brown eyed girl

Van Morrison cast a memory back for his first solo single and had his most enduring hit, from which he never received any royalties. After the breakup of Them and the end of his contract with Decca, Morrison quickly signed a contract with Bang Records. He recorded eight songs over two days in March of 1967 at A&R studios in New York. 'Brown Eyed Girl' took twenty-two takes with Eric Gale, Hugh McCracken, and Al Giorgioni on guitar; Paul Griffin on piano; Russ Savakus on bass; and Gary Chester on drums. Backup vocals were done by the Sweet Inspirations: Emily "Cissy" Houston, Lee Warrick, Judy Guions, Marie Epps, Larry Drinkard, Nicholas Drinkard, and Ann Moss.

The title of the song was originally 'Brown Skinned Girl'; but Morrison recalls: "That was just a mistake. It was a kind of Jamaican song. Calypso. It just slipped my mind. I changed the title. After we'd recorded it, I looked at the tape box and didn't even notice that I'd changed the title. I looked at the box where I'd lain it down with my guitar and it said 'Brown Eyed Girl' on the tape box. It's just one of those things that happen."

'Brown Eyed Girl' was the first single from his solo debut 'Blowin' Your Mind!'. It only went to one hundred and fifty-four in the UK; but it became the first of only two top ten hits in the US, peaking at number ten. it has become a radio staple in the years since, achieving the exclusive plateau of ten million plays; one of only ten songs to do so. It has also been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. 

Morrison says: “'Brown Eyed Girl' is misunderstood. I already had that song down -- so I did not turn anywhere or change direction -- it was already done, just not released. If you listen closely you can hear there is depth to that song; there are layers of arrangement in my original version. Thing is, Bert required a 'hit' record. He thought 'Brown Eyed Girl' was the hit single. The song sounds catchy and pop, but is really multi-dimensional. I was not happy with it, as the music in my mind is much more sophisticated than that. I call that 'The Money Song' -- because they got all the money and I got none. What happened after that is I ended up with zero money. I was broke and depressed and remained that way for many years after that, and I just decided to make a stand for myself and do things my way, not theirs, like I was already doing in songs like 'TB Sheets' and 'Who Drove The Red Sports Car?'— which I guess were over the heads of those who were so-called 'in the know.' I did not ever want to be on a pop label -- I thought Bert was musically beyond that, but it turned out he was more interested in money than musical ability, song craft and poetic artistry. Despite all that, if Bert were not in with a bad crowd, I think he may have been interested in having the ears that hear. He probably did."







http://www.vanmorrison.com/

Hey where did we go, 

Days when the rains came 

Down in the hollow, 

Playin' a new game, 

Laughing and a running hey, hey 

Skipping and a jumping 

In the misty morning fog with 

Our hearts a thumpin' and you 

My brown eyed girl, 

You my brown eyed girl. 

Whatever happened 

To Tuesday and so slow 

Going down the old mine 

With a transistor radio 

Standing in the sunlight laughing, 

Hiding behind a rainbow's wall, 

Slipping and sliding 

All along the water fall, with you 

My brown eyed girl, 

You 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 

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 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.