Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)

[BlizzardofAsif]

you play incredibly well! I love your take on this classic and I hope one day I can play as well as you one day

[sidethehead]

thanks, @BlizzardofAsif. well, the more you practice, the better you get. keep on pickin'.

[randymemphis]

Thanks, Had a request for this song. This really helped

[LadderWithFacet]

You rock!

[donrox1]

very nicely done

[MHFROX]

I've tried...really tried...to play this, and other songs, with this level of complexity. After seeing this, it finally dawned on me....the ol' 335 just doesn't seem to have quiiiite that many notes on it. lol Great pickin'! Smmooooth.

[sidethehead]

haaa....you've discovered my secret! you can't play this stuff on a 335, or any other guitar. the gretsch has secret frets that give you notes not found on normal guitars. i found it at the crossroads at midnight.... ;-)

thanks for the kind words, and a chuckle.

joe

[MHFROX]

@sidethehead The pleasure's all mine. :)

[MikeyFitz4769]

i watch this video at least once a week to humble myself on my guitar skills. ur the man

[slhanner10]

Great stuff man... I'm trying to learn how to play this the way you play it, it's hard to see what you're playing because of the light in the video... what are the chords you're playing for the meat of the song... if you could help that would be great, I love your version

[sidethehead]

hi, @slhanner10

if you send me your email address through my website, i can send you a chart for the basic chords. thanks for the comment......

[liquidcourage3]

Nice Job.



[massampage]

fantastic effort. love it.

[VerticalPraise4ONE]

By far.. the best guitar version on the tube... dude you can rock it out.. I love the runs up the neck... This did not come from playing one saturday a month.. lol.. keep it up...

[sidethehead]

@VerticalPraise4ONE . well, i play at least two saturdays a month, if i'm not working....

but thanks, v.p. for your generous comments. actually, i tell my students that if i got paid for practicing, i'd never have to teach guitar again!

[nshiell]

This is nice to listen too

[ziproid1]

simply incredible!!

I am truly blown away!

[mudhens4ever]

Terrific performance....technically top notch and full of feeling, too. It's so much fun to watch a true expert on guitar!

[mpdp85]

just threw my '67 stratocaster out the window after watching this

[sidethehead]

nooooooooo! i'll take it! i'll take it!

[FordGilford]

Amazing Guitar play. Just awesome

[lorig1960]

Thank you!!

[jceasar11]

That was sick! If I can play like this one day I think I'll be satisfied as a guitarist....who knows.

[sidethehead]

thanks ceasar. but you probably wouldn't be. you'd be like the rest of us; self critical and wondering why you're not better after all the practicing! ;-)

[metzajohn]

@jceasar11 Great arrangement. Are you in a standard tuning?

[sidethehead]

yup, no special tuning.

[SONiCR4G3]

This is boss! you're great

[SONiCR4G3]

this is boss! you're great

[wheeliecool4]

Great Job man!!!! Seriously!!!

[stratbnder]

sssswwwweeeeeeet

[pbl1]

awesome!

[SeamusCorrigan777]

Really really nice, thanks for posting that up.

[BlikeNave]

Beautiful. You can shred too, but you play with a very controlled/contained and accurate style. Great job.

[davidGG12]

you gotta tab this and share it with the world!!!

[davidGG12]

omg... that just blew me away

[BOULDERDP]

Beautiful. Why is it that some guys have talent like this I can barely tune the guitar?

[kissfanjohn]

killer!

[pimpyourhideontube]

Just think, it was an oversight from a radio station playing the "b" side!

[sidethehead]

now that i didn't know.

what was the A side....?

[pimpyourhideontube]

@sidethehead I have been searching thrift stores to locate! The a-side is entitled One by One. Believed that most radio stations did not want to play ANY song longer than four minutes. One by One is six minutes and one second. Later to discover how "Brandy" was doing so well, which for one week it WAS #1 ('72 I believe) Brandy was produced A-side and One by One was then B-side. Cool huh :)

[pimpyourhideontube]

@sidethehead [continuation]..........You did this song a credit! Very nice....I sometimes cry when I hear this because I met a girl, Brandy (yeah 11) and I was 13 and she died of lymphoblastic leukemia. Puppy love is so innocent and simple...I never forgot you Brandy-Happy Easter love.

