There are many beautiful songs with brown in the title. Check below for songs which refer to brown eyes, brown skin, brown liquor and more. Enjoy!
“Brown Skin” By India Arie
Song Year: 2001
“Brown Skin” is a soulful song whereby India Arie shows her partner some love by highlighting the beauty of their melanin-rich skin, and she compares it to that of a Hershey’s kiss.
India Arie describes her excitement regarding the beauty of their complexion, and she celebrates his kisses, deeming them as a form of brown skin magic.
“Charlie Brown” By Coldplay
Song Year: 2012
Although the title of the song “Charlie Brown” directly references the popular Peanuts character with a melancholy disposition, the song does not name-check the character whatsoever. During the songwriting process, the lyrics would change; however, the original title remained.
The song encourages the listener to overcome the restrictive expectations of society and fulfill their true potential and dreams.
“Brown Sugar” By The Rolling Stones
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fmfi3UbDPnQ
Song Year: 1971
“Brown Sugar” is possibly The Rolling Stones’ most disputed song. The controversial song describes an underage enslaved girl being forced into an inappropriate relationship.
“Brown Sugar” is regarded as one of Rolling Stone magazine’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” and is said to be somewhat inspired by a Black actress who would eventually have one of Mick Jagger’s children.
“Brown-Eyed Girl” By Van Morrison
Song Year: 1967
Regarding beauty, it’s no secret that blue eyes are standard. With that said, this song is a reminder that brown eyes are beautiful, too, even if they are more common. This classic rock talks longingly about a beautiful brown-eyed girl from the songwriter’s youth.
Interestingly, the song was initially entitled brown-skinned girl. However, the song was modified to be more suitable for radio stations.
“Plain Brown Wrapper” By Gary Morris
Song Year: 1987
“Plain Brown Wrapper” is a mellow country love song about aging lovers sharing an intimate moment, and the husband instills confidence in his wife by reassuring her that she’s beautiful.
The husband persuades her to discard her dress and jewels, which are merely the encasing of the beauty she still has on the inside. The husband reaffirms his wife’s innate beauty.
“Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” By Jim Croce
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzYf6qskdfA
Song Year: 1973
Leroy Brown was a fictional bully hailing from the south side of Chicago. He stood at 6’4″ and was respected as the baddest man in town.
However, there’s always someone badder than the baddest man, and Leroy Brown would eventually meet his match. One day Leroy decides to flirt with a married woman, and her husband destroys him. Guess he’s no longer the baddest man in town!
“Mary Brown” By Dave Alvin
Song Year: 1998
“Mary Brown” is a song of fatal attraction. There wasn’t a thing that the narrator wouldn’t do for Mary Brown, including murdering her husband, who she told was a monster.
After a brief affair between the two, Mary would betray him by denying their relationship, sentencing him to a harsher murder sentence. Sadly, he foolishly pines over her from behind bars, even though she has remarried.
“Brown Eyed Blues” By Adrian Hood
Song Year: 2007
“Brown Eyed Blues” is a pop love song from 2007 describing a lovesick narrator that doesn’t feel that they measure up to their partner in some way.
The narrator is a man with brown eyes besotted by a gorgeous woman with brown eyes. He is just smitten, and he wants to be around her 24/7. Despite feeling unworthy, the narrator wants to know if his love will take a chance on him.
“Brown Skin Girl” By Beyoncé, Wizkid, and Saint Jhn (feat. Blue Ivy Carter)
Song Year: 2019
Beyoncé and crew pay homage to the beauty of dark-skinned women with an empowerment R&B tribute. The song engenders cultural pride for brown and black girls, strengthening the most oppressed women with the darkest skin shades.
Beyoncé acknowledges prominent successful black women who have endured such an unfortunate reality and become successful despite it.
“Charlie Brown” By The Coasters
Song Year: 1959
Let it be duly noted that the Charlie Brown in this sound has nothing to do with the Charlie Brown character from the Peanuts comic strip.
The Charlie Brown in this song is a prankster and class clown that launches spitballs and addresses his teacher disrespectfully. Interestingly, the BBC once banned this 1959 pop and R&B song because of the belief that it affected the youth negatively.
“Sweet Georgia Brown” By Anita O’Day
Song Year: 1958
“Sweet Georgia Brown” was originally written in the ’20s. The more subdued version of the song is about a new girl who arrives in town and gets all the boys’ attention and all the girls jealous.
In 1958, Anita O’Day delivered a spectacular performance at the Newport Jazz Festival. Her performance was being documented for the Jazz on a Summer’s Day documentary.
“Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” By Crystal Gayle
Song Year: 1977
“Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” is a country-pop crossover ballad that became a hit globally for Crystal Gayle. The narrator, who has brown eyes, is depressed because she mistreated her lover, and he has finally found a new interest and is moving on from her.
Out of remorse, she begs him to leave; however, it appears she’s too late.
“Brown Liquor” By John Anderson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrsKXD6JIUE
Song Year: 2007
This 2007 country song is about a guy who can drink clear spirits with no problem; however, when he drinks brown liquor, he becomes a different person and can become unhinged.
