In 1936 and 1937, Samuel Barber set to music six poems by James Joyce. Three of these songs were published in 1939 by G. Schirmer, and was called Three Songs, Op. 10 (1937). Although it is not known whether or not the Irish author ever heard any of Barber's settings of his literature, the composer had an affinity for Joyce's work. Barber composed a song, "Solitary Hotel," in the song cycle Despite and Still (1968) with text from Joyce's novel, Ulysses. Joyce's words, from Finnegan's Wake, are also set to music by Barber in the orchestral piece, Fadograph of a Yestern Scene (1971). Also, Nuvoletta (1947), a song, is based on the writings of Joyce.

Barber was awarded the coveted Prix de Rome in the spring of 1935. This is an award granted to composers annually for many years. Hector Berlioz, a composer separated by many years from Barber, was also rewarded the prize. Barber also received two years of study at the American Academy in Rome, a sizable stipend, a studio in which to work, and free lodging at the academy. Strangely, Barber had been rejected the previous year for the prize, but won it the following year only after submitting his application under a pseudonym. While at the academy in 1935, Barber composed the first two songs of the cycle, "Rain has Fallen" on November 29, and "Sleep now" on December 5.

The three songs included in this publication are related in subject matter and they are musically alike. The text of all three songs deals with love affairs. Barber has placed the songs in an order so that the course of a typical love affair is followed. The three songs are all tonal and based on the genre of the German Romantic Lied, as are most Barber songs. Also, the three songs are tonally related. The first and last songs are in the same key, while the second song is a minor third lower in key.

"Rain has fallen," the first song, has an interesting piano accompaniment. High, cascading arpeggios are meant to convey the idea of falling rain. Also, in the middle section, the piano has a low, chromatically descending line which also sounds like falling rain. This song has a dramatic tone throughout. The second song, "Sleep now," is in a three part form, in which the first and last parts are similar, with a contrasting section in between. The second section is more dramatic while the third section returns to tranquility. The final song, "I Hear an Army," has an extremely vivid text. The speaker of this poem talks of an approaching army with "thundering horses" and "flutt'ring whips." The music heard during the description of the army is intense and frantic. At the end, the speaker asks why his or her lover has left at this time of need. This last song was performed by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau in 1974.

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