1. An American pop band active… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists with this name
1. An American pop band active in the 1970's
2. An alternative rock solo musician
3. A hard rock band from Australia
4. An electronica musician
1. Looking Glass was an American pop music group of the early 1970s that was part of the Jersey Shore sound. They are best remembered for their million selling 1972 song, "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)". The group was formed in 1969, at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and consisted of four members: Elliot Lurie (lead guitar and vocals), Lawrence Gonsky (piano), Pieter Sweval (bass), Jeff Grob (drums). They became Starz in 1974.
2. The name used by Jim Wallis of My Sad Captains for his alt-indie solo work.
3. Looking Glass is also an exceptional three-piece hard rock band from Canberra, Australia, who deliver a crushing brand of high-volume noise in the vein of Hawkwind, Cactus and Black Sabbath.
https://lookingglass.bandcamp.com
4. Electronica side project of Gareth Hughes from Bristol band, Maps and Legends. (www.soundcloud.com/looking-glass)
Rainbow Man
Looking Glass Lyrics
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Was dreamin' I sank slow in the west
And like the drifted soul my daddy was, my shoes are wearing thin
Lord, the seeds, they're tangled in the wind
And like a breeze on a summer's day, I'll pass your way
I'll paint your pictures in the sky
But a rainbow man is all I am
Now don't try to tie me down if I'm around a while
May be hard to understand
"It's just my way", you say, "If I'm a fool, go, child"
I'm growing free now, yes, I'm going wild
And like a breeze on a summer's day, I'll pass your way
I'll paint your pictures in the sky
But a rainbow man is all I am
And I'll fade away in the sunshine
Oh yeah
And like a breeze on a summer's day, I'll pass your way
I'll paint your pictures in the sky
Just a rainbow man is all I am
And I'll fade away
And I won't be here tomorrow (I won't be here)
I won't be here tomorrow (I won't be)
Won't be here tomorrow or today
I'm a rainbow man
Yes, I am
I'm a rainbow man
Just a rainbow man
In Looking Glass's song "Rainbow Man," the singer describes himself as a free spirit, a figure who drifts in and out of people's lives like a breeze on a summer's day. He is the firstborn son of a lonely soul and dreams of sinking slowly in the west, mirroring the drifted soul of his father. His shoes are wearing thin, and he suggests that his seeds, or potential, are tangled in the wind. Despite his transient nature, the singer intends to paint pictures in the sky and pass people's way, but he reminds them that he is just a rainbow man. He exists only briefly and will fade away in the sunshine.
The song "Rainbow Man" was written by Elliot Lurie, the lead singer of Looking Glass, and producer Bruce Morrow. Lurie was inspired to write the song after seeing a man painting rainbows on storefront windows in New York City. When the man saw Lurie watching him, he told him that he was a "rainbow man" and that he painted rainbows because they made people feel happy. The song was released in 1973 and reached #60 on the Billboard charts. It was the first single from the band's second album, " Subway Serenade." The album was not successful, and the band had already begun to break up by the time the album was released.
Line by Line Meaning
I was the firstborn son of a lonely soul at best
I am the eldest child born to a solitary parent who struggled with loneliness.
Was dreamin' I sank slow in the west
I used to have a recurring dream where I was slowly sinking into a Western-themed landscape.
And like the drifted soul my daddy was, my shoes are wearing thin
My father was a wanderer, like me, and my shoes are starting to wear out from all the traveling.
Lord, the seeds, they're tangled in the wind
I feel like my path in life is unclear, and I'm just drifting with the wind, unsure of where I'll end up.
And like a breeze on a summer's day, I'll pass your way
I am a free spirit, and I'll come and go like the wind.
I'll paint your pictures in the sky
I will bring rainbows and joy into your life.
But a rainbow man is all I am
I am not tied down to any one place or job, and I'm living life on my own terms.
And I'll fade away in the sunshine
My memory may fade over time, like the colors of a rainbow on a sunny day.
Now don't try to tie me down if I'm around a while
Please don't try to hold me back, even if I'm in your life for a short time.
May be hard to understand
My way of life may not make sense to others, but it works for me.
"It's just my way", you say, "If I'm a fool, go, child"
"This is just who I am," I explain. "If you don't accept me, then I'll move on."
I'm growing free now, yes, I'm going wild
I'm breaking free from expectations and societal norms, and I'm embracing a more carefree and adventurous lifestyle.
And I won't be here tomorrow (I won't be here)
I can't promise that I'll stick around for long.
I won't be here tomorrow (I won't be)
I won't be here tomorrow or the next day.
Won't be here tomorrow or today
I'll be gone soon, and that's just how it is.
I'm a rainbow man
I'm a free spirit who brings bright colors and positivity into the lives of those I meet.
Yes, I am
That's just who I am, and I'm not ashamed of it.
Just a rainbow man
I'm just a free spirit who follows my own path in life.
Writer(s): Peter Sweval
Contributed by Cooper A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.