Brown Eyed Girl Guitar Lesson (Van Morrison)

I grew up with 3 wild brothers…

I’m the middle one.

And when I was in my first band. My older brother would come out to all our shows in Hollywood. It was a routine.

And he would always bring dates he was trying to schmooze and impress. I’d see him in the audience from the stage.

He’d point at me and say to his date, “That’s my brother”...as he’d try to get them out on the dance floor…

It was hilarious. But this brings me to today’s song.

...because before every show…

My brother would ask me…

“Are you going to play “x” song tonight?”

He always wanted to know…

Today I want to share with you that song...

It's one every party band guitar player should know.

It’s full of nostalgia. Making many listeners think about innocent crushes, summer days, and simpler times. 

You only need 4 chords to play it. And, the majority of the song just repeats one progression over and over. (So it’s perfect for beginners as well).

I’m going to break it all down for you step-by-step in this “Brown Eyed Girl” guitar lesson.

So grab your guitar and let’s get started!

Who wrote Brown Eyed Girl?

The timeless classic "Brown Eyed Girl" was written and sung by the iconic Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was recorded in March 1967 at A&R Studios in New York City. “Brown Eyed Girl” was first released as a single in June 1967 on Bang Records. 

The track was produced by Bert Berns and features backing vocals by the Sweet Inspirations, a gospel group. It peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US and No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart.

It was also included in Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" at No. 117. And of course, it’s been covered by numerous artists, including Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and The Carpenters.

Fun Fact:

The line "Making love in the green grass" caused the song to be banned by some radio stations in the 1960s due to its perceived suggestive nature.

"Brown Eyed Girl" remains a classic still to this day. I used to cover it with my first band two decades ago, and it’s still called and played at parties all the time.

Is Brown Eyed Girl easy to play on guitar?

“Brown Eyed Girl” is a good song for beginners to learn as it only uses 4 chords total. You can also use the same strumming pattern throughout the entire song. While the chords are pretty straightforward the only difficult part is that there are certain sections in the tune where you’ll have to count bars and stay on track with the vocals. For example the bass solo there is a break and you have to know when to come back in. And before the chorus, there is a slight change in the progression. But the good news is, if you get off, it’s relatively easy to get back on track. This is because the majority of the song follows the same repeated chord progression over and over which makes it a good song to jam on for beginners.

Brown Eyed Girl Guitar Chords

To play “Brown Eyed Girl” on guitar you’ll need to know 4 chords G, C, D, and Em. Let’s take a look at some common ways these 4 chords can be played in an open position on the guitar.

G can be played using all 6 strings like this:

C is played from the 5th string down like this:

D is played from the 4th string down like this:

And finally, Em is played using all 6 strings like this:

The main progression to the song is a 4-bar repeated pattern that goes G, C, G, D. Each chord lasts one bar each.

G (1 bar)

C (1 bar)

G (1 bar)

D (1 bar)

To start practice switching between these chords. Strum once on each chord and count to 4 like this:

G

1 2 3 4

C

1 2 3 4

G

1 2 3 4

D

1 2 3 4 

It’s a good idea to count out loud and tap your foot. Try to make sure you get each chord right on beat 1 (the downbeat of each measure).

Start going slow enough to where you don’t have any gaps. It’s important to keep the rhythm flowing and not have pauses in between your chord changes. 

If you are getting pauses this means you’re going too fast. Go slow and remember it takes time to get muscle memory in the fretting hand. 

If you need more tips on getting smoother chord changes check out my Beginner guitar course here.

What key is Brown Eyed Girl in?

“Brown Eyed Girl” is in the key of G major. This means that the song is based on the G major scale. In fact, all of the chords used in the song fit the diatonic scale of G major.

Each chord has a specific function in the key of G major. 

The G major chord (I) is the tonic chord, or the "home base" of the key. 

The C major chord (IV) is the subdominant chord, which provides a variation to the IV and a nice stable progression. 

The D major chord (V) is the dominant chord, which creates a strong pull towards the tonic chord. 

And finally, the Em chord (vi) is the relative minor, which adds a touch of complexity and depth to the progression.

So in total, the progression simply uses the I, IV, V, and vi in the key of G major. 

Brown Eyed Girl Strumming Pattern

Another great thing about “Brown Eyed Girl” is you can use the same strumming pattern throughout the entire song. It’s also one of the most common strumming patterns of all time. 

It uses a combination of quarter notes and eight notes. Let’s take a look at this pattern while holding down a G chord.

Begin with a quarter note down strum on the first beat. Then on beat 2 strum down and up playing two eighth notes like this 

Then let the “and” of two ring over through beat 3. Finally, finish out the pattern with all eighth notes strumming up-down-up on “and-4-and” like this:

All together the pattern goes like this:

If I wrote out the count and strumming directions in eighth notes it would look like this:

G

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

D   d u     u d u

(Play on the bolded beats)

Here is an example of this very common strumming pattern strummed on an E chord:

Brown Eyed Girl Lead Guitar Lesson

Next, I want to be the first to share something with you about this song that no one has covered yet online.

And that is...

An in-depth breakdown of the LEAD guitar part.

This goes on top of the strumming chords. It’s a perfect example of how a lead guitarist can mix into a band.

How to effortlessly flow from rhythm, to lead, and everything in between.

The strumming is important to learn and would be the part I would play if I were accompanying a singer or if I was the main rhythm instrument. However, there is also a lead guitar on top. 

This part uses little pieces of triads higher up the neck, and also a combination of double-stops and 6ths in a classic R&B rhythm guitar style.

Here is an example of how I might approach playing over the main chord progression G, C, G, D. 

For the above example, whenever I play two notes at the same time I use a technique called hybrid picking. 

Hybrid picking is a guitar technique that involves using both a pick and your fingers to pick the strings. In this case, I am using the pick, and then my middle finger on the strum hand to pick notes simultaneously.

This technique allows you to play passages that would be difficult or impossible to play with just a pick.

The main idea to play in the style of the lead guitar is to use the notes of the chords higher up the neck. So the guitarist is playing arpeggiated chords, and little licks to connect each chord and follow the progression. 

This is a great example of how to play secondary guitar parts in a band. Knowing triads up and down the neck gives you a huge leg up for doing this.

Conclusion: 

There you have it! "Brown Eyed Girl" broken down for guitarists of all levels. Whether you're a seasoned party-band pro or just picking up your first six-string, this iconic song offers something for everyone.

Here's why "Brown Eyed Girl" is a must-learn: 

• Simple chords and progression: Only four chords and a single strumming pattern make it accessible to beginners.
• Catchy melody and nostalgic vibes: The instantly recognizable tune and fun lyrics evoke memories of simpler times, resonating with audiences across generations.
• Versatility: Perfect for jamming, accompanying singers, or adding your own lead guitar flourishes.
• Practice in key and chord changes: Provides opportunities to hone basic skills and develop smoother transitions.
• A gateway to more: Mastering "Brown Eyed Girl" can build confidence and encourage you to tackle other classics.

Remember to take it slow, and have fun practicing. And for more study check out this Bad Moon Rising guitar lesson or this Johnny B. Goode guitar lesson next!