Three Bells
The Browns
Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer
There's a village hidden deep in the valley Among the pine trees half forlorn And there on a sunny morning Little Jimmy Brown was born (Bung, bung, bung, bung) All the chapel bells were ringing In the little valley town And the song that they were singing Was for baby Jimmy Brown Then the little congregation Prayed for guidance from above "Lead us not into temptation Bless this hour of meditation Guide him with eternal love" There's a village hidden deep in the valley Beneath the mountains high above And there, twenty years thereafter Jimmy was to meet his love (Bung, bung, bung, bung) All the chapel bells were ringing 'Twas a great day in his life 'Cause the songs that they were singing Was for Jimmy and his wife Then the little congregation Prayed for guidance from above "Lead us not into temptation Bless, oh Lord this celebration, May their lives be filled with love" From the village hidden deep in the valley One rainy morning dark and gray A soul winged its way to heaven Jimmy Brown had passed away (Bung, bung, bung, bung) Just a lonely bell was ringing In the little valley town 'Twas farewell that it was singing To our good ol' Jimmy Brown (little Jimmy Brown) And the little congregation Prayed for guidance from above "Lead us not into temptation, May his soul find the salvation, Of thy great eternal love"
Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer
Written by: BERT REISFELD, JEAN VILLARD
Lyrics © SUISA, Peermusic Publishing, LES NOUVELLES EDITIONS MERIDIAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
11 facts about this song
Chart Success"Three Bells" by The Browns was a chart-topping hit, reaching number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Country chart in 1959. It was the group's only song to top the pop chart.
|
Unique NarrativeThe song tells the life story of Jimmy Brown through the tolling of church bells – at his birth, his wedding, and his death – a unique narrative concept for a pop song.
|
French Origin"Three Bells" is an English-language adaptation of a French song, "Les Trois Cloches," written by Swiss artist Jean Villard Gilles.
|
Adoption by Famous ArtistsAfter the success of The Browns' recording, "Three Bells" has been covered by numerous artists, including famous musicians like Johnny Cash, Andy Williams, and Ray Charles.
|
Grammy Hall of FameIn 1999, "Three Bells" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, a category specifically for recordings that are at least 25 years old and have "qualitative or historical significance."
|
Breaking Genre Boundaries"Three Bells" was unique for its time as it appealed to both country and pop audiences, marking a crossover success for The Browns.
|
Female Vocalist LeaderUnlike many acts during the time, The Browns was fronted by a female vocalist, Maxine Brown. Her voice played a crucial role in defining the group's harmonious sound, including their performance in "Three Bells."
|
Long Duration AchievementThe Browns' original version of "Three Bells" spent ten weeks at number one on Billboard's country singles chart, one of the longest runs of any song in the history of the chart.
|
Achieving International SuccessNot only did "Three Bells" reach number one in the US, but it also achieved international success, climbing to top ten in various music charts across the globe, including the UK Singles Chart.
|
Novelty HitDespite its success, "Three Bells" was perceived as a novelty hit because of its storytelling lyrics and unusual structure, setting it apart from the typical popular songs of the era.
|
Live PerformancesEven after five decades, "Three Bells" continues to be a popular choice for performance in live concerts and TV performances by various artists.
|
Citation
Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"Three Bells Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Sep. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/4711025/The+Browns/Three+Bells>.
Discuss the Three Bells Lyrics with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In