‘A Stereoscope is a device by which two photographs of the same object taken at slightly different angles are viewed together, creating an impression of depth and solidity.’

The song, which plays out on a choked-up Sunday, draws from a personal letter Lucy received in which the writer uses the image of a stereoscope to bring past and present into a single lucid moment.

The lyrics begin with Lucy looking at the writer looking through the stereoscope. The layers of looking draw her into memory and bring up borrowed and remembered phrases and feelings, including a question from ‘The Lady With The Braid’, a song by the late 60s/70s composer Dory Previn, in which she asks her visitor if they would mind if she leaves the light on.

‘The Lady With The Braid’, which like ‘Stereoscope’, addresses another directly, centres around Previn asking her guest to stay the night. She tries to keep the conversation casual but the subtext pierces through in a brilliant and unsettling way. Previn, who has been a musical influence on Lucy, is a largely confessional writer who manages to use warm and engaging musical and lyrical hooks, in combination with some level of irony and humour, to relay what are often devastating details of a difficult story.

Your support makes stories like this possible!

Underground Press relies entirely on your generosity, enabling us to report on the entertainment industry, free of charge and independently. Your contribution ensures millions worldwide can continue to visit our site for amazing content from around the web.
*Currency in South African Rands (ZAR)