"Self Control" by Laura Branigan

You got reggaeton in my salsa

Dan Selzer dropped "Self Control" when he spun at the Repellent party at Rothko in December. I immediately went over to give him the love that he deserved for playing it, and he pointed out that it's pretty much a straight Italo track (on the slow side, no doubt). It's all about that bobbing bass line and the melodrama, see.

Laura Branigan - Branigan (1982)

Obv. enough to me and everyone else that Laura Branigan was a sweet starry-eyed kid from the Hudson Valley, but the early '80s being what they were (i.e. that popcult upheaval sparking wild and unruly transitions-syncretisms between hard rock and momndad ballad schmaltz and the burgeoning Supermotivated Eighties Asshole sound and whatever savvy Italian producers could salvage of disco), her handlers still dressed her up for the photo shoot in rokkchikk tartwear: black leather pants, firetruck-red buttoned-down blouse, tousled unwashed hair. Same thing happened to Sheena Easton somewhere between "Morning Train" and "Sugar Walls." Same thing happened to a rash of girl singers in mid-late 2002, in the wake of the trash-rock revival, the critical mass of mash-ups' popularity (hip-hop and dance choons legitimized by RAWK -- rock is the imperialist USA to nonrock's "needy" third world), the impact of VH1 Classic's retrofitted "Rock Fest" on the lives of digital-cable subscribers.

Which proves that this stuff happens in 20-year cycles.

But thank goodness for industry pressures; otherwise the pop world would remain as myopic and boring as the uninformed constantly accuse it of being. Branigan sounds like it looks, and it looks like its release date, so even if Branigan herself wasn't actually the kind of pseudo-Italo-country-Meatloaf-Benatar she was modeled to be (and why would she be, come to think of it?) (oh and in addition to the above reference points, on the glam-boogie "Down Like a Rock" her voice has an odd '70s-Yoko echo treatment), at least the pitchmen weren't bullshitting us about what we could expect. If the front cover didn't tell you enough (white-on-red raised italic lettering, Ms. B posing rockstarishly with legs semi-splayed, against a smoky grey background), flip it 'round to the back liner notes for reassurance:

"Braniganwas produced in Los Angeles by Jack White with the help of Greg Mathieson. They employed top musicians, including Toto guitarist Steve Lukather, bassists Lee Sklar and Bob Glaub and synthesist Michael Boddicker. The leadoff single, "Gloria," is an Italian pop song with new English lyrics by the albums musical contractor, Trevor Veitch. The successful follow-up single, "All Night With Me," established a ballad style which has served Laura Branigan well."

Todays it the day when I will set Chuck's facial hair on fire. My lunch break starts in about an hour, Chuck, so you've got a head start.

Another thing not often recalled is that the video for the song was banned from MTV because of a "suggestive orgy scene."

It makes Rick Springfield's video for "Human Touch" look like Stanley Kubrick.

they're about equal.

If memory serves she was a "Page 3" girl.

"NO MORE FUN AND GAMES OF THE MOIND!"

Eyes Wide Shut was such a disappointing film.

Samantha Fox!? Ha ha. Puhleez.

I've been having these random thoughts about Pat Benatar lately, though. Have no idea why. Man I used to really love the Precious Time album. Haven't heard that in eons. Her husband was such a fabulous guitarist. Can't remember his name just now. Whoops sorry, this is a Branigan thread. Continue...

All this talk and no video?

Pre-YouTube days.

Original Italo version.

Kind of middling until the bass solo four minutes in.

I only knew the two singles from childhood (was totally into them). Now I have both records and need to play them...

Whats the story with the two versions coming out practically at the same time?

The Raf one was released in 1984 and was only an underground hit. Then Laura Branigan came along and recorded an inferior cover version. Which became a worldwide hit because she was American and not Italian.

i'd forgotten just how freaky the video for this song was -- mid 80s AIDS paranoia in full bloom?!?

Then Laura Branigan came along and recorded an inferior cover version...

Look, I'm as big a champion of Italo Disco as anyone, but sometimes the more popular version of a song is the better one.

The Raf one was released in 1984 and was only an underground hit.