[sidethehead]

wow, that was a lot to deal with at that age. pretty bittersweet memory. it's amazing the memories music can bring back. powerful stuff. btw....i can't believe this song was only number one for a week! then again, that was an era of some incredible stuff.

[janiecarrasco]

so nice.  a favorite of mine as well. thanks for sharing.

[leejacque1962]

nice ty wonderful and creative

[davidabeat91]

all time favorite, there's no doubt, man

[davidabeat91]

hey man you're a guitar solo's monster!!

awesome version...

how did you learn to play it like that?

it was pretty wonderful

[sidethehead]

thanks david

no secrets, just some good teachers and a lot of practice....

[lufkin456]

Very nice, great playing

[MikeyFitz4769]

good stuff, good song too. guitars impressive

[DannyJustiniano]

dat was great! I wish I could play this!

[bultaco111]

This is the most magical playing I have heard. I started crying at how good you have arranged and played this version. I'm still crying now as I type this. Why arent' you known outside your room?

What is your name?

[sidethehead]

hi bultaco.

my name and websites are all in the info box. i'm not a household name, but not totally obscure either. lots of local stuff and some books and cds on amazon, itunes, cdbaby, etc. just another local player trying to pay bills.

glad you liked the tune. i'll try to post more when i get the time.

[magixas]

I feel happy watching You playing and enjoying the music. It looks and sounds so simple... Should be nice to play guitar as well as you do. I know you practiced a lot but think it worth. Great musician great arrangement of the song and great guitar :) is there any possibility to put it on tabs or or note sheet ? Sorry for pour english.

[mossymando]

The Jazzifying effect sneaks up on you... Sure know your instrument there.

[leadcat]

Cool! I love this song as well. UplayIsing?

[cujo9]

great , a bit of genius guitar playing here, bringing to life a great classic from another era now.

[sidethehead]

thanks cujo, that made my morning. i wish there was still stuff like this being put out on a.m. radio.

[cujo9]

a pleasure mate

[kubbyr]

You are a great, guitar player.

[viaDORKtop]

^___^ i love hearing new spins on the song i was named after. great job.

[master777999]

that was great!

[Schultz98]

jesus man your extremely talented!

[cartelle]

Incredible... I love this rythmyn

[pdg1001]

Good job mate. I love this tune

[LUGTrekGM]

Ace job. This song inspired me to join the Navy in 1984. Ambitious cover. Best of luck.

[sidethehead]

thanks ltg. hope you found your own 'brandy'. (or two...). best to you too....

jl

[dryice129]

is that a grestch?

[dudehurulez]

Yes, I believe so.

[Pete5506]

Wow that was so good and nice guitar

[MikeyFitz4769]

well sidethehead, you have successfully blew my fragile lil mind

[elliottperlmutter]

prolly one of the sikkest vids on youtube!

[TaUkana]

wow that was really something

[Proflutzn]

very nicely done, i love this song, you played it flawlessly! You don't happen to know how to play Right Down The Line by Gerry Rafferty. I have looked everywere for tabs, and have had no luck. Please do try and start the lesson videos, cause you have some serious skill, no joke.

[sidethehead]

thanks, pro. I don't play that song, but I always liked gerry rafferty, both stealer's wheel and his solo stuff. the golden era of pop. always thought he'd make a great double bill with al stewart.

the lesson stuff is on the burner. just started a christmas cd, but maybe somewhere in there.......

[likezika]

I like this very much, nice playing man

[GuitarAddict420]

guy!!! we need to get you on an acoustic with your fingerstyle rockage like that!!! shit man. nice job

[sidethehead]

thanks, GA. I used to play a lot of acoustic, and my first cd, "Ghost Memories", is all acoustic, but some tendinitis problems made me phase it out. I have a beater at home, strung with 9s! not exactly a tone monster........

