Chorus:
"Ring the bell, watchman! ring! ring! ring!
"Yes, yes! the good news is now on the wing.
"Yes, yes! they come and with tiding to tell.
"Glorious and blessed tidings. Ring, ring the bell!"

Baring his long silver locks to the breeze,
First for a moment he drops on his knees
Then with a vigor that few could excel
Answers he the welcome bidding,
Ring, ring the bell. (Chorus)

Hear! from the hilltop, the first signal gun
Thunders the word that some great deed is done
Hear! thro' the valley the long echoes swell,
Ever and anon repeating
Ring, ring the bell. (Chorus)

Bonfires are blazing and rockets ascend
No meagre triumph such tokens portend
Shout! shout! my brothers for "all, all is well!"
'Tis the universal chorus
Ring, ring the bell. (Chorus)
 

This song is parodied by Strike the Bell, its author remains anonymous.  This song is not, strictly speaking, a shanty of any kind, but we show it here as a reference to the parody, surpassing the original in popularity.  This Civil-war era writer, Henry Clay Work, also penned "The Ship that Never Returned," from which was inspired the tune, "The MTA Song" by Jacqueline Steiner and Bess Lomax Hawes, made famous by The Kingston Trio.