This collection of three short pieces is believed to have been composed around 1863, when Fauré was 18 years old. Although the French title, Romances sans paroles, literally translates to "Romances without words," the collection is known as "Songs Without Words" due to the discernible influence of Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words in the second piece. It was published in 1880. The first two pieces were premiered by Pauline Roger at the Société Nationale de Musique in February 1881, and the third piece by Mlle. Casa Châtelard at the Société Nationale de Musique in January 1889.

The first piece is dedicated to Madame Félix Lévy, wife of the baritone singer Lévy. It is in A-flat major, 3/4 time, marked Andante quasi Allegretto. The right hand plays a beautiful and leisurely singing melody, while the left hand provides discreet chords and echoes.

The second piece is dedicated to Laure de Reilhat. Laure de Reilhat was a woman Fauré met while serving as a church organist in Rennes after graduating from the Niedermeyer School (1866–1869). This piece, in A minor, 4/4 time, marked Allegro molto, is the longest of the three and shows the most pronounced influence of Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words. This is particularly evident in the way the right-hand melody, sung over the left hand's arpeggiated chords, occasionally overlaps with the arpeggios.

The third piece is dedicated to Madame Florent Salières. Continuing from the second piece, the right-hand melody is gracefully sung over the left hand's arpeggiated chords. The opening section evokes a connection to the "Berceuse" from Dolly. When the melody is recapitulated near the end of the piece, it is skillfully treated in a canon-like manner.