Harper grew up listening to blues, folk, soul, RnB, and reggae. Harper's blend of groove-laden funky soul and folky handcrafted acoustics helped him to gain cult status during the course of the 1990s and widespread attention toward the end of the decade. Harper combines elements of classic folk singers, blues revivalists and jam bands and is embraced by critics and college kids alike. Harper's body of work sells consistently and he tours constantly, building a solid, dedicated fan base.
Harper began playing guitar as a child in his hometown of Claremont, California (in California's Inland Empire). He eventually specialized in the acoustic slide guitar (Weissenborn guitars). As a young man, he recorded an LP (Pleasure and Pain) with fellow folk guitarist Tom Freund. After this limited edition record, Harper got a record deal with Virgin Records, who released his debut album, Welcome to the Cruel World (1994).
This was followed by the incendiary Fight For Your Mind (1995) which became a college radio favorite and generated an abundance of songs which still fill his set list to this day.
In 1999 at the Santa Barbara Bowl, Harper met Jack Johnson, who was unknown at the time and had not recorded. Harper obtained a demo tape of 12 of Johnson's songs that he forwarded to his producer, J.P. Plunier, with whom Johnson recorded his first album.
From early on in his career, his music received more attention in Europe than it did in his home country. While he was a well-known and respected figure in the States, in countries like France, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, and The Netherlands he was a star, receiving a great deal of airplay and critical acclaim. His popularity in Europe is such that he was French Rolling Stone Magazine's "Artist of the Year" (Artiste De L'Année) in 2003, and his tour that year for Diamonds on the Inside played to packed arenas across the continent.
In 2004, Harper recorded the album "There Will Be a Light " as the collaboration Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama.
In October 2004, Harper participated in the Vote for Change concert tour organised to benefit Moveon.org and encourage people in the swing states to vote during the 2004 U.S. presidential election.
Over the summer of 2005, when the Zooma tour scheduled with Trey Anastasio and various side stage performers was cancelled, Harper took on a tour of more private clubs/venues such as the Avalon Ballroom in Boston, the Tabernacle in Atlanta, and a full-band acoustic performance at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. This series of concerts saw the debut of a number of new Harper songs, such as "Get It Like You Like It" and "Dressed In Black."
In 2006, Harper released the double album Both Sides of the Gun which debuted at #7 on the Billboard charts.
Next Harper did a worldwide tour, with support from Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley on the North American leg.
In 2007, Harper released the album Lifeline, recorded in Paris just after his tour.
In 2009, Harper recorded the album "White Lies for Dark Times", as the collaboration Ben Harper and Relentless7.
In 2014, Harper recorded the album "Childhood Home" as the collaboration Ben & Ellen Harper.
In 2018, Harper recorded the album "No Mercy in This Land" as the collaboration Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite. At the 40th Blues Music Awards ceremony, Harper's joint composition with Charlie Musselwhite, "No Mercy In This Land", was named as 'Song of the Year'.
Brown Eyed Blues
Ben Harper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Would mean being alone tomorrow.
I would gladly trade all of my tomorrows away
For a moment with you.
Brown eyed blues
You can find yourself another fool.
Say yeah,yeah,yeah
Can you look,can you look into my eyes
Or has your heart,said has your heart gone blind?
Can you look,can you look into your own
And find the safe place to hide.
Brown eyed blues
You can find yourself another fool.
Say yeah,yeah,yeah
Why be with strangers
When you can be with your friend.
If you're ever lonely
You know I'm lonely too
And i will stay lonely until I'm again with you.
I said brown eyed blues
You can find yourself another fool.
Say yeah,yeah,yeah
I said brown eyed blues
You can find yourself another fool.
Singing brown eyed
The lyrics of Ben Harper’s song Brown Eyed Blues are about a man who is devoted to his lover and willing to give up his future happiness for a moment of time with her. The singer begins by saying that he would give up all his tomorrows if he could be with his lover today, even though he knows that it would mean being alone tomorrow. The following line “Brown eyed blues you can find yourself another fool” suggests that his lover is causing him some sort of heartache, and he recognizes that there might be another man who will be caught in this trap soon enough.
The next verse goes on to ask the questions of whether his lover can look into his eyes or into her own, and whether her heart is blinded or not. There is a sense that there is a lack of connection between the couple, and the singer is longing for the emotional bond that they had in the past. He speaks of the safe place to hide, implying that there is a level of vulnerability needed for love to exist. The singer is pained by his lover's distance and seems to want her to take a step towards rekindling their relationship.
In the final stanza, the singer explains that he would rather be with his lover than with strangers. He acknowledges that he and his lover are both lonely, and that he is going to stay lonely until he is with her again. The chorus repeats the line “Brown eyed blues you can find yourself another fool,” suggesting that the singer recognizes the cyclical nature of their relationship and doesn’t want to play the role of the fool anymore.
Line by Line Meaning
If I knew being here with you today,
If I had known that being with you today would mean I'm alone tomorrow
Would mean being alone tomorrow.
I would gladly trade all of my tomorrows away for a moment with you
For a moment with you.
I'd rather have one moment with you than a lifetime of being alone
Brown eyed blues
You're giving me the blues, even though your eyes are brown
You can find yourself another fool.
You may leave me, but you'll only find another fool to replace me
Say yeah,yeah,yeah
Acknowledging the inevitable path of heartbreak and loneliness
Can you look,can you look into my eyes
Can you see the love in my eyes, or are you blind to it?
Or has your heart,said has your heart gone blind?
Have you lost the ability to love?
Can you look,can you look into your own
Can you look inside yourself and find the reason for your emotions?
And find the safe place to hide.
Find a way to protect yourself from getting hurt
Why be with strangers
Why waste your time with people you don't care about?
When you can be with your friend.
When you could be with someone who truly cares about you
If you're ever lonely
If you're ever feeling down and alone
You know I'm lonely too
Just know that I'm feeling the same way and we could be lonely together
And i will stay lonely until I'm again with you.
I'll keep feeling lonely until we are together again
I said brown eyed blues
You're giving me the blues, even though your eyes are brown
Singing brown eyed
Continuing to repeat the term 'brown eyed' to emphasize the heartbreak they feel
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: BEN HARPER, JUAN D. NELSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@juancarlosestrada6534
damn, listening to this song after Juan Nelson’s passing hits different. He brought the FUNK, his bass playing will live forever 🙏🏽👏🏽
@bkurzik
Its been 10 years since I added this song to my master playlist. Its still one of my favorites. I wonder how profoundly different my life would be without hashbean.
@padraigharrison6919
Praise Hashbean
@brandiwilliams3030
Love this flippin song! Never gets old!
@fredrydmusic1
He's so underrated as an artist! I really was fascinated of Ben's music when I listened to the Diamonds On The Inside album cause of the mixed genres on each songs. This and She's only happy in the sun (which I made a cover of) are the songs that fills me with energy.
@Leanne2154
real dance music with words deeper than the rhythm..this should be todays REAL dance music
@Aldaan3333
omg no wonder hasbean uses this song alot. this is like one of the best smoking songs ever. THANKS HB!!!
@brandiwilliams3030
Still a great groove❤
@Leanne2154
love it. love him.
@jacquelinejohnson6685
Love this song! Sounds southern,Yeah!