1967 Soft Rock Classic Banned Over One Lyric Ranks Among the Greatest Songs Ever
Banned from radio over a single lyric in 1967, this soft rock classic only grew in stature over time as it went on to earn its place among the greatest songs ever recorded.
Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" is a song about youthful love, nostalgia, and the bittersweet memory of a carefree romance. Written early in his solo career, it captures the joy and innocence of a past relationship.
However, the song faced backlash from many radio stations in the late '60s over one of Morrison's most iconic lines, "making love in the green grass." The lyric was considered too suggestive by some broadcasters at the time, leading to pushback despite the song's growing popularity, according to Songfacts.
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At the time, some stations considered the lyric too suggestive for airplay. A new edit replaced the original verse with a combination of prior lyrics, including the words "laughin' and a-runnin', hey hey,"
The Sweet Inspirations provided the supporting vocals to "Brown Eyed Girl." The singing group backed Elvis Presley for eight years, from 1969 through his death in August 1977.
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According to Acclaimed Music rankings, "Brown Eyed Girl" is widely regarded as one of the most celebrated songs in popular music history. In 2010, Rolling Stone placed it at No. 110 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, further cementing its legacy. The track was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in January 2007, honoring its lasting cultural and musical impact.
Morrison told Cameron Crowe in a Rolling Stone interview published in 1977 that, despite the controversy surrounding the song's lyrics, he prefers they remain open to listener interpretation.
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"A lot of times people say, ‘What does this mean?' A lot of times, I have no idea what I mean. If you can't figure out what it means, or it's troubling you, it's not for you. Like [Jack] Kerouac, some of his prose stuff, how can you ask what it means? It means what it means."
In 2009, Morrison explained to Time Magazine: "'Brown Eyed Girl' I didn't perform for a long time because for me it was like a throwaway song. I've got about 300 other songs I think are better than that."
Despite its lasting popularity, 58 years after its September 1967 release, "Brown Eyed Girl" peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Top 100. The song appeared on his debut solo album, Blowin' Your Mind!, and again on his 1973 compilation T.B. Sheets.
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This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 8:08 AM.