“I didn’t do Brown Eyed Girl for a long time because I thought it was a one off song. I have about three hundred songs that I like more,” George Ivan Morrison said in an interview with Time about his first single in his solo career.
Fans of the Northern Irish musician are unlikely to agree with his opinion about the track, which has been heard more than ten million times on American radio alone and has entered several major ratings of the best compositions.
History of Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
Van Morrison wrote “Brown Eyed Girl” shortly after he left the rock band Them. At the same time, he ended his cooperation with Decca Records and signed a contract with Bang Records. Brown Eyed Girl was one of eight songs that were intended for four singles on the new label. They were recorded at A&R Studios with producer Bert Burns.
At first the composition was called Brown Skinned Girl. According to Morrison, the variant known to us was born through an oversight:
It was just a mistake. The song was in the Jamaican style… Calypso… It just slipped my mind. I changed the title. When we had already recorded it, I looked at the cassette box next to the guitar and it said Brown Eyed Girl. It’s just one of those things that happens by accident.
Belfast Telegraph, 2011
But critics believe that the musician turned the “dark-skinned” girl into “brown-eyed” to avoid hints of interracial relationships. In the sixties, they were perceived with caution and could prevent the promotion of the track on the radio (however, difficulties arose anyway).
What is Brown Eyed Girl about?
The author did not explain the meaning of the song. Is the composition based on his personal experience? Is Morrison referring to a real girl, or is she a figment of his imagination?
We can only guess. Many fans of the musician are sure that the events described took place in Belfast, although there is no confirmation of this version.
Release and achievements
In June 1967, Brown Eyed Girl was released as a single with Goodbye Baby on the back. It climbed to number ten on the Billboard Hot 100.
When the song became a huge hit, Van Morrison seemed even upset:
I never wanted to be commercial, but suddenly Brown Eyed Girl started making me more and more commercial.
Clip Brown Eye Girl – Van Morrison
Let’s watch Van Morrison’s Brown Eyed Girl music video and listen online to a wonderful song.
Cover versions of Brown Eyed Girl
Over the years, the composition was performed by Adele, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and other famous musicians.
Interesting Facts
- Radio stations didn’t like the phrase about love on the grass, so a separate version was recorded for rotation, in which this line was replaced by the words “laughing and a running hey, hey” from the first verse.
- The female backing vocals belong to the members of The Sweet Inspirations.
- Morrison signed an unprofitable contract with Bang, which caused him to forfeit his royalties for Brown Eyed Girl.
- The song was incredibly popular with hippies during the “summer of love” period, which did not cause much enthusiasm for Morrison, who had nothing to do with the “flower children”.
- The composition is included in the famous ratings of the best tracks, including 500 Greatest Songs of All Time from Rolling Stone and 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
- The song sounds on the soundtrack of the thriller “In Bed with the Enemy” and other famous films.
Brown Eyed Girl Lyrics Van Morrison
Hey where did we go
Days when the rain came
Down in the hollow
Playin’ a new game
Laughing and running hey, hey
Skipping and jumping
In the misty morning fog with
Our hearts a thumpin’ and you
My brown eyed girl
You’re my brown eyed girl
Whatever happened
Tuesday and so slow
Going down the old mine
With a transistor radio
Standing in the sunlight
Hiding behind a rainbow’s wall
Slipping and sliding
All along the water fall, with you
My brown eyed girl
You’re my brown eyed girl
Do you remember when we used to sing
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da
Just like that
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da,
la te da
so hard to find my way
Now that I’m all on my own
I saw you just the other day
My how you have grown
Cast my memory back there, Lord
Sometime I’m overcome thinking ’bout
Making love in the green grass
Behind the stadium with you
My brown eyed girl
You’re my brown eyed girl
Do you remember when we used to sing
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da
(lying in the green grass)
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da
Wam Morrison Lyrics Brown Eyed Girl Lyrics
Hey where did we go
On the days when it rained
We descended into the valley
Where did you play the new game?
We laughed and ran, hey hey
We frolicked and jumped
In the morning mist
And our hearts beat dully, and you
My brown eyed girl
You are my brown-eyed girl
No matter what happens
Until Tuesday, no hurry
We went down to the old mine
With transistor radio
We laughed while standing in the sun
Hiding behind a rainbow wall
Sliding and sliding
Down the waterfall with you
My brown eyed girl
You are my brown-eyed girl
Do you remember how we used to sing:
Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-te-da
Just like this:
Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-te-da,
la-te-da
How hard it is to choose your path
When I’m on my own
I saw you once
God how you’ve grown
Lord, take my thoughts back there
Sometimes I just can’t stop thinking about
How we made love on the green grass
With you behind the stadium
My brown eyed girl
You are my brown-eyed girl
Do you remember how we used to sing:
Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-te-da
(lying on the green grass)
Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-te-da
Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-te-da
Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-te-da
Song quote
I wanted to say that this is a song about sex, and it is. It is also a song about youth, growing up and memories. And it’s also… a song about singing.
Rock and Roll: The 100 Best Singles
Paul Williams
Download Brown Eyed Girl wallpaper
Blimey doesn’t distribute mp3 tracks, that’s why you can’t download Van Morrison’s song Brown Eyed Girl for free here. You can listen to the song online and watch clips. Tabs, karaoke versions, sheet music and backing tracks are available on many other portals for musicians.
