TS: "Gloria" by Laura Branigan VS "Gloria" by Patti Smith

this is actually a tough choice! Patti's reworking of the garage-band classic by Them/Van Morrison was my gateway drug into punk rock, "alternative lifestyles" becoming a writer, all kinds of stuff but Laura's early 80s hit is an OTT pop-operatic epic that still worms into my brain even though I have no idea what it's really "about" - all those voices in her head etc

discus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=355Fk8drgZE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy9fs3cndrQ

That SNL clip is amazing. Was I watching as a 15-year-old? I don't know--I remember Gilda Radner's parody better. If I wasn't watching, I wish I had been--might have got me off Supertramp a little earlier. (Might have.)

<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/szWSLwkYa6k"; frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Branigan's is also a cover.

Embed difficulties.

just post the URL, embedding happens automagically

(only for Youtubes tho)

http://youtu.be/szWSLwkYa6k

That's what happens when you spend all your time lurking, you never learn the mechanics of posting.

sorry, not the abbreviated share URL given by Youtube; use the URL from the address bar

Branigan

Both crap.

I used to think that Laura Branigan was saying "Gloria/I think they got your numbah/I think they got ELLIOT!
E.T. made a big impression on me as a child.

The Elliot that you've been living UNDEEEEER

lol awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Branigan.

Both crap.

― Alex in NYC, Tuesday, August 9, 2011 2:30 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Agreed, utter garbage.

Never liked Branigan's "Gloria" (prefer "Self-Control" and "Power of Love").

Woah I never knew Brannigan's was a cover! This little Italian dude in his pink outfit rules:

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

needless supertramp hate itt imo

I like the Tramp! That's why I hedged with "might have." But it would have been nice if Patti Smith had nudged me in the direction of punk in 1976, rather than waiting for my friend Peter to do it in 1979.

What was Gilda Radner takeoff Patti Smith character called, Candy Slice?

That was it, yes. I wonder how closely her parody appeared to the Smith clip above--the parody may have even aired first.

italian version of "gloria" is fab - like a macho abba song

Brannigan by a mile.

Both are cover versions. Prefer Branigan. Also would have preferred Umberto Tozzi over Them, but not with the same margin.

Brannigan by 10 miles.

there's a cover of 'gloria' on one of the girls in the garage compilations where they change the name to 'melvin.' kind of wish patti smith had done that.

Umberto is beyond awesome, but the only good thing this song accomplished was being ripped off by Pulp. PSG's arrangement of "Gloria" OTOH still gives me a rush every time I hear it. I don't recall - is ILM usually anti-Patti? I mean, she's only had one really great album, but what a record it is.

Laura B. says nothing to me about my life.

Played Patti's Gloria on the air this week and liked it more than I remembered.

This reminded me of a song that I always associate with Branigan's "Gloria" -- it's...aerobics class chart pop?

Melissa Manchester, "You Should Hear How She Talks About You"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_MZo88gzrA

aerobics class chart pop

indeed - 1982 was the year of Jane Fonda's workout video. also lol @ Rex Smith, I watched Solid Gold religiously ever saturday night before going out clubbing

we did jane fonda's workout video in my gym class!

Woah I never knew Brannigan's was a cover! This little Italian dude in his pink outfit rules:

"Self Control" is a cover of an Italo tune too - did L. Branigan have some love affair with Italy?

Anyway, both of her versions rule, and who cares about Patti Smith?

Ah, okay, Wikipedia says both "Gloria" and "Self Control" were written by the Italian guy in the pink shirt, I guess that explains it.

I never 'got' Horses, but I did buy the deluxe 2CD edition, and enjoyed the live version on the second CD, so maybe.

I love Brannigan's Gloria but for all those saying who cares abt Patti, or even prefer Self Control over Gloria, a big fat pffft

not even a comparison here patti's Gloria is one of the best pieces ever recorded, Laura's italo-disco is fun but not in the same league and Self Control is one of those things that made my early teens a misery and still suxors

Hearing Branigan at a deli today was fucking weird and random, I'm not sure I've heard that in 30 years but I knew it immediately and could only look around to see if it was a trigger event for any nearby olds, as it was for me.

Patti's reworking of "Gloria" is brilliant, of course, but right now Laura's song fascinates me even more. Outside of country music, does anyone still write pop songs about adults anymore?