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

That
Gene Harris Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I can only give you love that lasts forever,
And the promise to be near each time you call,
And the only heart I own is yours and yours alone, that's all, that's all.
I can only give you country walks in springtime,
And a hand to hold when leaves begin to fall,
And a love whose burning light to warm the winter night, that's all, that's all.
There are those I am sure who have told you,
They will give you the world for a toy.

All I ask for these arms to enfold you, and a love, time can never destroy.
If you're wond'ring what I'm asking in return, dear,

You'll be glad to know that my demands are small.
Say it's me that you'll adore for now and ever more, that's all, that's all.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Gene Harris Ray Brown Trio's song, "That's All," convey a message of a committed love that is not promising worldly possessions, but promises to always be there and provide comfort and love that will last forever. The singer may not be able to provide everything a person desires, but they are willing to give all that they have to offer. The line "And the only heart I own is yours and yours alone" emphasizes the exclusiveness and loyalty of the love being offered.

The second verse conveys the singer's willingness to provide simple pleasures like "country walks in springtime" and "a hand to hold when leaves begin to fall." These gestures show a desire to be there through both the happy and difficult times in a relationship. The line "And a love whose burning light to warm the winter nights" symbolizes a love that provides warmth and comfort even in the coldest and darkest of times.

The final verse emphasizes the sincerity of the singer's love and their lack of materialistic demands. They only ask for the reciprocation of their love, so the line "Say it's me that you'll adore for now and ever more" puts the spotlight on their need for love and affection. The song's simplicity in conveying the message of love and commitment makes it a timeless classic.

Line by Line Meaning

I can only give you love that lasts forever,
I can only promise to love you unconditionally and eternally.

And the promise to be near each time you call,
I promise to always be there for you whenever you need me.

And the only heart I own is yours and yours alone, that's all, that's all.
I am devoted to you with all my heart and soul, and I belong only to you.

I can only give you country walks in springtime,
I can offer you simple pleasures, like walks in the countryside during springtime.

And a hand to hold when leaves begin to fall,
I will be there to hold your hand and comfort you when times get tough.

And a love whose burning light to warm the winter night, that's all, that's all.
My love will keep you warm and bright, even on the coldest, darkest winter nights.

There are those I am sure who have told you,
I know there are others who have promised you the world.

They will give you the world for a toy.
But their promises are empty, and they will only offer you trivial things.

All I ask for these arms to enfold you, and a love, time can never destroy.
All I want is to hold you in my arms and love you with all my heart, in a way that is timeless and unbreakable.

If you're wond'ring what I'm asking in return, dear,
If you're wondering what I want from you in exchange for my love,

You'll be glad to know that my demands are small.
You'll be relieved to know that I don't ask for much.

Say it's me that you'll adore for now and ever more, that's all, that's all.
All I want is for you to love me now and forever, and that's all that truly matters to me.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ROBIN SPIELBERG, BOB HAYMES, ALAN BRANDT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS

No Related Genres

More Genres

No Artists Found

More Artists Load All

No Albums Found

More Albums Load All

No Tracks Found

Genre not found

Artist not found

Album not found

Search results not found

Song not found

Most interesting comment from YouTube:

mistermister668

3y↑12

Tracks:
1 Summertime 00:00
2 You Don't Know 08:40
3 Lady Be Good 15:11
4 Straight, No Chaser 24:21
5 Menage A Bleu 32:03
6 My Funny Valentine 39:48
7 Estoril Soul 48:26
8 That's All 56:05

Credits
Bass – Luther Hughes
Drums – Paul Humphrey
Flute – Frank Wess (tracks: Track 4 + 6)
Guitar – Ron Escheté
Mastered By – George Horn
Mixed By – Phil Edwards
Piano – Gene Harris
Producer – Allen Farnham, John Burk
Recording Supervisor – Alan Varner
Tenor Saxophone – Frank Wess (tracks: Track 5 + 7)

All comments from YouTube:

mistermister668

3y↑12

Ronald Unkel

3y↑10

Smokey, soulful and swingin’ pianist who used to be the driving force of - The Three Sounds - trio from the mid 50’s to the 70’s. Saw Gene live in Brisbane in the early 90’s leading the Basie style - Phillip Morris Big Band -, which was a ripper! This is a great album folks. Go for the ride and enjoy & Cheers!

Ronald Unkel

3y↑1

@Kuya Kevs Gene visited Oz for a second time, a few yrs later with a “smaller” band and the Phillip Morris name was deleted and called The Concord Band. Great pianist, with great arrangements. Cheers!