Gene Harris (September 1, 1933, Benton Harbor, Michigan – January 16, 2000)… Read Full Bio ↴Gene Harris (September 1, 1933, Benton Harbor, Michigan – January 16, 2000) was an American jazz pianist known for his warm sound and blues and gospel infused style. From 1956 to 1970, he played in The Three Sounds trio with bassist Andy Simpkins and drummer Bill Dowdy. He was mostly retired to Boise, Idaho when Ray Brown convinced him to go back on tour in the early 1980s. He played with the Ray Brown Trio and then led his own groups, recording mostly on Concord Records, until his death from kidney failure in 2000. Gene's Ode to Billy Joe is known as a jazz classic.

(2) One of the most accessible of all jazz pianists, Gene Harris' soulful style (influenced by Oscar Peterson and containing the blues-iness of a Junior Mance) was immediately likable and predictably excellent. After playing in an Army band (1951-1954), he formed a trio with bassist Andy Simpkins and drummer Bill Dowdy which was, by 1956, known as the Three Sounds. The group was quite popular, and recorded regularly during 1956-1970 for Blue Note and Verve. Although the personnel changed and the music became more R&B-oriented in the early '70s, Harris retained the Three Sounds name for his later Blue Note sets. He retired to Boise, ID, in 1977, and was largely forgotten when Ray Brown persuaded him to return to the spotlight in the early '80s. Harris worked for a time with the Ray Brown Trio and led his own quartets in the years to follow, recording regularly for Concord and heading the Phillip Morris Superband on a few tours; 1998's Tribute to Count Basie even earned a Grammy nomination. While awaiting a kidney transplant, he died on January 16, 2000, at the age of 66. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi

Stranger in Paradise
Gene Harris Lyrics

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Take my hand,
I'm a stranger in Paradise
All lost in a wonderland
A stranger in paradise
If I stand starry eyed,
That's a danger in Paradise
For mortals who stand beside
An angel like you

I saw your face,
And I ascended
Out of the common place
Into the rarest somewhere in space
I hang suspended
Until I know
There's a chance that you care
Won't you answer this fervent prayer?
Of a stranger in paradise
Don't send me in dark despair
From all that I hunger for
But open your angel's arms
To this stranger in paradise

And tell him that he need be
A stranger no more

Overall Meaning

The song "Stranger in Paradise" by Gene Harris tells the story of an individual who has fallen deeply in love with someone who is almost otherworldly. The individual sings about how lost they are in this person's beauty and how it feels like they are in a wonderland. The lyrics emphasize how dangerous it is to stand next to this angel-like person and how easy it is to get lost in their presence. However, the individual cannot help but feel suspended and enchanted by this person, as they ascend to rare and extraordinary spaces. They also plead with this angel to give them a chance to show that they are worthy.

The chorus urges the angel to take the individual's hand and not send them away in despair, but rather embrace them and show them that they can be a part of this paradise. The song's powerful message lies in its portrayal of how love can feel almost mystical and transport individuals to a realm beyond the ordinary. Ultimately, the lyrics of "Stranger in Paradise" convey the idea that love is something that can transcend typical boundaries and bring people closer to something truly divine.

Line by Line Meaning

Take my hand,
Please lend me your support and guidance,

I'm a stranger in Paradise
I am a foreigner in this idyllic place,

All lost in a wonderland
I find myself dazed and confused with all the marvels around me,

A stranger in paradise
As an outsider, I am not accepted here by everyone,

If I stand starry eyed,
When I stand here gazing around at all the wonders,

That's a danger in Paradise
I might be at risk of losing my sensibility or self-control,

For mortals who stand beside
For regular people standing nearby,

An angel like you
People perceive you as a divine or perfect being,

I saw your face,
I caught a glimpse of your countenance,

And I ascended
I felt uplifted or elevated,

Out of the common place
Away from the mundane, ordinary situation,