1) The Browns were … Read Full Bio ↴There are three bands under the name The Browns.
1) The Browns were an American family singing group from Pine Bluff, Arkansas made up of Jim Ed Brown and his sisters, Maxine Brown and Bonnie Brown.
Country music singers, they sang individually at rural venues until 1954 when Maxine Brown, and younger brother Jim Ed, signed a record contract as a singing duo. Eighteen-year-old Bonnie joined the group in 1955, and the following year they were signed by Chet Atkins, RCA Victor Records producer in Nashville, Tennessee. The family trio recorded several songs that met with only modest success until 1959, when their 45 rpm folk single called "The Three Bells" was a no. 1 hit on both the Billboard Hot 100 pop music and country music charts. Based on a song called "Les trois cloches," the song was originally a hit in France for both the group Les Compagnons de la chanson and Édith Piaf.
The Browns followed up the success of "The Three Bells" with "Scarlet Ribbons" and "The Old Lamplighter," recordings that also did very well on both the pop and country music charts. With an international following, The Browns toured Europe extensively and recorded further moderate successes on the country music charts. In 1963, they became part of the Grand Ole Opry.
In 1965, Jim Ed Brown began working on a solo career, and in 1967 the trio formally disbanded. Jim Ed continued to record for RCA and had a number of country hits starting in 1965 while still with The Browns. In 1967, he released his first solo top 10 with "Pop A Top" which became his signature song. In 1970, he gained a crossover hit with "Morning" which went to number 4 on the country charts and number 47 on the pop charts. Other hits for Jim Ed included "Angel's Sunday"(1971), "Southern Loving"(1973), "Sometime Sunshine"(1974) and "It's That Time Of Night"(1974). In 1976, he released a string of major duet hits with Helen Cornelius starting with the #1 hit "I Don't Wanna Have To Marry You". Other hits for the duo included "Saying Hello, Saying I Love You, Saying Goodbye"(1977), "Born Believer"(1977), "I'll Never Be Free"(1978), "If The World Ran Out Of Love Tonight"(1978), "You Don't Bring Me Flowers"(1979), "Lying In Love With You"(1979), "Fools"(1979), "Morning Comes Too Early"(1980), and "Don't Bother To Knock"(1981).
Jim Ed has also hosted the syndicated country shows Jim Ed Brown's Country Place, and Nashville On The Road. On The Nashville Network he hosted the talent show You Can Be A Star, and the travel show Going Our Way which featured his wife, Becky, where they went traveling to different places in an RV.
Maxine Brown briefly had a solo career during the late 1960's releasing an album and single for Chart Records titled "Sugar Cane Country".
In 2006, the Browns reunited to perform "The Old Lamplighter" and "The Three Bells" for the PBS special, Country Pop Legends.
2) A horror-themed punk band. Formed in 1998, they played consistently for a year and a half around Western Canada, opening for The New Bomb Turks, Nashville Pussy, AFI, and Good Riddance. In the spring of 1998 the band self-released their first album "Getting Jiggy with The Browns". At this time, the line up was much different; Charlie - Guitar & Vocals, Emmett - Guitar, Leroy - Bass, Freddy - Drums and Lucy - Keyboards.
During the summer of 1998 Lucy and Emmet left the band, Freddy moved to Guitar and a new drummer named ODB began performing live shows, a new keyboard player was not sought out. Also around this time Charlie gave up his guitar duties and focused solely on lead vocals.
In 1999 Meter Records (Canada) released "Greatest Hits Volume One." Shortly after the release The Motherfucking Browns played what they said was their "final" show (summer of 1999) much to the dismay of both Meter Records and the Western Canadian music scene.
In 2000 Middle Man Records (USA) released a split 7" record with The Motherfucking Browns and John Q. Public. The Motherfucking Browns contributed a song from their 1999 album; "Lady, Stay Dead!" alongside a cover of "Bullet" a cover by the influential horror-rock band The Misfits.
2003 saw the release of Tony Hawk's Underground, video game for all major gaming platforms. Alongside bands like Kiss and Social Distortion, The Motherfucking Browns contributed a censored version of their song: "American Werewolf in Calgary". Tony Hawk's Underground went on to win several awards as a groundbreaking video game in 2003.
With the success of Tony Hawk's Underground a new website for the band was announced as well as a new myspace site. Both sites confirmed The Motherfucking Browns were performing with a new line-up: Charlie - Vocals, Eddie - Guitar, James - Bass, Joe - Drums.
