The ULTIMATE Brandy Chords And Guitar Lesson (Looking Glass)

All aboard sailors!

Here's a fun and groovy tune that's sure to get your audience up on the dance floor.

It may sound simple, but this song is definitely an intermediate-level guitar song. You’ll want to make sure you know how to play effortless bar chords and syncopated rhythms. 

Below I’ll walk you through key insights and strategies to keep in mind as you cruise along in your journey.

So grab your 6-stringer and let’s dive into this “Brandy” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)?

"Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" was written by Elliot Lurie, the lead guitarist and co-lead singer of the American pop rock band Looking Glass. It was released in 1972 on their self-titled album and became a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. 

The song’s lyrics tell of a woman named Brandy who works as a barmaid in a busy harbor town. She waits for a sailor (the love of her life) to return back to her but he never comes. The sailor can’t fully commit because "his life, his love, and his lady" are the sea.  

Lurie said the song’s lyrics were inspired by a real-life woman named Mary Ellis, who lived in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in the 18th century. She fell in love with a sea captain who promised to return to her, but he never did. The grave of Mary Ellis still exists in the area and has become somewhat of a local legend. However, Lurie combined this historical reference with an entirely fictional story of Brandy working in a port town.

The song was recorded at Columbia Studios in New York City. The production is clean and has some great elements like lush harmonies and a solid groove. The song became one of the most iconic tunes of the early 70s. Beyond its chart success, "Brandy" became a pop culture staple. It’s often cited as one of the quintessential examples of 70s soft rock. 

The song was certified gold by the RIAA for sales of over one million copies. At the time of its release, many fans assumed that Looking Glass was a one-hit-wonder band due to the massive success of "Brandy." However, the band did release other songs, although none reached the same level of popularity. Elliot Lurie left Looking Glass shortly after the release of the song to pursue a solo career. 

Now, before we dive into this “Brandy” chords and guitar lesson any further, let’s next answer the question of…

What is the tuning for Brandy?

The guitar tuning for “Brandy” as recorded by Looking Glass is standard tuning. Elliot Lurie kept things simple. Standard tuning is spelled out as EADGBE.  

Here are the strings: 

• E (6th string, lowest pitch)
• A (5th string)
• D (4th string)
• G (3rd string)
• B (2nd string)
• E (1st string, highest pitch)

Now that you know the “Brandy” tuning, let’s now take a look at the…

Brandy Chords

To play “Brandy” on guitar you’ll only need to know 9 main chords C#m, A, E/B, B7, F#m, A/B, E, G#m, and D. These chords can be played as a mix of open position chords and bar chords. Let’s take a look at a few examples of how they could be played on the fretboard.

C#m can be played as a bar chord in 4th position with a root on the 5th string like this:

A is played from the 5th string down like this:

E/B is a slash chord, which means a note other than the root is played in the bass. This can be played in open position from the 5th string down like so:

B7 is a common chord used in the blues and can be played from the 5th string down like this:

F#m is another bar chord. This one can be played in 2nd position using all 6 strings like this:

A/B is another slash chord. It takes the open A chord we learned above but puts the note B in the bass like this:

E is just like the E/B chord above however this time, we’ll strum all 6 strings like this:

G#m is the same as F#m just shifted up to the 4th fret like this:

Finally, D is played from the 4th string down like this:

If you struggled to understand chords on the neck and navigate the fretboard for rhythm and lead then get your hands on my free fretboard guide PDF right here:

All right, now that you know the “Brandy” chords, let’s next answer the question of…

What key is Brandy in?

“Brandy” as recorded by Looking Glass is in the key of E major. The main scale for the song is the E major scale which uses the following notes:

E - F# - G# - A - B - C# - D#

There are 4 sharps in the key of E major. All the chords in the song fit into the diatonic scale of the E major scale except for the D major chord. The D major chord is what I would call a sub-tonic. It’s the chord a whole step below the root note.  

