Looking Glass

Looking Glass are remembered most for the soft-rock classic "Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)”, a 1972 U.S. No. 1 single with easygoing horns, soulful vocals and a memorable plot of a barmaid in love with a sailor who won't commit to a relationship. However, the New Jersey band—formed by vocalist-songwriter Elliot Lurie and friends at Rutgers University in the late ‘60s—are much more than a one-hit wonder. The Steely Dan-esque, percussion-heavy single "Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne" was a U.S. Top 40 hit, and their two LPs, a 1972 self-titled debut and ‘73's Subway Serenade, are full of well-crafted songs that evoke Elton John's piano rock and Laurel Canyon country-folk. They also offer a few twists: "Wait" hews toward earnest R&B, while the gospel-inspired "Don't It Make You Feel Good" features background vocals by Tasha Thomas, who later became a Broadway star in The Wiz. Looking Glass’ run effectively ended when Lurie left in 1974, as the members changed the band name to Fallen Angels, then evolved into the heavier-rock group Starz. Still, "Brandy" endures in pop culture: it’s been covered by Red Hot Chili Peppers and Kenny Chesney, and appeared in films like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and BlacKkKlansman. But beyond their signature song, a deeper dive into Looking Glass’ catalogue is guaranteed to delight.