[Fawnnee]

NICE thank you!

[johnfru16]

wow that was really fantastic

[zupamp]

favorites dir <3

[jvmalum]

Nice Gretsch , and whats that amp back there, looks like an old Gibson or a silver tone.

[sidethehead]

good call. it's a 1954 gibson falcon.....

[LiamSlinn2009]

Is it genuine?

How much did it cost you ??

[sidethehead]

yes, it's not a reissue. i paid about $200 for it 15 years ago, found it sitting in the back of a store collecting dust. retubed it, replaced the caps, and it was good to go. howard roberts based his benson amps on the falcon.

[LiamSlinn2009]

Nicee (:

How long have you been playing now?

Im 14 and started playing around 2 years ago and havent taken any lessons but i can play quite alot of things

[sidethehead]

weeellllll.....let's just say over 40 years....ouch! okay, i started at around 6 and watched the beatles on ed sullivan!

keep playing, you'll love it more every year. my advice is get some lessons if you can, so you don't practice any bad habits. get some tips on technique. i'm planning some intstructional vids in the future, so stay tuned.

[thechetatkins]

All the best to you,

that tune must have meant something more than special to you , to have worked that hard to make your version.

[sidethehead]

thanks, chet. they're all special to me by now.

[funkyphantom1]

i'd just like to say this is a beautiful cover of this song,

if your taking requests i'd like to see under the bridge-red hot chili peppers

that would be amazing and it's also a sad song covered by a happy arrangement

:)

[sidethehead]

thanks, phantom. i don't play that one at the moment, but i like it. you never know.........

[refugee1234567890]

Super fantastic

[jforde40]

dude-

that was f'n' amazing! where are you located, I'd love a lesson form you. Anyone who can hendrix out brandy- damn.....

[sidethehead]

thanks jf. i'm in the s.f. bay area.

[Bendre100]

Brilliant arrangement, do you have a lead sheet or know anywhere it is possible to find one?

[sidethehead]

thanks bendre

sorry, i just learned it off the recording. i'd imagine it'd be a fairly easy chart to find........

[bassweakness]

m8 ur playing it very nice.. its beautiful..

[harrylook]

Damn! Really good. Wish I could play that. I'm in love with a Brandi, and she wants me to learn that song even though it's really sad....

[sidethehead]

thanks harry. maybe you could photoshop your head in there.....hey honey, look! funny, it is actually a sad song, obscured by the pop beat and arrangement. poor brandy. maybe one day he stayed for good.

[Rlysaght]

This is one of the greatest things I've heard in a long time. This rendition makes the song about 1,000 times more beautiful than it already is. You wouldn't have tablature to this by any chance, would you?

[sidethehead]

thanks much rlysagt. that made my day, and it's a song i never get tired of hearing or playing. as for tabs, i don't work these things out in any organized forms. they're pretty much improvised based on different ways i've worked them out. one day i might write up a bunch for students, but that may be a while...........

[Proflutzn]

great job! you make it sound as though there are 3 people playing!

[sidethehead]

I like that. Multiple personality guitar playing!

[BrandyPA777]

This is the best guitar cover of this song Ive heard so far.

[dhptube]

Really good! Such a great song and a

great rendition. Really nice voicings.

[sidethehead]

Voicings...........? You must be a gittar player...Thanks dhp.

[experiencethepat]

Hats off to you man, you are amazing. As a guitar player that kind of finger picking just blows my mind.

[sidethehead]

Thanks for your kind comments, etp. glad you've enjoyed some vids. hope to get a few more up after i finish some recording here.

[brandyann118]

Absolutely beautiful version of this song. Makes me proud to be called Brandy. =)

[sidethehead]

Thanks brandy. and great name. All i ever got, since i'm like 7, is 'hey joe, where you goin' with that gun in your hand'? aaackk!

