Paul Williams included "Brown Eyed Girl" in his book Rock and Roll: The 100 Best Singles, writing that:
I was going to say this is a song about sex, and it is, and a song about youth and growing up, and memory, and it's also — very much and very wonderfully - a song about singing.
Originally titled "Brown-Skinned Girl", Morrison changed it to "Brown Eyed Girl" when he recorded it. Morrison remarked on the original title: "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."
The song's nostalgic lyrics about a former love were considered too suggestive at the time to be played on many radio stations. A radio-edit of the song was released which excised the lyrics "making love in the green grass", replacing them with "laughin' and a-runnin'" from a previous verse. This edited version appears on some copies of the compilation album The Best of Van Morrison. However the remastered CD seems to have the bowdlerized lyrics in the packaging but the original "racy" lyrics on the disc.
Brown Eyed Girl
Van Morrison 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 hey, hey
Skipping and a jumping
In the misty morning fog with
Our hearts a thumpin' and you
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 waterfall, 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
Just like that
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, Lord
Sometimes 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, la te da
(Bit by bit, by bit, by bit, by bit, by bit)
(Sha la la la la la la, la te da, la te da
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da, la te da
(La te da, da da da da da da da da)
Van Morrison's hit song "Brown Eyed Girl" tells the story of a young man reminiscing about his days with his former lover. The first verse describes the good old days when the two of them would play "a new game" in the hollow, skipping and running around in the misty morning fog with their hearts "a thumpin'." He affectionately calls her his "brown-eyed girl," a term of endearment that is repeated throughout the song.
The second verse is even more nostalgic, as the singer tries to recall an even earlier time when they used to spend their Tuesdays together, going down the old mine with a transistor radio. Together they laughed in the sunlight, hid behind a rainbow's wall, and slipped and slid along the waterfall.
The final verse is the most poignant, as the singer confesses it's so hard to find his way now that he's all on his own. He sees his brown-eyed girl again, and it hits him how much she has grown since the last time they were together. This flood of memories makes him think about the times they made love in the green grass behind the stadium, and it's a bittersweet and wistful ode to lost love.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, where did we go?
Asking the question of where they've gone with a sense of nostalgia.
Days when the rains came
Recalling days from times past when it would rain and reflect on that memory.
Down in the hollow
A specific place they used to go that held a special meaning.
Playin' a new game
Engaging in a new activity that was exciting and fresh.
Laughing and a running hey, hey
Having a joyful time, with lots of laughter and running around.
Skipping and a jumping
Playing as children and having fun by skipping and jumping.
In the misty morning fog with
The weather at the time that gives a sense of a new beginning.
Our hearts a thumpin' and you
Describing a young romance that was intense and exciting.
My brown-eyed girl
Referring to the person he had feelings for, who had brown eyes.
You, my brown-eyed girl
Emphasizing the significance of the person he's addressing and their relationship.
Whatever happened
Wondering what happened to the good times and the companionship that he once had.
To Tuesday and so slow?
Describing the passing of time and how slow each day felt.
Going down the old mine
Going into a path that felt familiar, comfortable and still worthwhile.
With a transistor radio
Setting the context of the era they are in, when radios were popular.
Standing in the sunlight laughing
Describing a happy and fun moment they had together while standing in the warmth of the sun.
Hiding behind a rainbow's wall
Using the imagery of the hidden rainbow and the wall, to describe a special moment they shared together.
Slipping and sliding
Remembering the happy moments they shared while having fun and sliding around.
All along the waterfall, with you
Describing another special moment they shared, this time involving a waterfall.
Do you remember when we used to sing
Recalling memories of joyful times together, that involved singing.
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da
Using a nonsensical phrase that represented the carefree nature of their youth.
Just like that
Reiterating how easy and carefree their times together used to be.
So hard to find my way
Feeling lost and alone without the person he's addressing.
Now that I'm all on my own
Realizing that he's alone and misses the companionship he once had.
I saw you just the other day
Describing the feeling of seeing someone from the past after not seeing them for a long time.
My, how you have grown
Noticing how much the person he's addressing has changed since he last saw them.
Cast my memory back there, Lord
Remembering the past and the times they shared together.
Sometimes I'm overcome thinking 'bout
The longing and sadness he feels when he thinks about the times when they were together.
Making love in the green grass
Describing another intimate moment they shared, this time in a meadow.
Behind the stadium with you
Adding context to the previous line, setting the location of the meadow behind the stadium.
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da
Repeating the nonsensical phrase to further emphasize the carefree nature of their youth.
Bit by bit, by bit, by bit, by bit, by bit
Describing the feeling of time taking small pieces of him and adding them to his past memories.
(La te da, da da da da da da da da)
Repeating the nonsensical phrase to further emphasize the carefree nature of their youth.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Van Morrison
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@weebabyshakeus
Lyrics…
Hey, where did we go?
Days when the rains came
Down in the hollow
Playin' a new game
Laughin' and a-runnin', hey, hey
Skippin' and a-jumpin'
In the misty morning fog with
Our, our hearts a-thumping and you
My brown-eyed girl
And you, my brown-eyed girl
And whatever happened
To Tuesday and so slow?
