MxPx started as three 15-year-old kids calling themselves Magnified Plaid pounding out music inspired by and similar to The Descendents and other Southern California punk rock bands. They didn’t really love their band name, however, which was a tribute to the original guitarist’s penchant for wearing one particularly loud plaid shirt. Consequently, the name was abbreviated to M.P., but in Yuri’s handwriting, periods become “X“‘s and since he made up the show posters for the band, the four-letter moniker stuck.
Andy Husted, the former guitarist, left the band in 1995 to continue college.
Andy was replaced by Tom to solidify the line-up that would take the band into their post-teen years. Maybe Tom’s background as a drummer made up for his relative inexperience playing guitar (he had only played for a year at the time). He and Yuri lock into backbreakingly fast rhythms that rank with vintage Minor Threat for speed and percussive attack. Mike then adds to the mix his signature sing-along melodies that call to mind SoCal punk bands from the early ’80s.
Bremerton had been a town most famous for its naval shipyards until MxPx caught the attention of Tooth & Nail Records when they played a “showcase” for the T&N label in 1993 in Herrera’s parents’ garage. Mike Herrera had practiced so much before the first show, he lost his voice.
MxPx released three albums with Tooth & Nail Records: Pokinatcha in 1994, Teenage Politics in 1995, and Life in General in 1996. After a falling out with Tooth & Nail, MxPx left the label and signed with A&M Records.
In July 2010 drummer Yuri Ruley announced he would be retiring from the band to focus on his family. Ruley played his last show with the band in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 18, 2010. In a recent video message from Mike, he stated that Tom and Yuri have both finished touring full time, but will continue to play one-off shows with the band.
Brown Eyed Girl
MxPx Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down in the hollow, playin' a new game
Laughing and a running hey, hey! Skippin' and a jumpin'
In the misty morning fog with our, our hearts a thumpin' and you ...
My brown eyed girl
You my, brown eyed girl
Now whatever happened to Tuesday and so slow?
Standing in the sunlight laughing, hiding behind a rainbow's wall
Slipping and a sliding, baby, 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
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da
... 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, long, sometimes I'm overcome thinking 'bout
rolling down 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
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da
... la te da
The lyrics to MxPx's "Brown Eyed Girl" are about the nostalgia of looking back on a past relationship with a girl who had brown eyes. It starts off with the singer reminiscing about the days when they would play a new game down in the hollow, laughing and running around. The misty morning fog made it all the more magical, with their hearts pounding with excitement. The brown-eyed girl was his constant companion during those carefree days and he affectionately refers to her as "my brown-eyed girl."
As the song progresses, the singer wonders where those days have gone and why time seems to be moving so fast these days. He remembers going down the old mine with a transistor radio on Tuesdays and how slowly time used to pass back then. They used to hide behind a rainbow's wall and slip and slide all along the waterfalls, enjoying each other's company.
The last verse reveals that the singer saw his brown-eyed girl recently and was amazed at how much she had grown. He reminisces about rolling down in the green grass behind the stadium with her, feeling lost and alone without her. The song ends with a reference to the old times when they used to sing together, "Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da."
Overall, "Brown Eyed Girl" is a nostalgic love song, capturing the essence of a carefree youth spent with someone special.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey where did we go, days when the rains came?
Where did we go during those rainy days in the past?
Down in the hollow, playin' a new game
We were in a small, sheltered area, trying out something new.
Laughing and a running hey, hey! Skippin' and a jumpin'
We were jumping, skipping and running while having fun and laughing.
In the misty morning fog with our, our hearts a thumpin' and you ...
We were in a dense fog feeling our hearts beat fast and you were there with me.
My brown eyed girl
You my, brown eyed girl
You are my beloved girl with beautiful brown eyes.
Now whatever happened to Tuesday and so slow?
What happened to those slow and easygoing Tuesdays we used to have?
Going down the old mine with a transistor radio
We used to listen to music on our transistor radio while exploring an old mine.
Standing in the sunlight laughing, hiding behind a rainbow's wall
We would stand hiding behind a wall made of rainbows, enjoying the sunlight and having a good laugh.
Slipping and a sliding, baby, all along the water fall, with you ...
We were sliding and slipping along a waterfall, having fun together.
My brown eyed girl
You my, brown eyed girl
You are still my beloved girl with beautiful brown eyes.
Do you remember when we used to sing?
Do you recall when we used to sing together?
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
... la te da
We used to sing 'sha la la la la la la la la la la te da' and other similar sounds.
So hard to find my way, now that I'm all on my own
It's tough to figure out things on my own and find my path without you.
I saw you just the other day, my, how you have grown!
I met you recently and couldn't help noticing how much you've grown since we last met.
Cast my memory back there, long, sometimes I'm overcome thinking 'bout rolling down in the green grass, behind the stadium with you ...
I recall the old memories and sometimes I'm overwhelmed by the thought of us lying down on the green grass behind the stadium.
My brown eyed girl
You my, brown eyed girl
You were and still are my beloved girl with those beautiful brown eyes.
Do you remember when, we used to sing?
Do you remember when we used to sing together?
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
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da
... la te da
We used to sing 'sha la la la la la la la la la la te da' and other similar sounds.
Contributed by Luke E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@sirobert
I have been searching this song for years
@brentwheeler4201
Awww
@Dr.WRATHBONE
Been a while since I heard this one... thanks
@ridwan8890
Lag wagon,,pennywise,,nofx,, masterpiece skate punk rock
@Andy-cz4xw
Me being a long-time Van Morrison fan, I LOVE THIS
@user-sq6yf9lw8j
Used to bop around to this like a nutter back in my teens, such a great cover
@MightyQ79
I still have this whole album on tape somewhere. saw them in concert when it came it out...love this album
@peanutman654
this song is reminiscent of a girl that the writer used to be with. everything is in this song is about memories and times they used to have and that they are no long together which indicated by the lines "do you remember when" and "now that i'm all on my own."
@kus88
always thought this was pennywise covering, that's what i had on the stuff i got off limewire back in the day anyway!
@specka13
Dude me too!