I’m sorry. I didn’t read the whole thread. It got real long, real fast! Anyway. I always thought the song took place in the same place all of the historical romances I was reading at the time took place. Some non-specific, ye olden Europe.
Unless it was written by Kathleen Woodiwiss. She was very specific about where in time and place her romances took place. Still, Brandy could have been in anyone one of those too.
Because she didn’t want a hero, she wanted a husband. Billy thought being a hero was more important. She thought their future was more important. His decision won out.
In her mind, why should she continue to mourn a man who abandoned her? Best not to think “what might have been”, and just move on. I think the song takes Billy’s side, though, and by extension, expects us the listeners to agree.
I don’t like B,DBAH anywhere near as much as Brandy. It tries too hard. Like One Tin Soldier.
I never thought I’d spend so much time thinking about this stupid song. A song that doesn’t make sense. There’s no way these two couldn’t make a life together? He’s always just yo-ho-ho-ing out on the open seas? No home port? Doubtful. And what, he’s a celibate now? I think everyone knows that he has a Brandy in multiple ports around the globe. So is Brandy just a sap? Has she really thrown in the towel on romance because she can’t have sailor boy?
I think Brandy made the whole thing up just to keep all the horny sailors off her case, and she got the locket at Walmart.
Ah, but there were no Walmarts in the 1800s. You have to think these things through.
I always thought he died at sea.
I assumed he was living a normal sailor life and getting down with willing women who saw it as a no-strings thing. He just didn’t want to mess with some young starry-eyed woman in love with him and “use” her like that.
That makes perfect sense, but then Brandy’s a dope.
I’m surprised this hasn’t been a movie, come to think of it. Hollywood would butcher it completely. At the end, sailor boy would return to Brandy with news that he’s accepted the local harbormaster position. Then he would show her around the cute little Cape Cod he just put a deposit on. Overlooking the Western Bay, of course. I’m picturing Rachel McAdams circa 2005.
See, this is why the song feels late-20th century to me. Brandy and the sailor are in a relationship, but its casual. He sails into town every six months or so, they hook up for the weekend, then he ships back out. It’s not meant to be serious or long-term, or even exclusive. But she catches feelings for him, and wants him to settle down with her. He’s not willing to give up his life as a sailor, though, and refuses. The relationship ends shortly after - maybe because he dies, maybe they break up when they realize they want different things out of the relationship. She never entirely gets over him, though, and never marries - or at least, still hasn’t by the time the song’s narrator shows up.
That sort of thing makes much more sense in a post-sexual revolution setting, then it does in a 17th/18th century setting, where pre-marital sex was a much bigger deal.
Because you’re viewing it from a post-sexual revolution perspective. Sex is never implied in the song. We just assume that it happened.
[coughs politely]
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol II
[/coughs politely]
Yes, well, welcome to this entire thread, where we talk about stuff that’s never explicitly stated in the song.
Was it though? Within certain groups maybe but my understanding is not as universally so as you imply.
Thanks. It’s good to be here in the thread that I started.
And… I emailed the songwriter, Elliot Lurie, for his input:
"Some friends were discussing “Brandy” and we were surprised at our varying assumptions about the implied time period. Some were sure it was meant to be contemporary to the writing (late 1960s), some thought it was set during the era of sails.
Often writers are loath to limit the interpretations of their creations, but if there is a actual answer about your personal vision, I’d love to know it.
Thank you for your time."
His response:
"I’m flattered that you were discussing my song with friends. Your question is a good one that I’ve not often been asked. I was writing about an earlier time. ‘The era of sails’ describes it well.
Best wishes,
EL"
What the hell does the writer know about it?
There’s also an official music video, which puts it in the same era.
I still think it works better as a mid-century story.
Despite the fact that it concurs with my image, once an artist releases their work into the wild they have no control over it. We listeners/viewers/readers complete the work. The artists intent no longer matters!
I’m just glad that he was willing to provide a reply. It always seems so pretentious when artists don’t want to talk about their inspiration.
Given the fact that it concurs with my image, the artist is 100% right, neener neener.
I want to know who animated that video and made the locket GOLD 
The world is full of women* who are dopes about relationships. It’s been true for as long as there have been men, women and relationships. Brandy is almost normal. Maybe in a few years after the song, she changed her mind. When she hit 50 maybe she was all “I can’t believe I spend so much time waiting for Sterling** to come back! Whatta chump I was!”
* Men, too, of course, but there are fewer men who pine away for unobtainable women. Far more women marry serial killers serving life sentences than men.
** I always thought the sailor’s name was Lonnie. “He had always told the truth/Lonnie was a honest man.” No lyrics websites back then.