
Édith Piaf
The Three Bells lyrics with English translation
- Language
- French
- Level
- Intermediate
- Released
- 1956
- Genre
- French Pop, Ballad
- Length
- 3:25
A bell for birth
A bell for birth
A bell for marriage
A bell for marriage
A bell for death
A bell for death
There's a village hidden deep in the valley
There's a village hidden deep in the valley
Among the pine trees and forlorn
Among the pine trees and forlorn
And there on a sunny morning
And there on a sunny morning
Little Jimmy Brown was born
Little Jimmy Brown was born
So his parents brought him to the chapel
So his parents brought him to the chapel
When he was only one day old
When he was only one day old
And the priest blessed the little fellow
And the priest blessed the little fellow
Welcomed him into the fold
Welcomed him into the fold
All the chapel bells were ringing
All the chapel bells were ringing
In the little valley town
In the little valley town
And the song that they were singing
And the song that they were singing
Was for baby Jimmy Brown
Was for baby Jimmy Brown
There's a village hidden deep in the valley
There's a village hidden deep in the valley
Beneath the mountains high above
Beneath the mountains high above
And there, twenty years thereafter
And there, twenty years thereafter
Jimmy Brown was to meet his love
Jimmy Brown was to meet his love
Many friends were gathered in the chapel
Many friends were gathered in the chapel
And many tears of joy were shed
Et beaucoup de larmes de joie ont été versées
In June on a Sunday morning
En juin lors d'un dimanche matin
When Jimmy Brown and his bride were wed
Quand Jimmy Brown et sa fiancée se sont mariés
All the chapel bells were ringing
Toutes les cloches de la chapelle sonnaient
It was a great day in his life
C'était un grand jour dans sa vie
All the songs that they were singing
Toutes les chansons qu'ils chantaient
Were for Jimmy and his wife
Étaient pour Jimmy et sa femme
From the village hidden deep in the valley
Du village caché au fond de la vallée
One rainy morning dark and grey
Un matin de pluie sombre et grise
A soul wound its way to Heaven
Une âme a trouvé son chemin vers le Ciel
Jimmy Brown had passed away
Jimmy Brown had passed away
Silent people gathered in the chapel
Silent people gathered in the chapel
To say farewell to their old friend
To say farewell to their old friend
Whose life had been like a flower
Whose life had been like a flower
Budding, blooming till the end
Budding, blooming till the end
Just a lonely bell was ringing
Just a lonely bell was ringing
In the little valley town
In the little valley town
It was farewell that it was singing
It was farewell that it was singing
To our good old Jimmy Brown
To our good old Jimmy Brown
And the little congregation
And the little congregation
Prayed for guidance from above
Prayed for guidance from above
Lead us not into temptation
Lead us not into temptation
Make his soul find a salvation
Make his soul find a salvation
Of thy great eternal love
Of thy great eternal love
Key vocabulary
- forlorn
- lonely
- he
- I have
- wed
- marry
- been
- —
- till
- until
- there's
- there is
About this song
Édith Piaf was a French chanteuse in the French chanson tradition, remembered for the signature recordings “La vie en rose” and “Non, je ne regrette rien” during the mid-20th century. She was known for her prominence in Paris cabarets and international acclaim.