The note D is not in the E major scale (it’s naturally a D#). But this chord comes in during the bridge section of “Brandy” and creates a nice change. It’s a common move used in classic rock and creates a bluesy sound. Let’s take a look at how all these chords relate to the key of E major.

C#m (C# minor)

Function: vi (6th chord of the key)

Notes: C# - E - G#

In the key of E major, C#m is the relative minor chord. It is the vi chord, which typically has a melancholy or more introspective sound. This chord is a minor triad built on the 6th degree of the E major scale.

A (A major)

Function: IV (4th chord of the key)

Notes: A - C# - E

A is the IV chord in the key of E major. It's a major chord built on the 4th scale degree and is often used to provide a sense of movement away from the tonic chord (E major).

E/B (E major over B)

Function: I (1st chord of the key) in second inversion

Notes: B - E - G#

E/B is an E major chord with B in the bass, making it the tonic chord (I) in second inversion. This creates a more open, suspended feel compared to a root-position E major chord.

B7 (B dominant 7th)

Function: V7 (5th chord of the key, dominant)

Notes: B - D# - F# - A

B7 is the dominant 7th chord in the key of E major, built on the 5th scale degree. It has a strong pull back to the tonic (E major), often creating tension that resolves in a cadence. You can hear this in the chorus and intro sections of “Brandy”.

F#m (F# minor)

Function: ii (2nd chord of the key)

Notes: F# - A - C#

F#m is the ii chord. It’s a minor chord built on the 2nd degree of the E major scale. The ii chord is frequently used in chord progressions that move towards the dominant (B7 in this case), adding a more emotional quality to the progression.

A/B (A major over B)

Function: IV (4th chord of the key) with B in the bass, functioning as a sus chord

Notes: B - C# - E - A

A/B, also called an A chord with B in the bass, it’s a suspended sound. It often wants to resolve back to the tonic (E) or the dominant (B7). You can hear this in the chorus and intro sections of “Brandy”.

E (E major)

Function: I (1st chord of the key)

Notes: E - G# - B

E is the tonic, or "home" chord, in the key of E major. It's the chord that all other chords in the key tend to resolve back to, giving a sense of completion or rest.

G#m (G# minor)

Function: iii (3rd chord of the key)

Notes: G# - B - D#

Explanation: G#m is the iii chord in the key of E major. It's a minor chord built on the 3rd scale degree and is less commonly used than other chords like the ii or vi. When it is used, it can provide a nice change and color to the progression.

D (D major)

Function: Outside the key (sub-tonic)

Notes: D - F# - A

D major is not diatonically related to the key of E major, as it contains the note D instead of D#. However, it can be used as a borrowed chord from the parallel minor (E minor) or as part of a modal interchange. This chord creates a surprising or "out of key" moment, often adding tension before resolving back to a diatonic chord in E major.

That’s the theory, but remember all the theory in the world doesn’t mean a thing without a good… 

Brandy Strumming Pattern And Groove

The main underlying groove for “Brandy” is a steady 8th-note feel. For even 8th notes, each beat in a 4/4 time signature is divided into two equal parts, creating a steady and even rhythm. Here's how they can be counted and understood:

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

1, 2, 3, 4: The downbeats (the main beats)

&: The upbeat, halfway between each downbeat

When counting out loud, it sounds like:

"One and, Two and, Three and, Four and"

This is the underlying pulse. However, in the song, the guitar uses a blend of whole notes, quarter notes, eighth notes, and syncopated rhythms. Here’s an example of some rhythms in the style of a “Brandy” strumming pattern: 

Conclusion

All right… 

To wrap it up, “Brandy” is a bopping tune that’s been played at weddings, parties, and events for decades now with great response.

So keep practicing, and if you want to learn songs faster, better understand the fretboard, and not waste years spinning your wheels with guitar, grab my free fretboard guide right here now:  

Jon MacLennan