Brown liquor includes popular types such as cognac, brandy, and bourbon. However, the narrator calls the drinks “devil in a jug.” Drinking these spirits makes him want to shoot his gun and do many inexplicable things.
“Ballad of Hollis Brown” By Bob Dylan
Song Year: 1964
Hollis Brown is the centerpiece of this very somber song. Mr. Brown faces unfortunate circumstances; he’s on the brink of starvation, broke, and desperate.
As a South Dakota farmer, he spends his last bit of money on shotgun shells. He has a wife and five kids, and amid extreme desperation, he loads his shotgun and commences to end his and his family’s lives.
“Charlie Brown’s Parents” By Dishwalla
Song Year: 1995
The song tries to express what it’s like speaking to the cartoon character Charlie Brown’s parents. Humorously, whenever the adults spoke, their words would come out as incoherent gibberish.
The argument is that the people who lecture, such as Charlie Brown’s parents, won’t get through to their audience. The kind of people guilty of this are politicians, parents of teens, and telemarketers.
“Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” By Herman’s Hermits
Song Year: 1965
This is a British rock song about a young man who is head over heels for a girl, though she doesn’t reciprocate his love.
The narrator explains to Mrs. Brown, the girl’s mom, that her daughter doesn’t love him. He has reservations about pining and repeats that it’s no good to do so, so he decides to leave her alone.
“James Brown Is Dead” By L.A. Style
Song Year: 1991
“James Brown Is Dead” By L.A. Style is a techno rave song that wildly succeeded across Europe, reaching number one in the Netherlands, Spain, and Belgium.
The song is about the lure behind celebrity death hoaxes and the retelling of how James Brown, the funk musician, died only to find out that he’s still alive later. The rhythmic beat of this song is mesmerizing!
“Pretty Brown Eyes” By Cody Simpson
Song Year: 2013
This Pop song is about a young man who comes across a young lady by luck, and it’s love at first sight. Though he doubts this concept exists, he’s captivated by her beauty and brown eyes.
He asks her out, hoping she’ll say yes to spending time with him. The song has a catchy beat and plays well in a car.
“Good Brown Gravy” By Joe Diffie
Song Year: 1994
“Good Brown Gravy” By Joe Diffie is a fun country song about a man who thought women adored him. He recounts them knocking at his door only to find out they weren’t after him.
He was disillusioned when he found out that they were only after his “Good Brown Gravy,” after all. This fun-loving tune is a gem you won’t have trouble dancing to.
“Brown Baby” By Nina Simone
Song Year: 1962
“Brown Baby” is the tale of a mom who hopes for a better future for her brown-skinned baby. She wants her child to be proud of who they are and hopefully experience more freedom than she could enjoy.
Nine was inspired by being denied entry into a prestigious music school because of racial discrimination. She still went on to become a versatile jazz, R&B, pop, and gospel singer known as The High Priestess of Soul.
“Brown Eyes” By Destiny’s Child
Song Year: 2001
Destiny’s Child sings a lovely R&B ballad that recalls various memories about how a couple first met and have been inseparable since. Specific lyrics speak to their first date, kiss, feeling butterflies, their first argument, and how they’re madly in love.
The group sings about the young woman knowing that the guy loves her deeply because his words, actions, and brown eyes tell her that it’s the truth.
“Golden Brown” By The Stranglers
Song Year: 1981
Originally, “Golden Brown” was described as people hearing whatever they want. However, the interpretation of the song was met with much controversy.
After a while, one of the band members, Hugh Cornwell, mentioned that the song was about both heroin use and his Mediterranean girlfriend at the time. He noted that both provided him with pleasurable times. The song reached #2 on the UK Singles Chart.
“Brown Eyed Handsome Man” By Chuck Berry
Song Year: 1956
“Brown Eyed Handsome Man” is a song about race relations in America. During the 1950s, Berry speaks on several life situations he’d observed. He talks about seeing a Hispanic man arrested for loitering, only being freed because a woman called in on his behalf.
He speaks about Jackie Robinson’s accomplishments as an African American and how many women have shed tears over “brown-eyed” handsome men throughout history. Brown-eyed is meant to convey brown-skinned.
“Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver” By Primus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYDfwUJzYQg
Song Year: 1995
Though there’s much debate about whether this song contains sexual innuendos, the author reiterates that it doesn’t. This song is about a girl with a brown pet beaver who loves eating Taco Bell.
She says that one day she tossed him into the air, and he pricked her finger. At that point, she realizes she might have a porcupine instead of a beaver. This quirky song has garnered much attention over the years.
“Brown Girl in the Ring” By Boney M.
Song Year: 1978
“Brown Girl in the Ring” doesn’t have a particular meaning. Some say it’s similar to “Ring Around the Rosie.” Others say it’s about African Americans living during the Jim Crow era.
Perhaps it talks about the lack of access to clean drinking water and food while reminiscing on positive times. It may be a song about perseverance and optimism in adversity.
“Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy” By Elton John
Song Year: 1975
There’s no debate that Elton John is a living legend. Many people state that this song is somewhat unusual for John because it primarily features an acoustic guitar instead of a piano.
