Brown Eyed Girl

Written and recorded in 1967 by Van Morrison and produced by Bang Records chief Bert Berns, it was first released in May 1967.

Published: 01 Oct 2011 Updated: 05 Nov 2022Visits: 5Code: UL505

Category: RockInstrument: Any Subjects: Beginner • Repertoire • Rock • Classic

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Brown Eyed Girl

Brown Eyed Girl is a song by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. Written and recorded in 1967 by Van Morrison and produced by Bang Records chief Bert Berns, it was first released in May 1967 on the album Blowin' Your Mind!. When released as a single, it rose to number eight on the Cashbox charts, and reached number ten on the Billboard Hot 100.

Brown Eyed Girl is in the The Daily Ukulele 365 Songs for Better Living book.

The original is in the Key of G and the Daily Book is in the Key of C .

Strum a different song every day with easy arrangements of 365 of your favorite songs in one big songbook! The Daily Ukulele features ukulele arrangements with melody, lyrics and uke chord grids and are in ukulele-friendly keys that are particularly suited for groups of one to one hundred to play and sing.

This song would prove to be the impetus for Morrison's whole career as a solo artist. It was to be his first single after leaving his position as lead singer for the Belfast formed Them and would lead to his relocation to the United States and an eventual contract with Warner Bros. Records, where he would record his career-defining album, Astral Weeks.

Basic Open Position Chords & Strumming Pattern

Brown Eyed Girl…

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.

Morrison's original recording of Brown Eyed Girl remains widely familiar today, as the uncensored version is regularly played by many "oldies" and "classic rock" radio stations. It is listed as the #4 most played song by DJs in both 2006 and 2007. In 2005, Van Morrison received a Million-Air certificate by BMI as harts, and reached number ten on the Billboard Hot 100. It featured the Sweet Inspirations singing back-up vocals and is widely considered to be Van Morrison's signature song.

This song would prove to be the impetus for Morrison's whole career as a solo artist. It was to be his first single after leaving his position as lead singer for the Belfast formed Them and would lead to his relocation to the United States and an eventual contract with Warner Bros. Records, where he would record his career-defining album, Astral Weeks.

It is listed by RIAA as one of The 365 Top Selling Songs of the 20th Century.

Morrison has stated that Brown Eyed Girl is not among his favorite songs remarking, It's not one of my best. I mean I‘ve got about 300 songs that I think are better.

Open Position Chords

These are the basic Open Position Chords that can get you through Brown Eyed Girl.

Strumming Patterns

Start with the Four Famous Strums in the Building Your Core Strums for Ukulele Series .

Here is the most famous of the Four Famous Strums, Pattern Four: The Island Strum

This is the D D U - U D U, down down up - up down up strumming pattern called the Island Strum.

Links & Resources

Main Song Download(s)

The main downloads for this Song.

WEB_CONTENT_ONLY

Brown Eyed Girl - Handwritten Chord Lead Sheet

Updated: 31 Dec 2016

Handwritten chord lead sheet for Brown Eyed Girl showing chords, the intro and fill.

UL505-INTRO-G

Brown Eyed Girl - Intro and Fill

Updated: 05 Sep 2019

The intro and fill for Brown Eyed Girl for ukulele in C tuning, low or high G. Brown Eyed Girl written and recorded in 1967 by Van Morrison and produced by Bang Records chief Bert Berns, it was first released in May 1967.

Videos

Related Videos for Brown Eyed Girl.

Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl

Updated: 01 Jan 2003

VAN MORRISON - Brown Eyed Girl (1967)

Updated: 01 Jan 2003

Jimmy Buffett- Brown Eyed Girl

Updated: 01 Jan 2003

Related Lessons

Related Lessons for Brown Eyed Girl.

ULHA-YB-39

Brown Eyed Girl

Updated: 11 Oct 2024

Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: "Brown Eyed Girl".

Related Lesson Series

Related Lessons Series for Brown Eyed Girl.

Common Chord Progressions and Remembering Songs

Updated: 08 Jun 2023

Understanding the similarities between chord progressions and songs can greatly enhance your ability to remember and play a wide variety of songs. It's fascinating how much common ground exists among different musical compositions.

