Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl” is now one of the most recognizable songs of the 1960s, but the classic rock favorite faced radio restrictions when it was first released in 1967.
The song appears at No. 94 on Amazon Music’s “100 Greatest Classic Rock Songs,” a list curated around the best-ever classic rock songs.
That recognition stands in sharp contrast to the song’s early radio history. According to 94.7 WCSX, some stations considered the original lyrics too suggestive for airplay, especially the line “making love in the green grass.”
A radio edit was later created, replacing that part with “laughin’ and a-runnin’, hey hey” from an earlier verse.
The issue is especially notable because “Brown Eyed Girl” was released during a period when radio programmers were more cautious about lyrics involving sex and relationships. The song’s eventual longevity makes its early resistance from some radio stations an unusual part of its history.
Musician Van Morrison plays a Martin acoustic guitar at a Bang Records recording session in the studio on March 28, 1967 in New York, New York.Donaldson Collection / Getty Images
Released in June 1967, “Brown Eyed Girl” became Morrison’s first major solo hit after leaving the Belfast band Them. The song reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the chart for 16 weeks.
More than five decades later, the song remains a regular part of classic rock and oldies radio.
“Brown Eyed Girl” was recorded by Morrison in March 1967 during sessions for Bang Records in New York. The recording was completed during a two-day session, with the song captured on the 22nd take on the first day.
The song was originally titled “Brown-Skinned Girl.” Morrison changed the title before its release.
Despite the early restrictions, “Brown Eyed Girl” quickly became a major success. The song became Morrison’s signature recording and his biggest hit. It also helped launch his solo career in the United States after his time with Them.
The song featured backing vocals from the Sweet Inspirations, the vocal group that would later become known for performing with major artists, including Elvis Presley. Morrison handled the lead and backing vocals, while musicians including Al Gorgoni, Hugh McCracken, Russ Savakus, Garry Sherman and Gary Chester contributed to the recording.
Its success continued long after its original chart run.
In 2009, “Brown Eyed Girl” received a BMI London Awards “Million-Air” certificate after reaching millions of radio and television performances. By 2011, it had passed 10 million U.S. radio plays, putting it among a small group of songs recognized by BMI for that level of airplay.
The song has also appeared on several major lists recognizing important recordings. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007 and was included among the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll. It was also ranked No. 110 on Rolling Stone’s 2010 list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Morrison himself, however, has never treated the song as the defining achievement of his catalog.
“I never wanted to be commercial. And suddenly ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ was making me even more commercial,” Morrison said, per Songfacts.
“Brown Eyed Girl” also reached a new high on the U.K. Official Streaming Chart, reaching No. 60. The result showed that the 1967 recording was still finding listeners more than 50 years after its release.
The song’s journey is therefore unusual: a recording that faced radio resistance because of one lyric became a lasting fixture of oldies and classic rock programming.
Its original version is still widely familiar today, while the radio edit remains part of the song’s long history.
Related: 1973 Soft Rock Song, Recorded in London, Is Still a Beloved Hit 53 Years Later
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