Hardly "underground", Geir: the Raf version entered the German singles charts at the same time as the Laura Branigan version, and sat at #2 while Laura was at #1. ("Self Control" was the biggest selling single in Germany that year, incidentally.) The Raf version did well in Italy, as well.

Whereas the Branigan version ("Good single that" - D Winton) was all we got.

Although Jonathan King had a UK hit with "Gloria" three years before LB.

Look, I'm as big a champion of Italo Disco as anyone, but sometimes the more popular version of a song is the better one.

In 99 out of 100 cases, the original is always better than any cover version.
Braningan's version sounded less European, more American, and it would have been better if the world hit was the Raf version instead.

Hardly "underground", Geir: the Raf version entered the German singles charts at the same time as the Laura Branigan version, and sat at #2 while Laura was at #1. ("Self Control" was the biggest selling single in Germany that year, incidentally.) The Raf version did well in Italy, as well.

Italo Disco was quite huge in those two markets, but struggled to crack the UK and US market in particular.

"I!"

I loved this song as a kid but since this thread earlier this year, I started Djing this song in Portland constantly and it always gets a great reaction. There are some pretty young metal kids here in town that now have this as their profile song on Myspace. Branigan lives!

GOOD GOD, this song is immortal. It has taken up residence in my skull permanently, it would seem.

Love this song.

rules

Classic

yes.

"Gloria" also rules btw.

Love both versions, but the Branigan wins for her better vocals and the 808/synth swell intro — and having the "ohohoh"s enter in the middle of the song makes it seem more epic

in the day
nothing matters
it's the night... time that matters

Inspired by this thread, I wanted to hear this song, so I went to Youtube and watched the video, which I'd never seen, and damn it's as unclassifiably eerie and sexy as the song.

Yeah-- impossible not to play Townshend-windmill-air-guitar when the WHOA OH OH (BWANNNGGGG) WHOA OH OH (BWANNNGGGG) part comes in.

Song never fails to make me feel completely insane in a good way.

I like the line that goes "I!"

I am going to have this song in my head all gd day now.

AHHHHHHHHHH.

I like the line that goes "I!"

yes!

"I!"

― Ned Raggett, Saturday, November 8, 2008 7:13 PM (2 years ago) Bookmark

Quite so.

ha

There is an episode of Miami Vice (1st season?) where a band at a party does a cover of this (along with "some guys have all the luck")

I love this song. I'm quite gratified to see that I'm not on my own.

"I!"

― Ned Raggett, Saturday, November 8, 2008 7:13 PM (2 years ago) Bookmark

― leave me alone, i was only zinging (rip van wanko), Tuesday, August 9, 2011 2:59 PM (4 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

^^^

Killing me.

Assholes otm btw - this video is kinda wild.

Oh damn I think I just got to the part where they introduce the creatures of the night! O_O

ok I must hear this:

The song has become one of the defining pop songs of the 1980s, with a number of remakes recorded each year. Notable covers include Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin in 1993,

Huh, I can actually see that working out ok.

Some bright horn blasts wouldn't hurt

Well, that's what Ricky Martin finally realized last year.

you're making me forget to play my role

I think about that line
all the time

like, it's sexy...BUT SHOULD IT BE???

I HAVEN'T GOT THE WILL TO STAND AND

fight

I want to do this at karaoke but I know it would be a DISASTER

I want to do a karaoke reenactment of the video

suggested Italian orgy karaoke night

This is one of these songs that I heard maybe once or twice as a little kid and then walked around with it stuck in my head for years after. I only learnt who it was by a couple of years ago, but what a cracker!

just listened to the raf version... wtf there's some eurobros rappin' on this thing!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9cYcRotufU

go to :30

Clipse reinterpreted the song in their 'Counseling':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfo-nz05dM4

Wow, that hockey thing!

SC rules as I see I stated during the last revive.

What was it with LB covering Ialian pop songs? A couple weeks ago I couldn't stop listening to the original Gloria:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szWSLwkYa6k&feature=fvsr

Wow his performance posture is really something! It's like ectomorphic joe cocker or something!

I can't even tell you how much I love everything about that dude. His spiffy little outfit, the jewlery, his moves - perfect.

What was it with LB covering Ialian pop songs? A couple weeks ago I couldn't stop listening to the original Gloria:

IIRC the same guy who wrote Gloria also wrote Self Control, which would explain why Branigan recorded it, as she'd already had one hit with the guy's song.

