by The Willows, with songwriting credits also given to Morty Craft; Craft, a veteran arranger and talent scout, owned Melba Records, the label the Willows recorded for, and as often happened in the 1950s, label executives would give themselves a songwriting credit. There is little evidence Craft wrote the song, and according to the band members, he only paid them $200, despite the fact that the song sold well.^[1] The Willows were formed in New York City in 1952. Their original name was the Five Willows, and their song was originally called "Church Bells Are Ringing."^[2] "Church Bells May Ring" reached number 11 on the U.S. R&B chart and number 67 on the U.S. pop chart in 1956.^[3]

Neil Sedaka played chimes on the song.^[4][5]

Other charting versions

• The Diamonds released a version of the song as a single which reached number 14 on the U.S. pop chart in 1956.^[6]
• The Willows re-released a version of the song as a single which reached number 114 on the U.S. pop chart in 1961.^[7]

Other versions

• The Cadets released a version of the song as the B-side to their 1956 single "Heartbreak Hotel".^[8]
• Sunny Gale released a version of the song as a single in 1960, but it did not chart.^[9]
• The Four Seasons released a version of the song on their 1964 album Dawn (Go Away) and 11 Other Great Songs.^[10]
• The Shirelles released a version of the song on their 1964 album The Shirelles Sing the Golden Oldies.^[11]