Which 1972 song by Looking Glass became a US one-hit wonder with the lyric about a sailor returning to Brandy?

Looking Glass’s 1972 song “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” became a US one-hit wonder with its story of a sailor who chooses the sea over Brandy.

The song was written by Looking Glass guitarist Elliot Lurie. Its narrator describes Brandy as a bartender in a harbor town who loves a sailor, but the sailor explains that the sea is his true commitment.

The single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1972 and remained there for one week. It also reached the top five on the adult contemporary chart.

A common mix-up is its occasional identification as “Brandy,” without the parenthetical subtitle. The song is also sometimes linked to a real historical woman named Mary Ellis, but Lurie said the character and story were fictional. Looking Glass did not achieve another comparable US hit.