Les Compagnons De La Chanson

Originally serving as Edith Piaf’s regular backing ensemble, this French male vocal ensemble included Guy Bourguignon (b. 1920, Tulle, France, d. 31 December 1969, Paris, France; bass), Jean Broussolle (b. 1920, Saint-Vallier, France, d. 1984; baritone), Jean-Pierre Calvet (b. 1925, Orgon, France, d. 1989; tenor), Jo Frachon (b. 1919, Davézieux, France, d. 1992; bass), Jean-Louis Jaubert (b. 29 August 1920, Mulhouse, France; bass), Hubert Lancelot (b. 1923, Lyon, France, d. 1995, Paris, France; baritone), Fred Mella (b. 10 March 1924, Annonay, Ardèche, France; tenor), René Mella (b. 1926, Annonay, Ardèche, France; tenor), and Gérard Sabbat (b. 1926, Lyon, France; baritone). One of Piaf’s signature recordings, the 1945 Jean Villard composition ‘Les Trois Cloches’, featured the group prominently. They subsequently cut their own version, and Bert Reisfeld supplied an English adaptation in 1948 that retitled the piece ‘The Three Bells’ (‘The Jimmy Brown Song’). The Anglicized rendition, re-recorded by the ensemble, entered the UK chart in 1959. The group’s appearance performing the song on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1951 is said to have prompted US act the Browns to make their own recording, which became a number 1 hit. The identical melody had already been repurposed by Jean Villard in 1945 for ‘While The Angelus Was Ringing’, which carried lyrics written by American songwriter Dick Manning.