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: Oct 1, 2011 • UPDATED: Feb 5, 2016 • VIEWS: 170 • LESSON CODE: UL505 •
Instruments: leadsheet ukulele guitar music Subjects: repertoire • beginner
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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. 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.
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 a "Top European Writer" for reaching 7 million US radio and television airplays for "Brown Eyed Girl" and again in 2007, Morrison was awarded another Million-Air certificate by BMI for 8 million air plays of "Brown Eyed Girl". The only song with more airplays by a top European writer was "Every Breath You Take" by The Police with 9 million.
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".
- Brown Eyed Girl
- Bass line for Brown Eyed Girl
- Writing Better Songs: Analyzing Brown Eyed Girl
Remembering songs is all about the form and harmonic content and movement with taking in the similarities between songs. And, just like a road map they're landmarks that will trigger memories of how to get through various sections, changes or parts of a song.
This section of a song's page presents some tips on how I try and remember a particular song.
No Road Map for Brown Eyed Girl check back soon.
Brown Eyed Girl - Intro and Fill
Updated: Sep 5, 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.
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Brown Eyed Girl
Updated: Dec 31, 2016
Chord lead sheet for Brown Eyed Girl showing chords, the intro and fill.
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Six Secrets of Ukulele Fingering - Sequence Worksheet
Updated: Dec 31, 2016
Scale sequence fingering chart worksheet for exploring multiple and alternate pathways through a scale sequence.
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QuickStart Scale Fingerings for Ukulele, Volume I, C Tuning
Updated: Jun 24, 2006
Learn to create exciting solos in a variety of contemporary styles! Scales are used to improvise, create melodies and riffs. With a 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.

QuickStart Scale Fingerings for Ukulele, C Tuning - WholeTone Scale
Updated: Jan 24, 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!
Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl
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VAN MORRISON - Brown Eyed Girl (1967)
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Jimmy Buffett- Brown Eyed Girl
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