The Three Sounds (also known as The 3 Sounds) were a jazz trio that formed … Read Full Bio ↴The Three Sounds (also known as The 3 Sounds) were a jazz trio that formed in 1956. The trio played and recorded with Lester Young, Lou Donaldson, Nat Adderley, Johnny Griffin, Anita O'Day, Stanley Turrentine and Sonny Stitt among others. They disbanded in 1973.

The band formed in Benton Harbor, Michigan as the Four Sounds. The original line-up consisted of Gene Harris (September 1, 1933 – January 16, 2000) on piano, Andrew Simpkins (April 29, 1932 – June 2, 1999) on double bass and Bill Dowdy (August 15, 1932 - May 12, 2017) on drums, along with saxophonist Lonnie `The Sound' Walker, who dropped out the following year. The group moved to Washington and then New York, where as the Three Sounds, they cut a record for Riverside Records, before signing an exclusive contract with Blue Note.

Between 1958 and 1962, the group released nine LPs for Blue Note. They toured nationally during this period, building a large following in jazz clubs across the country. Later Three Sounds recordings were also released by Limelight and Verve Records.

The Three Sounds song "Put On Train", from the 1971 Gene Harris album The 3 Sounds was featured as the prominent background sample in the hip-hop group Beastie Boys song "What Comes Around" on their 1989 album Paul's Boutique. It previously stated here that this sample came from the Three Sounds album Live at the It Club, recorded in 1970, however this was not released (on Live at the It Club Vol. 2) until 2000.

Secret Love
The Three Sounds Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Once I had a secret love,
That lived within the heart of me
All too soon my secret love,
Became impatient to be free

So I told a friendly star,
The way that dreamers often do
Just how wonderful you are,

And why I'm so in love with you

Now, I shout it from the highest hills
Even told the golden daffodils
At last my hearts an open door,

And my secret love's
No secret anymore.

Overall Meaning

The Three Sounds's song Secret Love speaks about a love that was kept hidden for some time. The singer begins by confessing to having a feeling of love that was secret, deep within their heart. The secret love was something that the singer was unable to express or reveal to anyone. However, as time went on, the secret love became too much for the singer and they began to feel an intense need to share their feelings with someone. The urgency to unburden oneself of this secret love became so strong, that the singer finally decided to speak about this love to a friendly star in the sky.

The singer, shares just how wonderful their love interest is and why they are so deeply in love with them. The singer's confession of love culminates in them proclaiming it from the highest hills, as well as telling the golden daffodils. The once secret love is no secret anymore, as the singer has finally opened their heart and let the world know of the love that was hidden inside for so long.

Line by Line Meaning

Once I had a secret love,
I had a love that I kept hidden and private.

That lived within the heart of me
My love was a deeply felt emotion that I kept to myself.

All too soon my secret love,
My love became too strong to keep to myself.

Became impatient to be free
It started to feel like a burden to hold my love back.

So I told a friendly star,
I confided my feelings to an object I could trust.

The way that dreamers often do
As an act of wishful thinking, I expressed my love to the star.

Just how wonderful you are,
I shared your amazing qualities with the star.

And why I'm so in love with you
I explained my feelings of being deeply in love.

Now, I shout it from the highest hills
I publicly express my love and joy from the rooftops.

Even told the golden daffodils
I even shared my love with the beauty and delicacy of nature.

At last my hearts an open door,
I am finally at peace and my heart is free.