2004 saw the release of "And Now the Screaming Starts!" on Meter Records (Canada). After much publicity, and several live shows in the Mid West USA, Horror High Records released their single "The Scream on Halloween" on their "Prom Queen Massacre" compilation, featuring other horror-rock bands such as Blitzkid and Calabrese.
After nearly three years of no activity Meter Records reported that The Motherfucking Browns have returned with the original line up that played on "Greatest Hits Volume One" (except ODB who had since passed away, and replaced by Chow Yun). In the fall of 2007 The Motherfucking Browns played a triumphant "comeback" show in their hometown of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Performing alongside fellow horror rockers Forbidden Dimension. In an interview with Beatroute Magazine a new album for 2008 was announced.
The band is known for their abrasive stage shows, wearing Balaclava ski masks on stage, and songs primarily about horror movies. Charlie Brown is also a contributing writer for horror website www.killerfilm.com
"The best band in the fucking world, you fuckers!"
3) The Browns, a gospel-influenced band, exude excitement on the stage and offer a life-changing experience to all who hear them. The Browns deliver the powerful message of the gospel through word and song that engage audiences of all ages.
The Browns have been touring across the United States since the group began its full-time ministry nine years ago. The heralded group began on the local and state level and has expanded and grown into a national touring group.
This year The Browns received the prestigious honor of Top 10 Mixed Group of the Year for the second year in a row. The Browns will be attending the Singing News Magazine fan awards at the National Quartet Convention in Louisville, KY. “It started out with the Singing News magazine fans voting for the top ten,” Michaela said. “We had no idea we were up for this ward until we got an e-mail to tell us. We were up with some wonderful groups. This honor is very rewarding coming from the fans and knowing that we’ve touched their hearts or ministered to them in some way.” Previously The Browns had been awarded the Top Horizon Group of the Year for 3 consecutive years.
The group has finished their newest recording at the Sound Kitchen and Daywind Studios in Nashville, TN with Grammy award winning producer, Bubba Smith. ”A New Day” will be the Browns 10th national CD release. The newest single on the album has just climbed to #25 on the national radio charts. It is written by group member Jessica, and her fiance, Nick Trammell intitled “It’s A God Thing”.
The Three Bells
The Browns Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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"
The Browns's song The Three Bells tells the story of Little Jimmy Brown and the journey of his life. The first verse sets the scene with a village hidden deep in the valley, where Little Jimmy Brown is born. The sound of the chapel bells ringing, presumably in celebration of his birth, can be heard throughout the valley. The second verse fast-forwards twenty years to when Jimmy is to meet his love. The chapel bells ring once again as a celebration for Jimmy and his wife, and the congregation prays for guidance and blessings in their new life together.
In the third and final verse, the mood shifts as we learn that Jimmy has passed away on a rainy morning. The only sound that can be heard is the lonely ringing of the chapel bell, which serves as a farewell to the beloved Little Jimmy Brown. The congregation once again prays for guidance and salvation for his soul.
Line by Line Meaning
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)
In a rural, isolated place surrounded by pine trees, a young boy named Jimmy Brown was born.
All the chapel bells were ringing
In the little valley town
And the song that they were singing
Was for baby Jimmy Brown
To celebrate Jimmy's birth, the church bells were ringing and the congregation sang a song dedicated to him.
Then the little congregation
Prayed for guidance from above
'Lead us not into temptation,
Bless this hour of meditation,
Guide him with eternal love'
The congregation prayed for guidance and protection for Jimmy, hoping that he would always be guided by God's love rather than being led astray.
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)
Years later, Jimmy was to meet his significant other in the same remote village, hidden deep in the valley beneath the towering mountains.
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
On their special day, the church bells once again rang out and the congregation sang to celebrate Jimmy and his wife's union.
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'
As Jimmy and his wife joined in marriage, the congregation prayed for God's continued blessings, asking that their lives be filled with love and that they remain grounded in their faith.
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)
One dark, rainy morning, Jimmy Brown passed away and his soul ascended to heaven, leaving behind his small village hidden in the valley.
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)
To bid farewell to Jimmy, the church's bell tolled alone in the small valley town where he lived, singing a sad song to mourn his loss.
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'
Once again the congregation offered their prayers, asking God to lead Jimmy's soul to salvation and into His eternal love.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, LES NOUVELLES EDITIONS MERIDIAN
Written by: BERT REISFELD, JEAN VILLARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind