Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl

This is an example of a classic song that I thought was a massive hit from the 60s.

I only discovered a couple of years ago that it failed to chart in the UK, and achieved its highest UK chart position thanks to downloads in 2013.

So in another 20 years time, the classic songs from the 2010's might end up being songs that peaked much lower down the chart.

One Dance might end up being as fondly remembered as Shaddap Your Face in 20 years from now and people might look at some of the near misses as the "should've beens" just like people do today regarding Vienna by Ultravox.

The best songs will always stand the test of time. Just because a song gets to #1 doesn't mean it's instantly a classic. E.g. 3 Of A Kind - Babycakes, Ja Rule - Wonderful, Daniel Bedingfield - Never Gonna Leave Your Side, Busted - Who's David? and Blazin' Squad - Crossroads to name but a few. We had plenty of instantly crap #1's throughout the 00's, and you don't even hear them now some 10-12 years on so there's no chance of hearing them in 20-30 years time if they couldn't even survive 10 years.

Yeah, who's to say that Little Mix's 'Secret Love Song' isn't going to be the song remembered from 2016. Especially if it appears on the soundtrack of the hit movie of 2025 which is about secret robot lovers?

Which is kind of why I wonder why you worry so much about the state of the charts?

depends whether theres a track of the calibre of 'brown eyed girl' , and a lot of others non/minor hits. im not holding my breath..

I have always thought Brown Eyed Girl is massively overrated , give me Days Like This & Into The Mystic over that any day

Agreed. I'm a huge fan of Van Morrison and he has produced decades of great music and alot of it is better than Brown Eyed Girl. Brown Eyed Girl probably only gets alot of airplay now because it has been used in numerous film soundtracks? Certainly before the 90's Brown Eyed Girl was not considered his most well known song. It used to be mainly Moondance and Bright Side of the Road that got airplay but I don't think these songs charted either? But Van is more of an album artist anyway and certainly most of his albums have sold well.

I pretty stopped caring about the charts when I was about 14. I thought most people once they hit their teens grow out of caring what is in the charts and start seeking music they genuinely like.

You only have to look at this site's 'Music' section to realise that it is barely about music at all. Most of the posts originate from either music company PR pluggers, or from people who should really be posting in the Showbiz section.

You do, but you still have a pretty good idea what's in the charts and who's responsible for it. Then you hit 35, and suddenly, you don't.

erm... not true, im nearly 60 and still have a cursory interest in the charts. its true though that when i was 35, in 1992, i took less interest in the charts - but thats because i didnt like the material. britpop came along a couple of years later and that re-ignited my interest. plus i do pop music quizes so i need to have an idea of whats charting.

There's a really long list of absolute classics that didn't chart or reach the Top 40, but virtually none from 2000 onwards.

Nearly all of Westlife's No 1s would count When was the last time anyone heard a Westlife song in public and how many people apart from hardcore fans or chart followers could name them? I was a fan when younger and they were good in their early days but I honestly couldn't name any of their No 1 singles.

Agree. Flying Without Wings is the only notable song they ever released.

you overstate their true worth!

I mentioned this song on another thread . I think Catfish and the Bottlemen's song Heathrow is the best song of the year!

I hope it's not a forgotten track - it's not been released as a single and I don't think it would chart high if it were because of the streaming era - but I think it deserves to be remembered. I truly believe this song deserves to stand the test of time. But hey ho, if people remember Drake's One Dance instead, fair enough!

Cover of Heathrow (almost the same as the original which is not on the net!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6-dehZq-t4

I'm sure people will be humming this song for many years to come.

DELETED. Quoted wrong poster.

Tina Turner's version was on the first Now and not Al Green!

I'm over 35 but as late as 2013 decided my top 20 songs of the year. These were often songs that sounded pleasant in passing rather than special sentimental favourites. Indeed, if someone locked me in a dark room and made me listen to 100 songs, namely my top 20 songs from each year 2009-13, I could probably hardly wait to get out!

Here is my Official Old Fart thread on a similar discussion.

welcome to the club grandad ! I guess its what you liked when you were 17 thats sticks with you. Thats why i loved 1978.
Oldies usually say todays music all sounds the same..well i am sure it does now.....i'm not just hearing it wrong am i? Every girl sounds like taylor/britney . Nobody stands out. All girl bands sound alike. Cant tell difference. Every song is a dance tune or some lad with a guitar moaning on with a slowie.

Good theory BUT-can you name a song, released this year, that has potential to be regarded as a classic in 20 years.
I really can't think of anything?

Not much at all. The last song that REALLY grabbed my attention was last summer's Cheerleader, but I doubt even that will be remembered for long, in fact it's already forgotten today. Maybe Adele's Hello will be around for a while yet (as much as I can't stand her lol)

I already mentioned one, 'Secret Love Song' by Little Mix and another would be 'When We were Young' by Adele.

What makes a song a 'classic'? Airplay in 20 years? A song that captured the era? A timeless song that stands up at any time? A song that turns up at weddings and parties?

A song that stubble-faced old tossers in covers bands bore you to tears with in a local pub.

Yeah, like 'Don't Stop Believin" or "Pour Some Sugar on Me" or "Highway to Hell"?

Plus Sex On Fire, Cocaine, Superstitious, Live Forever, Sit Down, Mustang Sally, etc, etc, etc...