Along the way, El Chicano had many personnel changes; members who didn't join until the '70s included Ersi Arvizu (lead vocals), Hector "Rudy" Regalado (timbales, vocals), Max Garduno (congas), Danny Lamonte (drums), Brian Magness (bass), Joe Perreira (bass), Jerry Salas (lead vocals, guitar), Rudy Salas (guitar), and Steve Salas (lead vocals), among others. (The Salas brothers went on to join another East L.A. band, Tierra, which was an El Chicano spinoff and is best-known for its hit 1980 cover of the Intruders' Philadelphia soul ballad "Together"). After creating a buzz in East L.A. in the late '60s, El Chicano signed with MCA in 1970 and recorded its debut album, Viva Tirado. The instrumental title song, which was written by jazz pianist Gerald Wilson, was released as a single and became El Chicano's biggest hit; the recording reached number 28 on Billboard's pop singles chart and number 20 on its R&B singles chart. On regional L.A. charts, "Viva Tirado" spent about 12 weeks at number one. "Viva Tirado" (which was inspired by Mexican bullfighter Jose Ramon Tirado) was a rarity; in the '60s and '70s, one rarely saw any type of jazz instrumental — straight-ahead, fusion, soul-jazz, or otherwise — climbing that high up the national Billboard charts. When a jazz instrumental became a hit single in the pop or R&B markets, it was the exception instead of the rule. While the "Viva Tirado" single didn't make El Chicano national superstars — they were never as big as Santana — the band did acquire a loyal cult following and was especially popular in the Mexican-American neighborhoods of the southwestern United States. El Chicano's second biggest hit came in 1973 when MCA released the brown-eyed soul classic "Tell Her She's Lovely" as a single. Nationally, the tune (which features Jerry Salas on lead vocals) wasn't a major hit; "Tell Her She's Lovely" only reached number 40 on Billboard's pop singles chart and number 98 on the magazine's R&B singles chart. But in Mexican-American neighborhoods, the song was huge — among Chicano Baby Boomers, "Tell Her She's Lovely" was as popular as War's big '70s hits. The band also composed the theme to Robert Blake's 1970s television cop show “Baretta" . El Chicano's contract with MCA ended in 1976; that year, the band recorded its first post-MCA album, This Is...El Chicano, for the independent Shady Brooke label (where the L.A. residents enjoyed more creative control than they had during their six years at MCA). The band's next LP, Look of Love, was released on Musidisc in 1977; then in the early '80s, El Chicano briefly recorded for Columbia, which released the romantic blue-eyed soul tune "Do You Want Me" as a single in 1983. Although not a national chart-buster, the song became a minor hit (primarily in Mexican-American areas). El Chicano, enjoyed newfound attention in the 1990s after rapper Kid Frost sampled "Viva Tirado" for his hit "La Raza." and the band made a long overdue return to the studio with 1998's album Painting the Moment which showed some creeping influences of smooth jazz into the band's sound. Released on Thump, that CD marked the return of original lead guitarist Mickey Lespron, who had not recorded with El Chicano since the '70s.
Inevitably, El Chicano (whose Spanish name means "the Chicano" or "the Mexican-American") has been heavily influenced and compared to Latin Rock pioneer Carlos Santana. Despite similarities in approach, El Chicano has displayed a distinct style of its own and Santana is certainly not the band's only influence. Over the years, El Chicano has been stylistically affected by everyone from Chicano soulsters like Cannibal & the Headhunters and Thee Midniters to Latin soul-jazz favorite Pucho to salsa heavyweights such as Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, and Mongo Santamaria. El Chicano's members were not only affected by the Mexican-American experience, they were also well aware of what Cuban and Puerto Rican musicians were doing on the East Coast and in the Caribbean, as well as contemporary jazz and funk artists.