Whoever that guy is, I think I love him.

According to Wikipedia he's called Giancarlo Bigazzi, though he's only a co-writer of both "Gloria" and "Self Control". But I assume he's the reason Branigan chose to record the latter song.

Oh, looks like he died this January... :( RIP, mister songwriter.

Aw, man. RIP.

I want to do this at karaoke but I know it would be a DISASTER

hah this is one of my karaoke standards

Apparently he also wrote Boney M's "Take the Heat Off Me", which is a cool song as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3DURSz_20s

I wish I could've celebrated this guy's life more while he was actually alive.

fucklaura branigan singing the word "self" is like the 8th wonder of the world.

"I!"

― Ned Raggett, Saturday, November 8, 2008 7:13 PM (2 years ago) Bookmark

― leave me alone, i was only zinging (rip van wanko), Tuesday, August 9, 2011 2:59 PM (4 hours ago)

Harold Faltermeyer worked on the Branigan version.

i just got clocked by a couple of snare drums from this song, motherfuckers beware

Harold Faltermeyer worked on the Branigan version.

And Celso Valli on the RAF version.

Also the 'Eyes Wide Shut orgy' video was directed by William Friedkin FYIBTW.

i got huge old (loud!) klipsch speakers for the store and i couldn't wait to crank this song on them. massively massive.

I was sure it was this thread where I talked about the fact that Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut has the exact same plot and a lot of the same shots as the Self Control video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miGUnKWcYeo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nw-V5eEeAk

let's try that again ^ that isn't the full video, it's a video/live mash up thing.

here's the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av03KxdoO0k

Wearing white as you’re walking down the street of my soul

Wow, that hockey thing!

― aluminum rivets must not be proud of their plastic bosses (Jon Lewis), Monday, April 23, 2012 11:11 AM (seven years ago) bookmarkflaglink

Very prescient!

(Just saw the self control video for the first time and wow, love it. Also her version of "Power Of Love" is quite raw.)

This song rules, such a formative part of my childhood radio listening years.

BTW:

Harold Faltermeyer worked on the Branigan version

My pal and I were joking the other day about this period in pop music when you know certain cats (talented/genius or not!) were getting a lot of work because they were literally the only ones that could program, let alone that owned, whatever brand new synth was in vogue. Like, Harold Faltermeyer, Jan Hammer, Herbie Hancock, Thomas Dolby ...

that greg guy that covered "behind the mask"

love this song like family

xpost Oh shit! Yeah, Gregory Phillinganes.

One of the best songs of all time. Half of the lyrics have been quoted here already, but damn: “I must believe in something / so I'll make myself believe it / this night will never go”. Cue Röyksopp & Robyn’s “Do It Again”.

As mentioned upthread, the extended version of the Raf original features what must have been one of the earliest examples of Euro rap: “keep shaking, money making / to the beat that’s so heartbreaking”. Indeed.

(and don’t get me started on Jack White (né Horst Nußbaum). What a career trajectory! From playing professional football/soccer (for PSV Eindhoven!) in the 60s to giving German Schlager a much needed kick up its butt in the early 70s, injecting it with some glam, pop and pure joy (for people like Tony Marshall and my beloved Jürgen Marcus), to producing these Laura Branigan hits as well as “As The Rain Begins To Fall” in the 80s, to (according to German Wikipedia at least) being instrumental in making Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” the first international reggaeton hit fifteen years ago.

Through the years I have found more and more that I prefer the Raf oruginal.

For some reason I've heard this song 3 times on the radio in the past month and I love it again. Also, it has the most extraordinary 80's video I've ever seen.

Am amazed how nobody on this thread has mentioned that Pulp ripped this song off wholesale for the equally awesome Disco 2000.

My pal and I were joking the other day about this period in pop music when you know certain cats (talented/genius or not!) were getting a lot of work because they were literally the only ones that could program, let alone that owned, whatever brand new synth was in vogue. Like, Harold Faltermeyer, Jan Hammer, Herbie Hancock, Thomas Dolby ...

Wally Badarou too.