[l33tsoss]

Wonderful. :)

[CamiLovesKiedis]

simply beautiful :) good job!

[tombeaudreau]

Ooooooooooooooooooooo!

[branderson88]

to sidethehead

One of my all time favorite who I think is underated is Mark Knobfler from Dire Straits

Cheers!!! DEA

[watchagonnadu]

What a nice surprise to stumble on your video. Very well executed.  Really enjoyed your variations. Keep up the good work!

[sidethehead]

thanks w....

glad you enjoyed it, and hope 'brandy' brought back some nice memories. i still belt out the harmonies when i hear it alone in my car.....doo doo doo, doo doo doo, doo doo doo!

[Truitt5050]

How fabulous you are!! Can't sleep and decided to look up some old tunes...listening to a few of my favs and ran across you and your perfect composition of Brandy. I too have loved this song from a very young age. Thank you for sharing your talent and your love for music. I look forward to hearing more from you! Best wishes in your future endeavors!! Lisa

[john7tan]

I've always loved Brandy but just discovered all these covers on tube. Loved your jazzy take on it

[YouCanDoBetterThanMe]

AWESOME. I was named after this song and I've always loved it, obviously...But..you did a great job!

[sidethehead]

Excellent..........Brandy!. I had no idea this song would prove so popular, and it's been a pleasant surprise. If I knew, I would have gone for a better take!

[ahyolmu]

sweet mother of jesus, well done

[branderson88]

Great job on a true classic Good luck in the music biz Who's your favorite guitar player? DEA

[sidethehead]

Thanks. Too many to list. But a short list would be, Hendrix, Page, Keith R, Harrison, Pass, Breau, Diorio, Howard Roberts, Chet,Travis.......lots more. Anyone good who I can steal a cool lick from.

[branderson88]

Satriani or beck? I realize there is no correct answer.

Cheers!! DEA

[sidethehead]

Love 'em both, but Beck was redefining guitar when me and Satch were still learning our scales. I also dug Leslie West, Wes, Carlton, Howe, etc. Onandonandonandon.......

[veeshead]

Don't know why I like this tune so much.Your version made me smile.Dan

[sidethehead]

Because it's a great tune! Everybody loves Brandy, pining for her sailor and walking home alone when the bars close down....

thanks

joe

[sidethehead]

Hi nms. Not much to tell. It's a Gretsch 6120N, stock, about 5 yrs old, out of production. It has a center block like a 335 to cut feedback, and just sounded and looked great. Traded in a Heritage plus some cash at Guitar Center.

[pheenog44]

that was just awsome.

it just blew me away

[pheenog44]

i love this song so much

[TrailerGott]

smootholiscious !!!

[jcane28eatsfatpuss]

Are you in standard tuning ?

[sidethehead]

yes jc, all my vids (so far) are in standard tuning.

[shredman41]

i really like this alot

this is one of my favortite songs and im glad you didnt fuck it up but made it really cool :)

i like yous style too

keep it up!!

[ibara6]

great! I like your guitar your guitar, is so pretty, I love this styles of guitar!

[aant612]

That is really great

If you have a tab for this then that would really make my day

but fantastic anyway

thanks a lot

[sidethehead]

Thanks much, aant. Sorry, but I don't have any tabs. I do these on the fly and never the same twice. Maybe one day......

[aant612]

oh well

well thanks anyway

:)

[Musikologist]

Joe, Loved your last CD. Sounds like you're ready to release another one. Let me know when it's out. Stay well. Musikologist

[winged00hog]

You are amazing! If a producer sees you, better pack to go tour!

[sidethehead]

Thanks wh. As long as I don't have to buy all the tickets first, then sell them to my friends!

[buddyhoot]

Very impressive! I'm not very graceful in the lead debt. but watching and hearing people like you gets me just looking at my guitar(s) in a whole different light! It's like turning on a little lamp in a dark room.. You become aware of the surroundings and it begins to make sense!

