Few songs are able to stand the test of time, but Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl,” released in the summer of 1967, has remained one of the most beloved and recognizable songs in popular music.
Written by Morrison and produced by Bert Berns, “Brown Eyed Girl” was originally titled “Brown-Skinned Girl” and was about an interracial romance, according to American Songwriter. However, the title change was made to make the song more commercially viable for radio at the time.
RELATED: 1979 Soft Rock Classic Became a No. 1 Hit After One Simple Lyric Change
Lyrically, the up-tempo tune celebrates the euphoria of a young romance, when hearts are thumping and lovers are laughing. The narrator finds himself fondly recalling carefree days filled with innocence and freedom. By the final verse, the singer reveals he is no longer with the brown-eyed girl who once stole his heart, giving the song a bittersweet sense of nostalgia.
Interestingly, the lyric: “making love in the green grass” was omitted for some versions of the song as they were deemed too suggestive for radio. The radio-friendly version, instead, features an overdub with the line: “Laughin, and a-runnin.”
“Brown Eyed Girl” served as the first solo release from Morrison following the dissolution of his band, Them, and is widely recognized as the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s signature song. Upon release, the track, which appeared on the Northern Ireland native’s debut solo album, Blowin’ Your Mind!, made major waves, surpassing 10 million radio plays in the U.S. The track was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Despite becoming a breakthrough and timeless classic, “Brown Eyed Girl” never made it to No. 1 on any chart. The song peaked at No. 10 on the U.S. all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart, and stayed on the chart for 16 weeks.
Surprisingly, Morrison actually considered “Brown Eyed Girl” a ‘Throwaway’ song and never received any royalties for the hit due to an unfavorable contract he signed with Bang Records. Additionally, despite the song’s massive appeal, Morrison hardly performed “Brown Eyed Girl” in his concert setlists as he never considered the song to be a favorite in his catalog.
"'Brown Eyed Girl' I didn't perform for a long time because for me it was like a throwaway song,” Morrison told Time magazine in an interview, as reported bySongfacts. "I've got about 300 other songs I think are better than that."
Related: 1960 No. 1 Classic, Once Spent 23 Weeks Charting, Became a Timeless Heartbreak Anthem
Hence then, the article about 1967 timeless classic originally considered a throwaway song became an ultimate summer anthem was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( 1967 Timeless Classic, Originally Considered a ‘Throwaway’ Song, Became an Ultimate Summer Anthem )
Also on site :
- Dem. Sen. Andy Kim Says Noncitizens Voting Isn't As Big of a Problem As Trump Makes It Sound
- Glass falls from 17th floor of SF high rise
- Rosalind Eleazar Is a Hollywood Actress Fighting to Rebuild Her Life in Chris Rock’s ‘Misty Green’ Trailer