Love this hard banging 80's sound (up there with Kim Wilde's 'Keep me hanging on')

xp Ned mentioned it in the RIP thread

Classic song obv.

Pulp certainly did rip off a Laura Branigan song for "Disco 2000" - but it was "Gloria", not "Self Control".

I love "Gloria" and "Self Control". What other songs get this vibe? "You Keep Me Hanging On" is a great one. I'd add Donna Summer's "Protection" and Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out For a Hero" from a few years later. Other suggestions?

Tell It To My Heart?

"Gloria," there seem to be a lot of aerobic '80s songs that fit that vibe. "Self Control" is darker and more mysterious. So vibe-wise, along with the usual Italo disco suspects, there's stuff like, I dunno, "Send Me an Angel," by Real Life, maybe?

I don’t know the usual Italo suspects!

Stuff like this, I guess:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcwYp0musC8

Also, this one (not Italo) is very "Self Control:"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMPR6Ujop4k

You can also look for stuff by Scotch and Kano, I guess, among other Italian disco suspects. Other people here know that stuff better than I do.

I think 'Don't Pretend to Know' by Tapps kind of fits?

hmm, I dont really agree with most of these suggestions. What I dig about Self Control is the hard rock/quasi-goth sound spruced up by 80s electro. There's a relentlessness to it that makes it super badass. I dont think Visage or Taylor Dayne have that hard sinister vibe.

Hazel O'Connor, Eighth Day?

(a bit less rock, a bit more goth - see also Drowning in Berlin)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGVZOLV9SPo

Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
Sunglasses at Night - Corey Hart

Sandra - In The Heat Of The Night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4kHR5SNB5Q

How about Matia Bazar’s *Ti-Sento*?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4JwenFloWk

Sandra is a good suggestion (although clearly not as great as Self Control).

How about Caroline Loeb "C'est la ouate"...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Oyrsite2Ck

...and perhaps Gina X "No GDM"...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUUlaXETebI

...Off "Electrica Salsa"...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK6wglhklKg

...Propaganda "P.Machinery"...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=660ZCEhvbnw

...and Eighth Wonder "I'm Not Scared":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-PYqUHfTMA

Pulp certainly did rip off a Laura Branigan song for "Disco 2000" - but it was "Gloria", not "Self Control".

Oh christ, I'm going senile. Yes, you're right.

Ginny - “Can’t Be Serious”, maybe?

What a track that is

What other songs get this vibe?

Sheryl Lee Ralph - In The Evening

That drop into the chorus...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfoKoF4o6tU

There's a video but it's too jolly and belies the vibe.

FWIW, the break in "In The Evening" synchs very effectively with the rap intro to Chaka's "I Feel For You".

Pulp certainly did rip off a Laura Branigan song for "Disco 2000" - but it was "Gloria", not "Self Control".

Oh christ, I'm going senile. Yes, you're right.

It's an Umberto Tozzi song, originally.

the Insane Clown Posse cover is worth checking out too

The Cheryl Lee Ralph video is so insane.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Bgv54jROII

can't believe nobody has mentioned that one group from Detroit yet.

wanna say they wore makeup and had stage names and a devoted group of fans.

and they did this song?

Intersting takes - and two absolute favourites. I took the question to mean musically, but I like this interpretation of lyrically sharing the subject of the culture of the club.

they play a prominent role in the video as well!

xp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf17bkp5EL0

the 1996 remix of "In The Evening" is the sound of every bottle of poppers ever being opened

I must have heard “In The Evening” every time I went to a gay club for at least a year (roughly late 84 to late 85), and it got to the point where I thought I never wanted to hear it again. But then Horse Meat Disco started reviving it in the mid 00s, and it sort of unexpectedly renewed itself; if I heard it out now, I’d be thrilled. (A similar thing happened with “Finally”, although it’s usually me who’s playing it out.)

I'd love to hear it out now too, it's taken on a real urgency over lockdown

I'm surprised Valerie Dore didn't get a look in in this thread!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80ssUKt76-c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHrsv0NVa6k

Marianne Faithfull - Broken English

at the darker cruising through the city at night end of the vibe

good one

TIL Laura Branigan covered Falco's "Der Kommissar" with different lyrics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=823aeo0WU_k

"I...I live among the creatures of the night!"