Major view
G major
Brightness rank 2/7 (bright)
Characteristic notes
- 7 = F# (leading tone, pulls home)
- 4 = C (the note that leans on the 3rd)
Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl - Chord
Key G major – E minor Chords G, C, D, Em, D7 Difficulty already in its easiest key
No ratings yet
or your user informations
Make it yours
Text size
Key: G | Em
Capo: 0
G C G D G C G D
G C G D
Hey where did we go, days when the rains came
G C G D
Down in the hollow, playin' a new game
G C G D
Laughin' and a-runnin' hey, hey, skippin’ and a-jumpin’
G C G D C
In the misty mornin' fog with, ah, our hearts thumpin' and you
D G Em C D G D7
My brown-eyed girl, you’re my brown-eyed girl
G C G D
Whatever happened, to Tuesday is so slow
G C G D
Goin’ down the old mine with a transistor radio
G C G D
Standin’ in the sunlight laughin’, hidin’ behind a rainbow's wall
G C G D C
Slippin’ and a-slidin’ all along the waterfall with you
D G Em C D G
My brown-eyed girl, you’re my brown-eyed girl
D7 G
Do you remember when we used to sing
C G D
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da (just like that)
G C G D G
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da, la te da
G C G D
G C G D
So hard to find my way, now that I'm all on my own
G C G D
I saw you just the other day, my, how you have grown
G C G D
Cast my memory back there, Lord, sometimes I'm overcome thinkin’ about
G C G D C
Makin’ love in the green grass, behind the stadium with you
D G Em C D G
My brown-eyed girl, a-you’re my brown-eyed girl
D7 G
Do you remember when we used to sing
C G D
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da
G C G D
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da
G C G D
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da
G C G D
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da
End of song Play again?
Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl Tabs
NotesX
Harmony analysis
Van Morrison – Brown Eyed Girl: key and chord analysis
The song opens on G and ends on D. Its chords belong to both G major and Em, so every chord below is read both ways.
Minor view
E minor
Brightness rank 5/7 (leaning dark)
Characteristic notes
- b6 = C (the minor's melancholy)
- b7 = D (natural-minor colour)
Which side does the ear lean to?
Our reading: to us the song feels closer to the G major side because it opens on G and G is heard 49 times against 3 for Em. That is an interpretation, not a rule — hearing the same chords from E minor is just as valid and teaches you something different.
Chord degrees: major and relative minor
Show the degrees above the chords — relative to G or to Em; comparing both readings is a practice of its own.
Every chord of the key, listed 1 to 7 separately for each key. Chords played in the song show how often they appear; chords from outside the scale sit next to their own degree.
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | G | Tonic — home | G · B · D | 49× |
| ii | Am | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | A · C · E | — |
| iii | Bm | Mediant — a tonic-family shade | B · D · F# | — |
| V/vi | B | Secondary dominant V/vi — leads to Emsecondary dominant | B · D# · F# | — |
| IV | C | Subdominant — moves away from home | C · E · G | 27× |
| V | D | Dominant — strongest pull home | D · F# · A | 27× |
| V7 | D7 | Dominant — strongest pull home | D · F# · A · C | 3× |
| vi | Em | Relative minor — the melancholy side | E · G · B | 3× |
| vii° | F#dim | Leading-tone chord — tension | F# · A · C | — |
| Degree | Chord | Role | Notes | In song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Em | Tonic — home | E · G · B | 3× |
| ii° | F#dim | Supertonic — prepares the dominant | F# · A · C | — |
| III | G | Relative major — the bright side | G · B · D | 49× |
| iv | Am | Subdominant — moves away from home | A · C · E | — |
| v | Bm | Minor dominant — soft pull | B · D · F# | — |
| V | B | Dominant — borrowed from harmonic minor, pulls hard to the tonicharmonic minor | B · D# · F# | — |
| VI | C | Submediant — warm colour | C · E · G | 27× |
| VII | D | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | D · F# · A | 27× |
| VII7 | D7 | Subtonic — steps back to the tonic | D · F# · A · C | 3× |
Analysis
The key pair is G major and its relative E minor (1 sharp). 5 different chords appear 109 times in total; 5 of them sit naturally inside the shared scale. Everything stays inside one scale, which is why the song is easy to follow by ear.
Chord movement
- D G GV → Iauthentic cadence EmVII → III ×23
- C G GIV → Iplagal cadence EmVI → III ×21
- C D GIV → VIV → V EmVI → VIIVI → VII ×6
- D7 G GV7 → Iauthentic cadence EmVII7 → III ×3
The move to watch is D → G, heard 23 times. From the G side it reads V → I (authentic cadence: the strongest arrival home); from the Em side it is VII → III. Knowing where these arrivals fall helps you feel the phrasing and anticipate the next chord.
Improvisation tips
- G major pentatonic and E minor pentatonic are the same five notes (G – A – B – D – E): start from G for a brighter phrase, from E for a bluesier one.
- Over G, land on G, B, D — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over C, land on C, E, G — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
- Over D, land on D, F#, A — the chord's own tones always sound right on strong beats.
The song on the circle of fifths
- Played in the song — chord of the key
- Played — the minor's harmonic V or a secondary dominant
- Played — borrowed or outside chord
- Home region: IV–I–V and ii–vi–iii
Empty slices are chords the song doesn't use.
Capo and easier keys
With G major shapes
- No capo — open G shapes
- Capo 3 + E shapes
- Capo 5 + D shapes
With E minor shapes
- No capo — open Em shapes
- Capo 2 + Dm shapes
- Capo 7 + Am shapes
Easiest keys on guitar
The song is already written in its easiest key for guitar.
The song's harmonic story
The first chord is G; the ear learns where home is within a second. The chords that keep coming back are G, C, D, Em; read them as I–IV–V–vi in G or III–VI–VII–i in Em. No chord leaves the shared scale, so a single pentatonic shape works over the whole song. Keep an ear on D → G (V → I in G, VII → III in Em): authentic cadence — the strongest arrival home. The final chord is D; the ear comes to rest in G.
This analysis is generated from the song's chords by akorculuk's harmony engine using consistent rules. When you change key, the degrees stay the same; only the chord names change.
Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl Chords on Guitar, Ukulele and Piano
Hover over or tap a chord in the lyrics for its shapes, its degree in both keys and a listen button. Here you have every chord of the song side by side.
Find something to play next
Ready-made lists by difficulty and mood.
Report error for this content report.
All copyrights belong to their respective owners. If you think this content contains copyright infringement, please contact us.