“Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” (Looking Glass)

Your everybody-knows-it-and-loves-it early ’70s pop song of the day is “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” by Looking Glass. This one is a classic that stood out in a year full of terrific pop hits. The song was released in May of 1972 and went all the way to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Billboard ranked it the #12 song of the year for 1972 and it was certified Gold by the RIAAA, selling more than a million copies.

You know the song, I know the song, we all can sing it from memory. That’s because it’s a great tune. The chord progression is relatively simple but fast-moving—the verse goes I – iii – ii – vi – ii -IV – VII – IV, while the chorus is a basic but effective vi – IV – vi – IV – I – V – I. The fast-moving chords (two per measure through most of the song) forces an equally fast-moving melody. The result is a catchy tune that digs into your brain and stays there for several decades

The lyrics tell a story and I’m a sucker for a good story song. Brandy, the song tells us, is a waitress in a tavern in a harbor town who carries a torch for the song’s protagonist. The guy, however, is a sailor who avails himself of Brandy’s charms but is disarmingly honest in telling her that his life, his lover, is the sea. A short story but an engaging one. It pulls you in with its simplicity and honesty.

“Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” was written and sung by Looking Glass vocalist Elliot Lurie. Looking Glass was originally a hard rock band from New Jersey until the success of “Brandy,” which pushed them (reluctantly) into a softer direction. Apparently the band was never entirely pleased with the song’s success or their new direction, and they never really altered their heavier stage act to accommodate what their new listeners were used to hearing from them on the radio.

“Brandy” got a bit of resurgence for the younger generation when it was featured on the groovy soundtrack for the 2017 movie Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Even my grandkids know it and they love it, too. Interesting fact: Because of this song, the name “Brandy” surged in popularity for newborn girls in the years following. Before the song hit, Brandy was the 353rd most popular name in 1971, it rose to 140th in 1972 (the year the song was released), and then to 82nd most popular in 1973. How many 50 year-old women named Brandy do you know?

Looking Glass is mistakenly thought of as a one-hit wonder, but they had another minor hit a year later with “Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne,” which went to #33 on the Hot 100. Vocalist Elliot Lurie left the band in 1974 for a(n unsuccessful) solo career, and the rest of the band broke up a year later. Lurie continued singing and writing for awhile, then in 1985 became head of the music department at 20th Century Fox. He’s worked as a music supervisor for a number of films, including Alien 3, A Night at the Roxbury, and Riding in Cars with Boys. He’s still around and recently reformed Looking Glass, but with all new members. You can bet the crowds go wild when they play “Brandy.” It’s a fine tune, after all.