Beautiful Brown Eyes

"Beautiful Brown Eyes" is a country song written by Alton Delmore, originally inspired by his oldest daughter. One of the best known versions of the song was originally arranged by Fiddlin' Arthur Smith & Alton Delmore of The Delmore Brothers in 1951. An award was presented to Alton Delmore for "Beautiful Brown Eyes" in 1951.

Background

The lyrics are sung from the perspective of a woman unlucky in love, divorced, and remarried, who will "never love blue eyes again".

Recordings

The following recordings are credited to Smith and Delmore only:

• Rosemary Clooney 1951 - reached number 11 on Billboard Pop charts in 1951 (Rosemary Clooney discography), reissued on the album, Rosemary Clooney Sings Country Hits from the Heart.
• Ethel Smith (organist) 1951
• "Beautiful Brown Eyes", Jimmy Wakely and the Les Baxter Chorus - in 1951. This recording peaked at number 5 on the Best Selling Retail Folk Records chart.
• "Beautiful Brown Eyes" (Alton Delmore, Arthur Smith) from Hum & Strum Along with Chet Atkins
• Dickson Hall And The Country All-Stars
• Evelyn Knight With The Ray Charles Singers 1951
• Lisa Kirk 1951
• Mimi Martel 1952
• Gene Vincent 1959
• The Belvedere Chorale 1959
• Kitty Wells 1960
• The Manhattans Golden World Records 1964
• Grady Martin And The Slew Foot Five 1965

The following credit Smith, Delmore and also Jerry Capehart (1928-1998) who would have only been 23 when the original Smith-Delmore version was published.

• The Brothers Four (') (A. Smith, A. Delmore, J. Capehart) 1960
• Judy, Johnny and Billy 1960 - an otherwise unknown trio for whom this was the only single
• King Curtis 1962
• Kathy Linden released a version of the song as a B-side to her 1962 single "Remember Me (To Jimmy)".
• The Essential Glen Campbell Volume Three