Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

Throwback to Crystal Gayle’s Signature Piece: “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue”

Throwback to Crystal Gayle's Signature Piece: "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue"
by
  • Riley is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, known for her engaging storytelling and insightful coverage of the genre.
  • Before joining Country Thang Daily, Riley developed her expertise at Billboard and People magazine, focusing on feature stories and music reviews.
  • Riley has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Belmont University, with a minor in Cultural Studies.

In 1977, Crystal Gayle’s “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” became a worldwide hit single. 

Released as the first single from Gayle’s album We Must Believe in Magic, the song topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for four weeks. It was also Gayle’s first – and even biggest – crossover pop hit, reaching No. 1 on the Cashbox Top 100 for two weeks and No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks. In the United Kingdom, “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” was Gayle’s first and only Top Five hit.

A year later, the song featuring Gayle’s sultry voice helped her earn a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. Not only that, the song paved the way for Gayle’s many more hit singles for the next few years as it became the singer’s signature piece throughout her career.

One of Crystal Gayle’s Biggest Hit

Written by Richard Leigh, “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” was actually the sequel to “I’ve Cried the Blue Right Out of My Eyes” – a song written by Crystal Gayle‘s older sister, country superstar Loretta Lynn.

However, Leigh had Welsh singer Shirley Bassey in mind to sing this song until Gayle’s regular producer Allen Reynolds heard it and stepped in.

“We were sittin’ on the floor…singing songs to one another. [Leigh] mentioned a song that his publisher was gonna get to Shirley Bassey…[and] sang it for me: ‘Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,'” Reynolds recalled. “I said, ‘Shirley Bassey my ass, I want that song!'” And when he played the lovely ballad for Gayle, the singer was just as excited as Reynolds. 

So Reynolds insisted on giving the song to Gayle, and Leigh absolutely made the best decision. “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” was recorded live by Gayle in just one take. The song then turned into a country-pop classic and made Gayle a global superstar.

“It was just one of those charmed sessions. Gayle sang the song wonderfully,” Reynolds said. “It came so fast that she wasn’t sure that she had done her best job. I had to let her try to sing it again on two or three different occasions until she was comfortable with the original [vocal take], and that’s what we went with. Everything on that recording was the original take as it went down, except the string section I added later.”

Soon, Gayle – whose beauty and long tresses helped distinguish her from her peers – was performing the song on TV shows worldwide, including the BBC’s long-running Val Doonican Show.

“Don’t know when I’ve been so blue. Don’t know what’s come over you. You’ve found someone new, and don’t it make my brown eyes blue. I’ll be fine when you’re gone. I’ll just cry all night long. Say it isn’t true, and don’t it make my brown eyes blue,” the song goes, featuring a more jazzy feel to it compared to several other country songs of that era.

The Interesting Story Behind The Song

Well, this may sound like a love song to you, but during the Country Music Television interview in 2004, Gayle revealed that Leigh got the song’s inspiration from his dog, who got one brown eye while the other one is blue.

Leigh actually wrote the song while his furry friend, Amanda, was sitting on his feet, looking up at him with her big brown eyes. Unfortunately, a few years later, a trash collector threw rocks at the dog, hitting her in one of her eyes. The poor dog developed cataracts, and one of her brown eyes literally turned blue.

Indeed, the song has an unfortunate postscript. But when it comes to its enduring quality, Gayle said, “It’s a timeless song, and I always say I’m glad I got a hold of it.” 

Tune in and watch Crystal Gayle’s breathtaking performance of “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” in the video below.

Latest Stories

Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton perform together in a bar setting for their duet “A Song to Sing.

Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton’s “A Song to Sing” Duet Feels Like an Instant Classic

Sometimes country music gives you a line so pure it feels like it’s been here forever, and that’s exactly what Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton just pulled off with “A ...

Blake Shelton and Noah Cyrus standing side by side with microphones, performing their new country duet together.

Noah Cyrus Teams Up With Blake Shelton for New Country Duet and Fans Are Loving It

Sometimes country music needs a little shot of something wild, and Noah Cyrus just poured it straight into Blake Shelton’s glass. It’s not every day you see the Voice coach ...

George Strait performing on stage with his guitar and cowboy hat, pictured at a previous event not related to the upcoming Strait From the Heart benefit concert.

George Strait Will Play “Strait to the Heart” Benefit Concert to Raise Money for Flood Victims

Some kings wear crowns, some kings wear boots, and show up when the water’s rising. George Strait, the King of Country himself, is stepping up once again for the people ...

Blake Shelton smiles on stage with guitar and mic during Vegas show, putting his own spin on George Strait’s classic.

Blake Shelton Nails George Strait Classic With His Own Spin on “All My Ex’s Live in Texas”

Sometimes you don’t mess with a George Strait classic, unless you’re Blake Shelton standing under the Vegas lights with a grin that says you’re about to pay tribute and stir ...

Dolly Parton smiles during Khloé podcast interview, sitting by mic and lamp as she shares why she won't stop sharing faith.

Dolly Parton Says People Tell Her To Stop Talking About Her Faith But She Won’t Listen

If there’s one thing you can count on Dolly Parton for, it’s that she’ll say exactly what’s on her heart and not give a single rhinestone what anyone thinks. In ...

Little Mississippi boy in plaid shirt smiles at mic during preschool graduation where he recited New Testament books and sang a George Strait classic.

4-Year-Old Boy Recites New Testament Books Then Belts Out ‘All My Ex’s Live in Texas’

If there’s ever been a preschool graduation that screams “God bless the South,” this is it. Somewhere in Mississippi, a four-year-old kid just made the entire congregation beam with pride ...

Young George Strait smiling on stage playing guitar in 1987 when “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” hit No. 1 and proved he ran country.

On This Day in 1987, George Strait Hit No. 1 with ‘All My Ex’s Live in Texas’ and Proved He Ran Country

Sometimes a song just cements your throne forever, and for George Strait, it was a little tongue-in-cheek love letter that made every Texan proud to claim him as their king. ...

Scotty McCreery with his wife and both grandmothers, who he revealed passed away hours apart in a heartbreaking double loss.

Scotty McCreery Reveals Both His Grandmothers Died Hours Apart in Heartbreaking Double Loss

You just don’t see some country heartbreaks coming, and this one hit Scotty McCreery straight in the soul. This week, the North Carolina native and Opry favorite shared the gut-wrenching ...

Brooks & Dunn performing on stage together, fitting their story about admitting they struggled to get along for years.

Brooks and Dunn Admit They Struggled to Get Along for Years and Tried to Blow It Real Hard

Country music’s greatest duo was basically a bar fight waiting to happen. When Brooks & Dunn stormed out of the gate with “Brand New Man” in 1991, it looked like ...

LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian smiling outdoors, not taken when she spoke about feeling hated after their affair scandal.

LeAnn Rimes Says So Many Women Hated Her After Affair With Eddie Cibrian and She Felt Like a Target

Ain’t every country ballad pretty, and LeAnn Rimes knows her verse is messy as hell. View this post on Instagram A post shared by leann rimes cibrian (@leannrimes) Back in ...