"Les Trois Cloches" () is a Swiss song written in French by Jean Villard Gilles. Edith Piaf recorded the song a cappella with the French vocal group Les Compagnons de la chanson in July 1946. The song became one of Édith Piaf's biggest hits, and when Piaf toured the US with Les Compagnons de la chanson, they introduced this song to an American audience. Tina Arena also record a hit version in 2000. The song has also been recorded in many other languages. It was recorded by the Browns in 1959 in English as "The Three Bells" (with words adapted by Bert Reisfeld)." Another English version titled "While the Angelus Was Ringing" was recorded by Frank Sinatra. Lys Assia and Wolfgang Sauer both had a hit version in Germany titled "Wenn Die Glocken Hell Erklingen" in 1959. Dutch singer/comedian André van Duin had a Dutch Top 40 number one hit in 1982 with his Dutch comedy version of the song titled "Bim bam". Background The song was written by Swiss songwriter Jean Villard, also known as Gilles, in the folk idiom. He was an acquaintance of Edith Piaf and had performed with her before, and when Piaf went to Lausanne in 1945, he offered the song to her. The song narrates the life of someone named Jean-François Nicot who lived in a small village at the bottom a valley, starting with his birth, followed by his marriage to Élise and ending with his death, events all marked by ringing of the church bells. Piaf suggested that the French vocal group Les Compagnons de la chanson perform the song, which the group rejected until Piaf proposed singing with them. Piaf first met the group who performed traditional folk songs in close harmony in 1944, and became interested in promoting their career, and they started performing together after WWII in 1946. Their collaboration was unexpected due to their contrasting musical traditions. They performed "Les Trois Cloches" on 11 May 1946 at the Club des Cinq. Jean Cocteau who was in attendance at their show wrote of them: "The miracle has happened that these two solitudes joined together to create a sound artefact which so expresses France that the tears start to flow." They recorded the song a cappella with an arrangement by group member Marc Herrand in July 1946. The tenor of the group Fred Mella started with the verses while Piaf