Brown Eyed Girl
El Chicano Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Days when the rains came
Down in the hollow,
Playin' a new game,
Laughing and a running,
Skipping and a jumping
In the misty morning fog with
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,
La la la la la la la la la la te da
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, my, 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
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
El Chicano’s song “Brown-Eyed Girl” is about a man who reminisces about the times he spent with his brown-eyed girl. The song begins with the man asking where they used to go when it rained, and then describes the two of them playing a new game, laughing, running, skipping, and jumping down in the hollow. The song perfectly describes the carefree innocence of childhood, and the excitement of finding someone special. The two enjoyed each other's company, surrounded by the misty morning fog, with their hearts "a thumping."
As the song progresses, the man remembers standing in the sunlight, listening to a transistor radio going down the old mine, hiding behind a rainbow's wall, slipping and sliding, and all along the waterfall with his brown-eyed girl. He remembers when they used to sing "la la la la la la la la la la te da," which reminds him of sweeter times. Now that he’s all on his own, he reflects upon how he saw his brown-eyed girl just the other day, exclaiming “My, my, my, how you have grown."
Line by Line Meaning
Hey where did we go,
Asking where the good old days have gone
Days when the rains came
Days of joy and happiness
Down in the hollow,
Playing a new game
Playin' a new game,
Experiencing something new
Laughing and a running,
Being carefree and enjoying life
Skipping and a jumping
Enjoying youth and energy
In the misty morning fog with
In a dreamlike state with excitement
Our hearts a thumpin' and you
Feeling alive and in love
My brown eyed girl,
Referring to a girl with brown eyes
You my brown eyed girl
Showing affection for the girl with brown eyes
Whatever happened
Wondering what went wrong
To Tuesday and so slow
Questioning the lack of excitement
Going down the old mine
Remembering past adventures
With a transistor radio
Using an old-fashioned device to listen to music
Standing in the sunlight laughing,
Being happy and carefree in the sun
Hiding behind a rainbow's wall,
Looking for beauty and excitement
Slipping and sliding
Enjoying life and being carefree
All along the water fall, with you
Sharing good times with someone special
Do you remember when we used to sing,
Remembering past moments
La la la la la la la la la la te da
Enjoining the simple pleasures of life
So hard to find my way,
Feeling lost and alone
Now that I'm all on my own
Realizing the loneliness of being single
I saw you just the other day,
Seeing someone from the past
My, my, my, how you have grown,
Realizing the changes that have occurred
Cast my memory back there, Lord
Thinking back to a certain time
Sometime I'm overcome thinking 'bout
Thinking about things that went wrong
Making love in the green grass
Having a romantic encounter
Behind the stadium with you
Doing something unconventional with someone special
My brown eyed girl
Referring again to the same girl with brown eyes
You my brown eyed girl
Expressing affection for the same girl with brown eyes
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da
Expressing joy and enthusiasm for life
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da
Continuing to express joy and enthusiasm for life
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da
Ending the song with the same expression of joy and enthusiasm for life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Van Morrison
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Manuel Duran
Great version el Chicano and Tierra are the best
Robert Griego
Excellent cover! Thanks for posting this version.
Sandra W
I remembered when Van Morrison came out with this song, it became my song for all time!
sauquoit13456
On this day in 1972 {August 12th} El Chicano performed "Browned Eyed Girl" on the late Dick Clark's American Bandstand... Two months earlier on June 16th it entered Billboard's Top 100 chart; eventually it peaked at #45 and spent 7 weeks on the Top 100... Originally recorded by Van Morrison five years earlier in 1967; his version reached #10... R.I.P. Mr. Clark...
Bu Bu
No where near the original
Fred Corral
Great sound and memories. I heard this after grandnight El rancho high class of 72.
Azhar Ghazali
My first song that I learned with the guitar.. so refreshing..using the A major key...
delapanpulu
This song bring me back to the middle of the 1970's. It give sweet memory's. Thanks for sharing.
Mario Cajina
Cool version...I like it.
Jenaro Ayala
Que Viva La Chicana!