Within the Pop/Rock genre, there exists a song that portrays Elton John in the role of Captain Fantastic, whilst his writing partner Bernie Taupin is depicted as the Brown Dirt Cowboy. The lyrics detail the initial phases of their partnership and collaborative efforts in creating music together.
“A Pair of Brown Eyes” By The Pogues
Song Year: 1985
If you like upbeat folk rock songs that draw you in with the story of love, you’ll appreciate “A Pair of Brown Eyes.” A man is in love with a girl that has stunning brown eyes.
The singer is celebrating his love for the girl, as though he’s lucky to have come across such a beautiful person. The powerful performance by the band makes this track stand out on their album.
“Jackie Brown” By John Mellencamp
Song Year: 1989
“Jackie Brown” is an emotional rock song about Mellencamp’s mentality at the time. It’s about a man trapped in poverty, but it’s from an emotional standpoint instead of reality.
Mellencamp’s finances and career were up and up, but he had recently divorced, and his wife had taken their two daughters from home. From that perspective, he felt like he had sunk to an all-time low.
“Mrs. Leroy Brown” By Loretta Lynn
Song Year: 2004
“Mrs. Leroy Brown” is a song about a wife who was promised a happy family but realized that the husband who told her he’d be happy bouncing babies on his knees was really out of cheating.
She lets him know that she’s been home alone, and she’s tired of it. She withdraws all the money from his bank, taunts him, and roughs her up so she knows who Mrs. Leroy Brown is after that night!
“Chocolate Brown” By The Cranberries
Song Year: 2001
This dark and powerful song about a woman trying to speak to her baby about her eventual departure is heart-wrenching. She calls her baby “Chocolate Brown” and tells her child she’s tried communicating with the dad, but it isn’t working out.
She’s planning to give up her family and start over afresh, but she hopes the baby knows she’ll make it up to him one day.
“Cassanova Brown” By Teena Marie
Song Year: 1983
“Cassanova” has become a term used to describe a womanizer. In the song, Teena Marie seems to go through phases of being hopeful that her man loves her, though she’s painfully aware that he’s seeing other women.
She says she puts on a good face in front of others, but when she’s alone, the tears fall hard. Ultimately, she says it’s over and hopes they can still be friends before the love turns to hate.
“Billy Brown” By Third Day
Song Year: 2004
“Billy Brown” is a punchy song from the Christian Rock band Third Day, which seems to talk about how difficult it is to be a star. Everyone hangs on to your every word and action.
In reality, the song is talking about people’s willingness to follow and idolize entertainment figures, which would go against the principle of Christianity. It follows under the realm of idolatry, as they believe that one should only follow Jesus Christ.
“Old Doc Brown” By Johnny Cash
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-xIyX_yhJU
Song Year: 1960
“Old Doc Brown” is a wholesome but somewhat tragic song about a kind doctor that lived in a town where he tried his best to help everyone. Often people wouldn’t pay his small fees, but he kept on helping.
Eventually, they found him dead, with a smile on his face. His ledger read that all his debtors had paid him in full. Filled with regret, the town hosted a kingly funeral in his honor.
“Brown & Root, Brown & Root” By Rodney Crowell
Song Year: 2019
“Brown & Root, Brown & Root” is inspired by low-income families trying to escape the turmoil of the Great Depression. Brown & Root was the world’s largest construction company. Many sharecroppers took arduous labor jobs during the 1950s.
They spoke of the conditions and how they sometimes barely had food to eat at home even though they were working their fingers to the bones. This modern take on such a tragic period in history is quite profound.
“Brown Eyes” By Fleetwood Mac
Song Year: 1979
Fleetwood Mac’s song “Brown Eyes” speaks to a sentiment many of us have felt during our lifetime can I really trust you as a lover, or are you just another liar?
While wanting to trust someone and hoping their feelings are reciprocated, you can only be sure sometimes. In the song, it’s unclear whether the singer takes the plunge into love and hopes against hope.
“James Brown” By Big Audio Dynamite
Song Year: 1989
“James Brown” is an intriguing song that tells the story of James Brown getting chased by police after a domestic violence incident resulted in jail time.
The story is told from Brown’s perspective, and it’s an ode to him and criticism of his actions. It’s also a scathing rebuke of American culture as it relates to celebrities and the treatment of certain groups in the nation.
“Brown Eyes” By Lady Gaga
Song Year: 2008
According to Lady Gaga, “Brown Eyes” was a song she wrote late in the middle of the night over a flow of tears and red wine. She said that she had never been as heartbroken as she had when she wrote this song.
Love loss is one of the most challenging obstacles for anyone to overcome, and Gaga bares it all in this hit, letting us into the torment of watching her “brown eyes” walking off with another woman.
Top Songs With Brown In The Title, Final Thoughts
Considering all the different meanings that someone can assign to a color, it’s no surprise that you end up with this eclectic mix of songs with brown in the title. They talk about everything from ethnic pride to love gained, to love lost, to working in a factory. Hopefully, you’ll check some of these tunes out, and you might find a new favorite!