Related Books & Charts

Related Books for Brown Eyed Girl.

QS1UKES

QuickStart Scale Fingerings for Ukulele, Volume I, C Tuning

Updated: 01 Apr 2024

Learn to create exciting solos in a variety of contemporary styles! Scales are used to improvise, create melodies and riffs. With broad knowledge of the essential scales that are used in contemporary music and a mastery of the ukulele's fingerboard and fingering principles, you're well on your way.

QS1UKES-WHOLETONE

QuickStart Scale Fingerings for Ukulele, C Tuning - WholeTone Scale

Updated: 24 Jan 2017

The Whole Tone scale is a traditional scale used in a wide variety of music. This traditional scale is covered in all keys with one octave scale fingerings starting on any finger. Tunings: C with low or high G - (GCEA or gCEA). Learn to create exciting solos in a variety of contemporary styles!

HL00240356

The Daily Ukulele

Updated: 16 Feb 2024

Strum a different song every day with easy arrangements of 365 of your favorite songs in one big songbook! The Daily Ukulele features ukulele arrangements with melody, lyrics and uke chord grids and are in ukulele-friendly keys that are particularly suited for groups of one to one hundred to play and sing.

A Selection of Books & Reference Charts that are recommended for creating a solid foundation with your chosen instrument and music in general.

Books

Learning the Ukulele Fingerboard – C Tuning

Finally, learn the names of the notes of the fingerboard.

Six Secrets of Ukulele Fingering

Learn the six fingering principles to navigating the ukulele fingerboard. Fingering is one of the most universal topics.

Harmonic Analysis for Scale Selection and Chord Substitution

Harmonic Analysis is the understanding of the functional sequence of chords. It is the process used to analyze the harmonic structure of a progression, song or composition.

Ukulele – Reading Music Series – Primer

Learn to read single note melodies in the first/open position is a lot easier than you might think.

Daily Practice Material for the Contemporary Ukulele

An organized collection of daily practice and reference material for the contemporary ukulele player for developing the vocabulary and knowledge necessary for single note playing.

Checkout the Books for ALL available books.

Reference Charts

Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for C Tuning, Low or High G - G C E A

Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for C Tuning, Low or High G – G C E A

Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for G Tuning, Low or High A – D G B E

Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for G Tuning, Low or High A – D G B E

Key Signatures — Circle of Fourths and Fifths – ANSI A & A4 sizes

A handy reference chart of all 15 major and relative minor key signatures. US Letter 8.5 x 11 sized (ANSI-A) , A4

Checkout the Books for additional Handy, Dandy Reference Charts.

Related Song Files, Resources and Assets

Related Assets for Brown Eyed Girl.

WEB_CONTENT_ONLY

Brown Eyed Girl - Handwritten Chord Lead Sheet

Updated: 31 Dec 2016

Handwritten chord lead sheet for Brown Eyed Girl showing chords, the intro and fill.

UL505-INTRO-G

Brown Eyed Girl - Intro and Fill

Updated: 05 Sep 2019

The intro and fill for Brown Eyed Girl for ukulele in C tuning, low or high G. Brown Eyed Girl written and recorded in 1967 by Van Morrison and produced by Bang Records chief Bert Berns, it was first released in May 1967.

WEB_CONTENT_ONLY

Brown Eyed Girl

Updated: 31 Dec 2016

Chord lead sheet for Brown Eyed Girl showing chords, the intro and fill.

WEB_CONTENT_ONLY

Open Position Flash Cards for Ukulele C Tuning

Updated: 07 Jan 2022

Standard music notation flash chards for learning the notes in open position for C tuning.

WEB_CONTENT_ONLY

Six Secrets of Ukulele Fingering - Sequence Worksheet

Updated: 31 Dec 2016

Scale sequence fingering chart worksheet for exploring multiple and alternate pathways through a scale sequence.

WEB_CONTENT_ONLY

Just Jazz Guitar - Getting Beyond Guitar Shapes, May 2004 article

Updated: 31 Dec 2016

This is an article I wrote in 2004 for Just Jazz Guitar magazine.

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