The Three Bells

The Browns were a family of musicians - Jim Ed Brown, Maxine Brown and Bonnie Brown who were small time country music singers performing at rural venues until 1950's. Then The Three Bells happened which became a no. 1 hit and resulted in them appearing on the Ed Sullivan show and made them international. 

Based on a 1945 French song "Les trois cloches" by Jean Villard and Marc Herrand, it chronicles the life of this fello Jimmy Brown - the three most important moments in his life - Birth, Marriage and Death. It's a lovely little song, with the "bomm bomm bomm" ringing in your head long after the song stops playing. There's minimal instrumentation used which sort of adds to the religious mystical effect of this song. 

It was put to good use in The Sopranos. It appeared in two episodes early in the sixth season. Yeah I know, that's where I'm discovering all these really nice songs. 

Lyrics

There's a village
Hiidden deep in the valley
Among the pine trees half forlorn
And there on a sunny morning
Little Jimmy Brown was born.

(boom, boom, boom, boom...)

All the chapel bells are ringing
In the little valley town
And the song that they were singing
Was for baby Jimmy Brown
And 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, 20 years thereafter,
Jimmy was to meet his love.

(boom, boom, boom, boom...)

All the chapel bells were ringing
'Twas a great day in his life
'Cause the songs that they were singing
Were for Jimmy and his wife
Then the little congregation
Prayed for guidance from above:
"Lead us not into temptation
Bless, O 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.

(boom, boom, boom, boom....)

Just a lonely bell was ringing
In the little valley town
'Twas farewell that it was singing
To our good old Jimmy Brown
(Little Jimmy Brown)
And the little congregation
Prayed for guidance from above:
"Lead us not into temptation
May his soul find this salvation
Of a great eternal love"

This song is still the best song by The Browns, who split up and went on to pursue solo careers. Jim Ed Brown hosts radio shows playing country music and is an active member of Grand Ole Opry this weekly country music radio program which has been around since 1925!

Download the song @ mediafire

The Browns - The Three Bells (Les Trois Cloches) / 320kbps CBR MP3 / 6.46MB
http://www.mediafire.com/?9eabe2mxx1j

(The pic of The Browns with Elvis was taken at the Trio Club in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, December 15, 1956.)