Brown Eyed Girl
John Anderson Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

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.

Overall Meaning

John Anderson's "Brown Eyed Girl" captures the nostalgic beauty of youth and the bittersweet passage of time. He explicitly reminisces the days when he and his beloved "brown eyed girl" used to spend their time playing and laughing under the rain and in the misty morning fog. Anderson cherishes the moments when they constantly leaped and merrily splashed in the waterfall as they share their joy in each other's company. The vivid imagery of these moments vividly brings back old, fond memories that they have shared together.


Throughout the song, Anderson's tone becomes wistful and sentimental as he recalls memories of his brown-eyed girl from years past. They used to sing and revel in the moment by saying "Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da." He becomes nostalgic and overcome with emotion when he sees her years later and remarks, "My how you have grown." As his memories come flooding back, he wonders, "Whatever happened to Tuesday and so slow" and ponders at how difficult it can be to find one's way when all alone. The entire song is a testament to the enduring power of memory and how reminiscing the past can provide emotional nourishment even as time continues to pass.


Line by Line Meaning

Hey where did we go,
Asking where they went, as well as expressing how much they miss the good old days.


Days when the rains came
Recalling the days when they would spend time together, even when it rained.


Down in the hollow,
Describing where they would hang out.


Playin' a new game,
Reminiscing about the times when they would try new things and have fun together.


Laughing and a running hey, hey
Recollecting the memories of the joyful times they've shared together.


Skipping and a jumping
Describing the activities they would do together.


In the misty morning fog with
Depicting the environment and setting of their adventures.


Our hearts a thumpin' and you
Remembering the excitement they had and the company they kept during those moments.


My brown eyed girl,
Addressing the female friend or love interest who has been with him and brought color into his life.


You my brown eyed girl.
Affirming his endearment and attachment to the girl with brown eyes.


Whatever happened
Wondering about what has become of the things they used to do together.


To Tuesday and so slow
Referring to the laid-back and slow-paced days they had.


Going down the old mine
Recalling the adventures they had exploring places such as the old mine.


With a transistor radio
Describing how they had fun together even by simply listening to music on an old radio.


Standing in the sunlight laughing,
Depicting their happy moments, enjoying each other's company.


Hiding behind a rainbow's wall,
Reflecting on the times when they would feel like they were in a magical place whenever they were together.


Slipping and sliding
Describing how they engaged in fun activities such as sliding along the waterfalls.


All along the water fall, with you
Signifying that the memories of the fun they had are still vivid in his mind.


Do you remember when we used to sing,
Asking the girl if she still remembers the times they've shared together, particularly the moment they were singing.


Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da
Reminiscing the lighthearted time when they sang this catchy tune.


So hard to find my way,
Admitting that it's been difficult to move on and continue life without the presence of the girl he cherished so much.


Now that I'm all on my own.
Realizing that he's now alone without his brown-eyed girl beside him.


I saw you just the other day,
Revealing that he recently bumped into her and saw how much she has changed since the last time they were together.


My how you have grown,
Awed by how much the girl has matured and changed since they've last seen each other.


Cast my memory back there, Lord
Reflecting and reminiscing the good moments they've shared in the past.


Sometime I'm overcome thinking 'bout
Admitting that the memories of the girl and the moments they've shared can still be overwhelming even up to this moment.


Making love in the green grass
Reflecting on the romantic memories they've had together, particularly one when they made love in the green grass.


Behind the stadium with you
Describing where they've made love - behind the stadium - and with whom - with his beloved brown-eyed girl.


My brown eyed girl
Addressing the girl with brown eyes who meant so much to him.


You my brown eyed girl
Affirming the same message to the brown-eyed girl, how much she is loved, cherished and missed even up to this day.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Van Morrison

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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