[sidethehead]

great compliment, buddy. i remember as a kid taking my first lesson from the great 7 string player, howie morgen. i waited outside while i heard a great duet being played. then he came out and brought me in, and....it was just him. just about crashed my little hard drive! and the beat goes on....

thanks

[yankeetrash]

Wow... one of my favorite songs of all time.  Looking Glass' "Brandy" Amazing how you played even the tone of the lyrics. brilliant.! Your solos are rad.

-yankee trash-

[sidethehead]

Thanks yt. Everybody loves this song. It's really a pop masterpiece. Thanks for tuning in

joe

[BarefootBass]

WOW! first of all, this is a fantastic song. secondly, i love the style and talent you add to it. and third of all, you're right about living through music's greatest eras. and i'm only 15!

[sidethehead]

That's great, BFB. I don't feel so much like some old dude saying 'things were better in the old days!". But so many people your age love the classic rock that it's obvious how great it was.

Thanks for the support and subscribing

Joe

[flyngsnow]

brilliant! this song rocks!

[gypsylor]

dude, ya brought a smile to this ol'broads face . . . something about a guy, a guitar and a favorite song, thanks!

[sidethehead]

thanks gypsy

i think this song brings back a memory for everyone. i'm 48 and believe i lived through the best times ever for music.....

[RealBigR]

I'm not a musician, but that was pretty impressive.

[SurferJoe1]

Five stars for you, buddy!!!

[MusicDude86]

Awesome instrumental version!!! Record an album full of your favorite songs!!! Hey, I'd buy it!!! From one guitar player to another, brilliant job!!!

[sidethehead]

Thanks, musicdude. I finished a solo cd, but have to raise the cash for the Harry Fox fees. Check your inbox.

joe

[fnlost]

love it !!!!!!!

beautiful guitar !!!!!!!!

[sidethehead]

thanks much, fnlost. (the guitar's been a big hit!)

[wayzatabball33]

great job

[texasflood89]

which model is that...i saw that you said it was discontinued which is a shame because it looks very cool.

[sidethehead]

It's called the 6120N. I agree, it's one of my favorite Gretsches ever.

[goodsonbasinger]

awesome stuff dude , you rock. I'm gonna steal some of your riffs. nice vibe nice style nice sound.nice guitar too. if i was better and had that guitar, i'd be you.

[sidethehead]

LOL. Thanks, g.o.b. I felt the same way about that guitar. Saw it on the rack at G.C. and just went....whoa! A bass player friend who worked there made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Can't believe Gretsch discontinued it. As for getting better, I wish I got paid for practicing. I"d be retired and living in Maui.

Thanks again

JL

[BoeckmannLudwig]

Great song - fine picking!

Martin

[sportsmaniac8]

Your playing is so good I listen to you play this song a couple times a day.

[sidethehead]

Thanks s/m, and to all you posters for the great feedback. It's motivated me to post some more vids. It's really cool to be able to share my playing without leaving the house! Youtube rocks!

[willbm3]

FANTASTIC

[wayzatabball33]

awesome

[l2pq4]

Oh my god, you're awsome. I listen to you a few times a day. I really like you. 5/5

[tallandme13]

flawless, but if you could sing that would be awsome... oh and get in a band because you are really good

[sidethehead]

If I sang it I'd be run off the site! I've played in lots of bands, and still play out, but the solo thing is easy to do at home. Thanks for the comments.

[tallandme13]

haha no problem, ehhhh not every one can sing... i cant, if you have any you should post videos of concerts. 5/5

[sidethehead]

Thanks, T&M, yeah, I keep thinking I need to go thru all of my gig tapes and try and find some good live takes. I play with some great players, and just need to set aside a few hours to sort it all out.

[tallandme13]

looking forward to it!

[sportsmaniac8]

geat playing. I agree I love this song to

[nadavgal]

good job!

[ledman70]

That was the sweetest thing I've ever heard on Youtube...LOVE your interpretation of a great 70's song!

Jeff

[sidethehead]

Wow Jeff, I'll just say 'thanks' and get out of the way.......