Gary Puckett & The Union Gap (initially credited as The Union Gap featuring… Read Full Bio ↴Gary Puckett & The Union Gap (initially credited as The Union Gap featuring Gary Puckett) was an American pop rock group operating in the late 1960s. Their biggest hits were "Woman, Woman," "Young Girl," and "Lady Willpower." Singer Gary Puckett (born October 17, 1942, Hibbing, Minnesota) grew up in Yakima, Washington - close to the city of Union Gap - and Twin Falls, Idaho. He began playing guitar in his teens, and graduated from Twin Falls High School before attending college in San Diego, California. There, he quit college and played in several local bands before joining the Outcasts, a local hard rock group comprising bassist Kerry Chater (born August 7, 1945, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada),[1] keyboardist Gary 'Mutha' Withem (born August 22, 1946, San Diego), tenor saxophonist Dwight Bement (born December 28, 1945, San Diego), and drummer Paul Wheatbread (born February 8, 1946, San Diego).
In 1966, the band toured the Pacific Northwest without Wheatbread, who was recruited as the house drummer on the television series, Where the Action Is; he later rejoined the line-up. Under manager Dick Badger, the band were renamed The Union Gap in early 1967, and fitted themselves out with Union Army-style Civil War uniforms as a visual gimmick. They then recorded a demo, which was heard by CBS record producer and songwriter Jerry Fuller. Impressed by Puckett's baritone voice and the band's soft rock leanings, Fuller signed them to a recording contract with Columbia Records.
The band recorded their first single, "Woman Woman", a song written by Jim Glaser and Jimmy Payne, in August 1967. It became their first hit, reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and being certified as a gold disc. This was followed during the next two years by "Young Girl" (#2), "Lady Willpower" (#2), "Over You" (#7), and "Don't Give In To Him" (#15). All were produced by Fuller, who also wrote "Young Girl," "Lady Willpower," and "Over You". Although the band never had a #1 record in the United States, "Young Girl" reached #1 on the UK singles chart, and #6 when it was reissued in the UK six years later. Controversial at the time and later for its risqué lyrical references to underage romance, Allmusic labeled the groups lyrics "bizarrely pedophilic". "Young Girl" was the second million selling disc for the band, which it reached less than two months after issue; "Lady Willpower" and "Over You" also won gold discs. The band headlined at a White House reception for Prince Charles and at Disneyland in 1968, and were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1969, losing out to José Feliciano.
The band, however, wanted to write and produce its own material, and Puckett resented singing the power ballads written by Fuller. In 1969 Fuller prepared a 40-piece studio orchestra to record a new song he had written, but Puckett and the group refused to record it, the session was canceled, and Fuller never again worked with the group. The band returned to the charts with "This Girl Is a Woman Now," produced by Dick Glasser, but later releases failed to make the Billboard Top 40. Chater and Withem left the band; Bement took over on bass guitar and keyboardist, Barry McCoy, and horn player, Richard Gabriel, were added. In 1970 Puckett began recording as a solo act, but with limited success; the Union Gap remained his live backing band until they were dismissed following an appearance at the 1971 Orange County Fair. Puckett's recording contract was terminated one year later.

In 2009, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap were inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.

Looking Glass
Gary Puckett & The Union Gap Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Looking glass, time has passed for my lady
And though the years have gone, the years have done no wrong
And your beauty remains the same inside my looking glass

Arise and your eyes, looking down on me
Reflecting the pleasure
All the joy, you and I

Love keeps you near
Love is the mirror

Looking glass, time has passed for my lady
And as the days go by, we're younger, you and I
And your beauty remains the same inside my looking glass

Life in the past verses crooked lies
Remembering the good times
Lazy days, just you and I

Love is clear
Love keeps you near
Love is the mirror

Looking glass, time has passed for my lady
And though the years have gone, the years have done no wrong
And your beauty remains the same inside my looking glass

And your beauty remains the same inside my looking glass
Yes, your beauty remains the same inside my looking glass

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Gary Puckett & The Union Gap's song "Looking Glass" speak of a love that has stood the test of time. The first verse talks about how time has passed, but no wrong has been done. The singer's lady has remained beautiful, and her beauty is reflected back to the singer through his own looking glass. The second verse talks about how love keeps them close, and how it is a mirror that reflects their joy and pleasure. The chorus repeats that time has passed, but the singer's lady is still beautiful, and it remains the same when he looks at her through his looking glass.

This song is a romantic tribute to the power of love to transcend time and keep a relationship strong. It speaks of the nostalgia for good times spent together, and how those memories are kept alive through love. The looking glass mentioned in the song is a metaphor for the way in which the singer sees his lady, as if she is a reflection of himself.

Interestingly, the song was released as a B-side to "Don't Make Promises" in 1968, but it became a hit in its own right and peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was one of the band's most successful singles. The band also received a Grammy nomination for Best Vocal Group Performance for their song "Young Girl" in the same year. The song has been covered several times by different artists, including The Jayhawks, The Charlatans, and The Flaming Lips.

Line by Line Meaning

Looking glass, time has passed for my lady
The singer is acknowledging the passage of time and its effect on his beloved.

And though the years have gone, the years have done no wrong
The passing of time has not eroded the beauty of the singer's lover.

And your beauty remains the same inside my looking glass
Despite the effects of time, the singer's inner perception of his lover's beauty has remained unchanged.

Arise and your eyes, looking down on me
The artist is addressing his lover directly, asking her to look at him.

Reflecting the pleasure
The artist sees reflected in his lover's eyes the satisfaction and joy that their love brings them both.

All the joy, you and I
The singer recognizes that their shared love has brought them both immense happiness.

Love keeps you near
The singer values the role that love plays in keeping them physically and emotionally close.

Love is the mirror
Love reflects back to both the artist and his lover a positive image of themselves and each other.

And as the days go by, we're younger, you and I
The artist sees his love as a fountain of youth, rejuvenating them both as time goes on.

Life in the past verses crooked lies
The artist contrasts the honesty and positivity of their past experiences with the negativity and deceit of others.

Remembering the good times
The singer cherishes the memories of their happy moments past.

Lazy days, just you and I
The artist fondly recalls the simple pleasures of spending time with his lover.

Love is clear
The singer sees their love as transparent and pure, free from any doubts or complications.

And though the years have gone, the years have done no wrong
The singer reiterates that his lover's beauty has defied the passage of time.

And your beauty remains the same inside my looking glass
The singer confirms that his perception of his lover's beauty has remained constant, as if viewed in a looking glass.

Yes, your beauty remains the same inside my looking glass
The artist reaffirms his love and admiration for his timeless beauty of his beloved.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GARY WINSTON WITHEM, KERRY CHATER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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