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

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Gene Harris Lyrics

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I hear music when I look at you,
A beautiful theme of every
Dream I ever knew.
Down deep in my heart I hear it play.
I feel it start, then melt away.

I hear music when I touch your hand,
A beautiful melody

From some enchanted land.
Down deep in my heart, I hear it say,
Is this the day?

I alone have heard this lovely strain,
I alone have heard this glad refrain,
Must it be forever inside of me,
Why can't I let it go,
Why can't I let you know,
Why can't I let you know the song
My heart would sing?

That beautiful rhapsody
Of love and youth and spring,
The music is sweet,

The words are true
The song is you.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Gene Harris's song "Song Is You" describe the feeling of being completely enamored with someone and the way that the person affects the world around the singer. According to the first stanza, looking at the person creates a "beautiful theme" that encompasses every dream the singer has ever had. The music begins deep in the singer's heart and then melts away. The second stanza takes a similar approach but instead focuses on touching the person. When the person is touched, a "beautiful melody" is created, and the feeling is described as being from "some enchanted land." The final stanza takes a more introspective look at the situation. The singer is the only one who has heard this "lovely strain," and they struggle with the fact that they can't let it go or let the person know how they feel. The song ends with the affirmation that the music is sweet, the words are true, and the song is the person.

Overall, the lyrics of "Song Is You" are a beautiful depiction of the overwhelming feelings that can be associated with falling in love. The imagery of the theme and melody that the person creates in the singer's heart is especially striking and is an effective way of conveying the depth of emotion that the singer is experiencing. The final stanza adds a layer of complexity to the song, making it clear that even if the outward expression of love isn't possible, the feelings are real and true. This song is a testament to the idea that love can be expressed in many ways, not just through words or actions.

Line by Line Meaning

I hear music when I look at you,
Whenever I gaze upon you, I hear a lovely melody.

A beautiful theme of every Dream I ever knew.
It's a melody that encapsulates all my dreams and aspirations.

Down deep in my heart I hear it play.
I can hear this music deep within my heart.

I feel it start, then melt away.
However, it seems to begin playing, then quickly fades away.

I hear music when I touch your hand,
Whenever I hold your hand, a beautiful melody plays in my head.

A beautiful melody From some enchanted land.
The melody that plays is almost magically beautiful, like it's from some enchanted place.

Down deep in my heart, I hear it say, Is this the day?
Deep in my heart, the melody seems to be asking if this is the day when we will finally be together.

I alone have heard this lovely strain,
This melody is something I alone have heard before.

I alone have heard this glad refrain,
And it's a melody that's full of joy and happiness.

Must it be forever inside of me, Why can't I let it go,
However, it seems like this melody will be trapped inside me forever, and I can't seem to let it go.

Why can't I let you know, Why can't I let you know the song My heart would sing?
I wish I could share this melody with you, as it's the song my heart would sing if it could.

That beautiful rhapsody Of love and youth and spring,
This melody is a beautiful reflection of young love and the hopefulness of springtime.

The music is sweet, The words are true The song is you.
Overall, this melody is sweet, true, and represents everything that you are to me. You are the melody that plays in my head and the song that my heart would sing if it could.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: JEROME KERN, OSCAR II HAMMERSTEIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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