Jimmy Brown

A. G. Maisey · 5th August 2014, 06:10 AM

Yep.

Edith Piaf released it in the early 1950's, then The Browns did an English language version released in the late 1950's.

I believe it was written by a Frenchman at the end of WWII and there was an English version by some group in the late 1940's that never took off.

It is the life story of Everyman.

It was also known as "Jimmy Brown" but that caused confusion with the song Rick and I were talking about which was written by Bill Hays in the 19th century,and is a Blue Grass standard, so it firmed up as "The Three Bells" --- and that's what is shown in this post:- three bells.

Can't get too serious about things. Makes life boring.

Rick · 5th August 2014, 05:52 PM

Okay, I'll take that; but what is the connection with Jean Nicot ?

Yes, I know I am a dull fellow .

[reaches for dunce cap]

Anyway, here's one you might like .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1fCDDpWenM

A. G. Maisey · 6th August 2014, 12:04 AM

Well, you see, Jean Nicot was really Jimmy Brown. When the song was anglicised Jean became Jimmy.

The writer of this song was French, and one day he was wandering through a graveyard and he saw Nicot's headstone, and at the same time he heard church bells, he was struck by the thought that our lives are marked by the church bells for birth (christening), marriage and death (funeral) :- the three bells. So he went home and sat down at his piano and wrote "Les Trois Cloches" :- the story of all of us. Apparently the English language version that was the one that made it popular was a very abbreviated and altered version of the original, but it still tells the story, maybe only in precis.

This is as it was told to me, and I thought I'd make a riddle out of the rather boring posting of some Mojo era bronze, so I tested "Three Bells + Jean Nicot " on Dr. Google and he gave me over 100,000 answers. As I said, you were close Rick, if you'd asked Dr. Google he would have told you.

Yep, there's not a bad track on that album, and this one is technically very, very good, but the atypical "Both Sides Now" ---dunno how that ever made it into the mix --- is possibly one of my favourites, along with "--- Blue Eyes" and one of the all-time greats "Wabash Cannonball" ---first song I ever learnt at about age four. Like I said, I grew up on this stuff. But I prefer the Carters cut of Wabash:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMiU_aknPDA

and here's another great railroad song:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3H_TLmsQUo

and don't nobody try to tell us that ain't ethno-graphic, this music is a blossom of a great culture. So is this:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzhyVwkmjKw

This lady is perhaps the best of the female kroncong singers --- others would argue with me --- the song was almost an anthem of the Indonesian freedom movement.

Rick · 6th August 2014, 01:23 AM

Now that is interesting.
Gilles was born in Montreaux 1895 yet Jimmy Brown the Newsboy was written in the 1870's .
Fascinating coincidence .

A. G. Maisey · 6th August 2014, 05:27 AM

Yeah, I guess there's a bit of coincidence there, both songs relate back to the 19th century.

Jimmy Brown the Newsboy was written by Bill Hays (Dr. Google tells me his name was "William Shakespeare Hays) and published in about 1875.
The Carter Family did an adaptation written by Doc Carter (Dr. Google again) in about 1928.

Les Trois Cloches was written by Jean Villard, AKA Jean Gilles in 1940 and he was Swiss, not French, and Edith Piaf did it in 1946. Jean Villard/Gilles was born in 1895. (Dr. Google clarified all that for me, I was running on memory before)

I apologise for not being precisely correct with my previous information, but I was running on memory and what I wrote is broadly correct I think.

5th August 2014, 05:52 PM	#2
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,293	Puzzled Okay, I'll take that; but what is the connection with Jean Nicot ? Yes, I know I am a dull fellow . [reaches for dunce cap] Anyway, here's one you might like . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1fCDDpWenM Last edited by Rick; 5th August 2014 at 06:13 PM.

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5th August 2014, 06:10 AM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,892	Yep. Edith Piaf released it in the early 1950's, then The Browns did an English language version released in the late 1950's. I believe it was written by a Frenchman at the end of WWII and there was an English version by some group in the late 1940's that never took off. It is the life story of Everyman. It was also known as "Jimmy Brown" but that caused confusion with the song Rick and I were talking about which was written by Bill Hays in the 19th century,and is a Blue Grass standard, so it firmed up as "The Three Bells" --- and that's what is shown in this post:- three bells. Can't get too serious about things. Makes life boring.

6th August 2014, 12:04 AM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,892	Well, you see, Jean Nicot was really Jimmy Brown. When the song was anglicised Jean became Jimmy. The writer of this song was French, and one day he was wandering through a graveyard and he saw Nicot's headstone, and at the same time he heard church bells, he was struck by the thought that our lives are marked by the church bells for birth (christening), marriage and death (funeral) :- the three bells. So he went home and sat down at his piano and wrote "Les Trois Cloches" :- the story of all of us. Apparently the English language version that was the one that made it popular was a very abbreviated and altered version of the original, but it still tells the story, maybe only in precis. This is as it was told to me, and I thought I'd make a riddle out of the rather boring posting of some Mojo era bronze, so I tested "Three Bells + Jean Nicot " on Dr. Google and he gave me over 100,000 answers. As I said, you were close Rick, if you'd asked Dr. Google he would have told you. Yep, there's not a bad track on that album, and this one is technically very, very good, but the atypical "Both Sides Now" ---dunno how that ever made it into the mix --- is possibly one of my favourites, along with "--- Blue Eyes" and one of the all-time greats "Wabash Cannonball" ---first song I ever learnt at about age four. Like I said, I grew up on this stuff. But I prefer the Carters cut of Wabash:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMiU_aknPDA and here's another great railroad song:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3H_TLmsQUo and don't nobody try to tell us that ain't ethno-graphic, this music is a blossom of a great culture. So is this:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzhyVwkmjKw This lady is perhaps the best of the female kroncong singers --- others would argue with me --- the song was almost an anthem of the Indonesian freedom movement.

6th August 2014, 01:23 AM	#4
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,293	Now that is interesting. Gilles was born in Montreaux 1895 yet Jimmy Brown the Newsboy was written in the 1870's . Fascinating coincidence .

6th August 2014, 05:27 AM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,892	Yeah, I guess there's a bit of coincidence there, both songs relate back to the 19th century. Jimmy Brown the Newsboy was written by Bill Hays (Dr. Google tells me his name was "William Shakespeare Hays) and published in about 1875. The Carter Family did an adaptation written by Doc Carter (Dr. Google again) in about 1928. Les Trois Cloches was written by Jean Villard, AKA Jean Gilles in 1940 and he was Swiss, not French, and Edith Piaf did it in 1946. Jean Villard/Gilles was born in 1895. (Dr. Google clarified all that for me, I was running on memory before) I apologise for not being precisely correct with my previous information, but I was running on memory and what I wrote is broadly correct I think.