written by Giancarlo Bigazzi, Raffaele Riefoli and Steve Piccolo

produced by Jack White and Robbie Buchanan

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I’m making this page July 3rd, 2021, which would have been the

69th birthday of our American cover queen Laura Ann Branigan.

Happy Would-Be Birthday, LB.

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When I found out it was—would’ve been—Laura’s birthday, the decision of which song of hers to cover took about one and a half seconds. I’ve always enjoyed Miss/Mrs. Branigan’s work, and that amazing, charismatic voice. The fact that she herself wrote very very very little of her own material failed to hinder my enthusiasm for it.

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Laura was born in Brewster, New York, as the fourth of five total siblings. Around the age of 20, she took part in forming folk-rock group Meadow. Later on in the ’70s, she sang backup for Leonard Cohen, got married, and landed a deal with Atlantic Records. A couple quiet singles pre-dating her debut album were released around 1981, but never included on an album until Laura’s first record, Branigan, got a bonus-tracks re-release in 2014. One of those early rarities, “When,” was written by Laura.

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When Branigan the album dropped in early ’82, her name wasn’t immediately on the proverbial map, but it was abruptly three months later, when Atlantic dropped its second single, “Gloria,” an instant mega-Branigan hit. It hit #1 in both Australia and Canada, and was her first major cover single. It was originally a song under the same name but written and recorded in Italian, by Umberto Tozzi.

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1983 brought us Branigan 2 and slapped Laura’s comely kisser front and center on the album cover, as well as that of its lead single, “Solitaire.” But commercially, “Solitaire” took a backseat to its follow-up, the Michael Bolton ballad “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You,” a song that was originally supposed to be recorded by Air Supply. As I noted, I enjoy Laura’s versions of all of these songs... but even still, for me, not one of them holds a candle to her ’84 album’s title track and opening single. “Self Control” was her biggest hit yet—and for audible reason (kinda creepy but gripping video)—and actually yet another cover of a song originally recorded by an Italian singer, Raf Riefoli—but this time in English. Same lyrics, and also very much worth a listen. Both versions so cool, they’re hot. So hot... they’re cool.

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During these few years, Laura was steadily rising as America’s favorite female pop artist, though stiff competition was barreling in, in the names of Cyndi Lauper and Madonna. Though that’s to take away nil from Laura’s further work, including her 1985 effort Hold Me, which I ordered online for her cover of Alphaville’s “Forever Young” alone. I was not disappointed. But I was years before, when I learned that we sadly lost Laura in 2004, to an undiagnosed brain aneurysm. It’s reported that the malady was undiagnosed because despite her constant headaches, Laura ostensibly refused medical treatment.

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RIP Laura, 7/3/52 to 8/26/04. I’m honoring your life with two versions of “Self Control.” The lyrics reflect the extended 5-minute single version. And they were a bugger... but worth it. As always, I did my utmost, even if it’s not flawlessly perfect (and I’m not saying it’s not)...

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Have notes to add? Let me know!

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YT:

full original version

full extended single version

music video

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Laura’s official website