Laura Ann Branigan, a singer, composer and even a bit of an actress (several roles in film and television), with a unique five-octave mezzo-soprano voice, became one of the idols of youth in the 80s all over the world and was very much loved by people. Despite the fact that the popularity of this singer died down twenty years ago, her songs are familiar to today’s generation, including the generation of gamers, but I won’t get ahead of myself, and she still wins the hearts of listeners.
Laura Branigan’s voice is hard to confuse with anyone else’s. Her range combined with the incredible yet precisely controlled power of her voice simply blows the listener away. She put emotion into every note and genuinely felt what she was singing about. As the singer herself put it: “I want to touch people’s hearts to get to their souls.”
Laura started her career as a backing vocalist for Leonard Cohen, but wanted to achieve more in her life. Laura’s powerful talent, as well as her determination and perseverance, led her to a multi-album deal with Atlantic Records, founded by American music industry legend Ahmet Ertegun, a music producer with Turkish roots. Laura was one of Ertegun’s most, if not most, favorite singers. He very often spoke of it as one of his “greatest finds.”.
I first heard Laura when she sang live in my brother Nesuha’s apartment, where we went because he had a very nice piano. I knew right away that she had a great voice for pop music, in the classical sense. Laura had an instinctive feeling for music and melody and her performance was sensational. Everyone at Atlantic knew we had a winner in this young girl, and she came with big hits that would be remembered for years to come. I believe that Laura was one of my best acquisitions and I am proud to have such a great singer in my recording career. We miss her very much.
Quote Ahmet Ertegun, 2005.
Laura’s first major appearance on the stage was her dance of the anthem “Gloria”, which broke out in 1982. The platinum hit single became the singer’s calling card. Track from Laura’s debut album, Branigan (Gold). "Gloria" climbed to the top of the Billboard charts and remained there for thirty-six weeks. Laura received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Vocalist.
This song is a remake. https://betcakecasino.co.uk/ The original version was written in Italian by Umberto Tozzi and Giancarlo Bigazzi. Branigan’s version was written by Trevor Veitch, a much sought-after composer and lyricist in the 60s and 80s.
Laura Branigan’s first and second albums, Branigan (1982) and Branigan 2 (1983), were damn good, but the singer’s third album was even better, as it included her most popular song, "Self Control" (the album bears the same name).
As with the song "Gloria", "Self Control" is also actually a remake of an Italian song with a slightly reworked arrangement and lyrics in English. And, as in the case of Gloria, “Self-Control” became known to the whole world only after it was performed by Laura Branigan.
But you know, I want to point out that Branigan’s performance of both songs really sounds much better than the original (with all due respect to the Italian performers). It’s just that Branigan somehow manages to perform them in a way that no one could top. With some inherent passion and, of course, a unique incredible voice.
The video for the song “Self-Control” was shot by American director William Friedkin, known for his films such as “The Exorcist” and “The French Connection.”. The director is also called one of the masters of the “thriller” genre, which is actually noticeable from the video. Let’s just say that the experience of “The Exorcist” came in handy for him. The video for the song “Self-Control” is, in fact, an erotic thriller, filmed so well that it was even banned at one time.
Other lesser known, but no less wonderful songs include, for example, “Spanish Eddie”, “Solitaire”, “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You”.
“The Lucky One” seems especially underrated in my opinion. In the song’s video, Laura Branigan portrays a gas station operator who dreams of becoming rich and living in a country estate where servants will teach her the ways of the world. The gas station boss and his girlfriend act as servants."The Lucky One" is the second single from her third studio album, Self Control. It was a minor hit in the United States, reaching number 10 on Billboard.
In addition to her gift for voice and emotional expression in her music, Laura has demonstrated a warm, caring spirit – she has performed at various charities, helped provide for a South African orphanage, and even joined the fight for AIDS awareness.
Simultaneously with the release of her second album, Laura recorded the song “Imagination” specifically for the soundtrack to the film “Flashdance” (1983). The film included two songs by the singer, the second song was “Gloria”.
The next collaboration with Hollywood was the song “Hot Night” in the movie “Ghostbusters / GhostBusters” (1984) and the sci-fi series “Automan”.
Also included in the movies were such songs by the performer as “Come into My Life,” which Laura Branigan sang with Joe Esposito – Coming to America, 1988. Song "Sharpshooter" – Body Rock 1984. Song “Your love” – Salsa / Salsa, 1988. Duet with David Hasselhoff "I Believe" – Baywatch / Baywatch, (1989–2001).
With video games, not so much – only two. But what kind! Since "Self Control" is one of the most popular songs of the 80s, it would be unfair if it were not included in the most popular game set in the 80s. Therefore, Rockstars not only licensed it for the Flash FM radio station in Vice city, but also inserted an excerpt of this song into the game’s anniversary trailer.
Another popular song by the singer, “Gloria,” was featured in the video game Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, where events also take place in the 80s.
Laura Branigan was a unique, magnificently gifted singer who had an unbridled passion for life.
Laura Branigan lived through her music and through wonderful memories of her family, friends and fans around the world. She strived to create a personal connection with her fans and she largely succeeded in doing so, touching lives in a very meaningful way, making everyone feel as if she was singing just for them. Laura’s fans are found in every country, and they remain very devoted to her even after her death. Laura Branigan passed away very early at the age of 47. We can say that fans of her work will remember her forever young. At heart, she always remained a cheerful girl, as her relatives say. This is exactly how we remember her. Forever young and unique Laura Branigan.