What inspired Van Morrison to write Brown Eyed Girl?

Van Morrison

By Maureen Coleman

An enduring hit here and across the Atlantic, Brown Eyed Girl — captured on its 22nd take — has now been played on radio in the US 10 million times, earning the Belfast man special recognition at the Broadcast Music Inc awards in London this week.

But mystery still surrounds the inspiration for the song that Morrison now claims wasn't one of his best.