Going down the old mine with a
Transistor radio
Standing in the sunlight laughing
Hiding 'hind a rainbow's wall
Slipping and sliding
All along the waterfall 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 tee-da
Just like that
Sha-la-la, la-la, la-la, la-la, la-la tee-da, la-tee-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
Sometimes I'm overcome thinking 'bout it
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 tee-da
Sha-la-la, la-la, la-la, la-la, la-la tee-da
@kentneumann5209
As someone in her shoes, sort of, she may feel like she is a burden or a danger to you, or ashamed of the power of the drug over her for something she did or didn't do, or feels like she has let you down, and can't face it, or many other possibilities.
But I bet her love for you is still strong. Her love may be the reason she stays apart. Maybe she doesn't want to expose you to the danger of her associates.
She may not be in a financial position to go to you.
Anyway, whatever the situ is, consider going to see her in person, even if only to give her a hug and turn around and go right home.
My mom died and I didn't even know about it until 4 years later. I haven't seen any of them, not even on social media in nearly 20 years now.
I love all of them. I helped raise my younger sibs till they were in grade school.
I'm not financially independent and I don't want to burden them.
I'm not on H or opiates. I have ADD and ADHD and my monthly script of desoxyn without insurance is over $600 a month. I got hurt at my construction job, got my friend pregnant, or she got us pregnant, cuz it wasn't on my list of things to do, got swindled into signing off my work comp claim in trade for a promotion and big salary jump, lost my job, my insurance, my truck, my home, my drivers license due to back child support owed. I became homeless, started using what passes for meth to self medicate my ADD. (Look up desoxyn)
And I just did not want to burden anyone BECAUSE I love them.
I wanted to achieve financial independence, have a home for my son to visit, before I returned.
I worked my ass off day and night scrapping metal and reinvesting that cash into new warranty returns and fixing them and reselling them. I built up an inventory of nearly $200K, but they took my DL and it crippled me. I lost it all again.
I don't know. You should go to her if you can. Heroin is a bitch that don't want to let go. I've seen it. But those same people are in recovery with script meds and are at least safe from the danger of the street.
On the other hand, you may be a narcissistic bitch that she never wants to see again.
I should just worry about my thing, not yours.
I'll tell you what I've learned the hard way, then dip.
We have differences with loved ones, and go our separate ways out of foolish pride or shame or anger.
She owes me an apology. He hurt my feelings. They owe me too much money. Etc.
Maybe I'll call them tomorrow and tell them I'm sorry and I love them.
We think there is time, and some day we will see each other, hug and cry, forgive and laugh.
Time disappears while we are busy living our lives. 15 years slips away and disappears in a blink.
Sometimes tomorrow never comes.
Your mom dies without you, her first born, there holding her hand, where you should have been.
You never got to hug her again, or tell her you're sorry, or ask her to forgive, or tell her you forgive her.
All that time is just gone.
And you can't ever get it back.
No redo. No second chance.
Sometimes tomorrow never comes.
@joyzugish6765
Lyrics:
Hey, where did we go?
Days when the rains came
Down in the hollow
Playin' a new game
Laughin' and a-runnin', hey, hey
Skippin' and a-jumpin'
In the misty morning fog with
Our, our hearts a-thumping and you
My brown-eyed girl
And you, my brown-eyed girl
And whatever happened
To Tuesday and so slow?
Going down the old mine with a
Transistor radio
Standing in the sunlight laughing
Hiding 'hind a rainbow's wall
Slipping and sliding
All along the waterfall 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 tee-da
Just like that
Sha-la-la, la-la, la-la, la-la, la-la tee-da, la-tee-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
Sometimes I'm overcome thinking 'bout it
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 tee-da
Sha-la-la, la-la, la-la, la-la, la-la tee-da
@Loveyalise
My husband used to sing this song to me all the time when we were dating. Then alot after we were married too. Every year on my birthday. He passed away three months ago and my birthday is tomorrow. It will be the first birthday I won't hear him sing this song to me . I was 16 when he first started and I'll be 54 tomorrow. I keep listening to it now just to remember him. I miss him so much.
@yauwish2364
i’m sorry for your loss hun <3 he’s watching over you in the sky
@tshepangsese1771
Happy Birthday 🎂
He is with you in spirit and heart ❣️❤️
@007Majed007
Happy birthday. May he Rest In Peace. Just treasure the memories. Try to seek support from friends and family. He would want you to be showing up and doing your best. Don’t let him down. Take care.
@reginasmalley5711
like, wow i hope you feel better.
@estajoykroten2990
I am so sorry. I hope you managed to have some comfort on your birthday and, indeed, everyday. Arms around you.
@rockyquate4509
I just found my brown eyed girl! She’s awesome! I thank my Lord for her! I’m 61 she’s 60. We feel like kids! You never get too old to love!
@cathysparenberg7497
That's awesome!!!
@jadedonato6447
As a brown eyed girl l truly loved these f ING song! However to the woman who'.s husband and he was her special boyfriend first l hope that someone will sing this song to her.Or her husband will sing this song to her in a dream for her birthday!
@ernesthernandez9880
Congratulations in finding love ❤️