Super Safi’s Monday Morning Musings 27 – Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)

Morning Musically-Minded, Medically-Minded, Masticators!

(Today’s post is sponsored by the letter “M”)

Over the past 600+ episodes, The Simpsons has taken us on an amazing journey involving music, science, and food to name a few concepts.

And what better way to start your week, then by discussing some of these concepts Monday morning?

So let’s get started this week by talking about another Billboard topper from the 1970’s.

In the twenty seventh episode of The Simpsons, Principal Charming (Season 02, Episode 14), Homer wants to go to an all-you-can-eat bar-b-q restaurant with Marge. So they call Patty and Selma to watch the kids. Patty and Selma agree to watch the kids, but after they attend the wedding of a co-worker. During the wedding, Selma realizes she could have been married to this man.

While putting Lisa to sleep, Selma sings a sad melancholic version of the song ‘Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)’. She then asks Marge’s help to get married. Marge enlists Homer, who tries to setup Principal Skinner with Selma. But things go wrong when Principal Skinner falls for Patty.

But have you ever wondered where the song ‘Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)’ comes from?

Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl) 

The American pop rock band Looking Glass recorded and released  “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” on May 18, 1972; as part of their self-named album “Looking Glass” (1972). The song became their breakthrough hit and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was written by Looking Glass lead guitarist and co-vocalist Elliot Lurie. This song, their only million seller, was certified gold by the RIAA on August 9, 1972.

Looking Glass was formed in 1969, at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The original version of the band broke up after college, with original members Elliot Lurie and Larry Gonsky recruiting two new members to form the classic Looking Glass lineup:

• Elliot Lurie (lead guitar and vocals)
  Jeff Grob (drums)
  Larry Gonsky (piano)
  Pieter Sweval (bass)

Looking Glass

The group released 4 singles and stayed together until Lurie left to pursue a solo career in 1974. The group was then renamed Fallen Angels. Gonsky then left Fallen Angels and the group was renamed Starz. Sweval died in 1990, from complications of the AIDS virus. Lurie reformed the group with new members in 2003.

There’s a port on a western bay
And it serves a hundred ships a day
Lonely sailors pass the time away
And talk about their homes
And there’s a girl in this harbor town
And she works layin’ whiskey down
They say, Brandy, fetch another round
She serves them whiskey and wine
The sailors say, “Brandy, you’re a fine girl” (you’re a fine girl)
“What a good wife you would be” (such a fine girl)
“Yeah, your eyes could steal a sailor from the sea”
Brandy wears a braided chain
Made of finest silver from the North of Spain
A locket that bears the name
Of the man that Brandy loved
He came on a summer’s day
Bringin’ gifts from far away
But he made it clear he couldn’t stay
No harbor was his home
The sailors say, “Brandy, you’re a fine girl” (you’re a fine girl)
“What a good wife you would be” (such a fine girl)
“But my life, my lover, my lady is the sea”
Yeah, Brandy used to watch his eyes
When he told his sailor stories
She could feel the ocean fall and rise
She saw its ragin’ glory
But he had always told the truth, Lord, he was an honest man
And Brandy does her best to understand
At night when the bars close down
Brandy walks through a silent town
And loves a man who’s not around
She still can hear him say
She hears him say, “Brandy, you’re a fine girl” (you’re a fine girl)
“What a good wife you would be” (such a fine girl)
“But my life, my lover, my lady is the sea”
It is, yes it is
He said, “Brandy, you’re a fine girl” (you’re a fine girl)
“What a good wife you would be” (such a fine girl)
“But my life, my lover, my lady is the sea”

Now that we’ve learned more about ‘Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)’, be sure to come back next week when we continue our Monday morning musings with the next episode of The Simpsons.

And don’t forget to vote in this weeks Bracket Battle!

Were you familiar with ‘Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)’? What about Looking Glass? What’s your favourite Simpsons musical reference? What about your favourite Simpsons episode with a Patty and Selma story? Have you ever been tasked with setting someone else up on a date? Sound off in the comments below. You know we love hearing from you.