"Self Control" by Laura Branigan

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do they leave the "suggestive orgy scene" in?

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 28 February 2005 20:17 (twenty-one years ago)

How could it be any more or less suggestive than the "Wild Boys" video, say.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 28 February 2005 20:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Dedicated Marc fan that I am, even I have to admit his version isn't a patch on Laura Branigan's. Or RAF's.

― davidsim (davidsim), Monday, 28 February 2005 20:28 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't remember so much a "suggestive orgy scene" as a "suggestive lez-up" scene while Laura is dancing (and it looks rather forced and decidedly non-sexy, but y'know...)

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

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 28 February 2005 21:07 (twenty-one years ago)

man this takes me right back to the roller rink.

― teeny (teeny), Monday, 28 February 2005 21:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Actually, it looks an awful lot like "Eyes Wide Shut," complete with horny strangers wearing masks. I'm not even joking.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 28 February 2005 21:11 (twenty-one years ago)

I have fond memories of this song because the first time I got to see Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Rockstar showed me this tape of film and TV clips (lots of Miami Vice, Scarface, etc...) that inspired the game set to "Self Control"

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 28 February 2005 21:21 (twenty-one years ago)

It saddens me that she didn't write this tune herself.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 28 February 2005 21:23 (twenty-one years ago)

another song this reminds me of is "touch me" by samantha fox.

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 28 February 2005 21:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Even I'll suggest that it's better than that, Jody.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 28 February 2005 21:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Didn't Branigan also do a cover of "Der Kommisar"? Or did i dream that?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 28 February 2005 21:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Even I'll suggest that it's better than that, Jody.

they're about equal.

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 28 February 2005 21:44 (twenty-one years ago)

"Touch Me" is shamelessly brilliant.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 28 February 2005 21:44 (twenty-one years ago)

"i was BEGGING for you!"

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 28 February 2005 21:45 (twenty-one years ago)

did Samatha Foxx have song called "Hurt Me Hurt Me (But The Pants Stay On)"? That maketh me giggle.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 28 February 2005 21:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Is it the "Touch Me" video where a rapper guy steps out of nowhere to do a two-finger point into the camera and bellow, "Sa-man-tha FOX!!!!!"

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

― Mark (MarkR), Monday, 28 February 2005 21:51 (twenty-one years ago)

That video would be "Naughty Girls Need Love Too," which contains donut debonair's all time fave lyric by anyone:

"NO MORE FUN AND GAMES OF THE MOIND!"

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 28 February 2005 21:57 (twenty-one years ago)

actually mark, i think the rapper is on "I Wanna Have Some Fun". but you're OTM with the Page 3 point

― ken taylrr (ken taylrr), Monday, 28 February 2005 22:04 (twenty-one years ago)

oh, is it? shit sorry

― ken taylrr (ken taylrr), Monday, 28 February 2005 22:05 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't give a fuck about Laura Branigan, but compared to Samantha Fox, she's practically Kate Bush.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 00:10 (twenty-one years ago)

After that RIP thread, I listened to this song again and surprisingly it didn't do much for me. Maybe I was confusing it with another one of hers that came earlier than that. Still haven't heard her cover of The Who's Squeeze Box. Really should seek that out.

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...

― Bimble... (Bimble...), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 02:20 (twenty-one years ago)

three years pass...

All this talk and no video?

― Eazy, Thursday, 3 April 2008 04:39 (eighteen years ago)

Pre-YouTube days.

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 3 April 2008 04:42 (eighteen years ago)

Original Italo version.

― Eazy, Thursday, 3 April 2008 04:43 (eighteen years ago)

Kind of middling until the bass solo four minutes in.

― Eazy, Thursday, 3 April 2008 04:44 (eighteen years ago)

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

― Nate Carson, Thursday, 3 April 2008 08:00 (eighteen years ago)

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

― baaderonixx, Friday, 4 April 2008 15:57 (eighteen years ago)

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.

― Geir Hongro, Friday, 4 April 2008 23:38 (eighteen years ago)

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

― Eisbaer, Sunday, 6 April 2008 21:07 (eighteen years ago)

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.

― Johnny Fever, Sunday, 6 April 2008 21:13 (eighteen years ago)

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.

― mike t-diva, Monday, 7 April 2008 11:13 (eighteen years ago)

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.

― Dingbod Kesterson, Monday, 7 April 2008 12:43 (eighteen years ago)

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.

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

― Geir Hongro, Monday, 7 April 2008 13:59 (eighteen years ago)

seven months pass...

"I!"

― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 9 November 2008 01:13 (seventeen years ago)

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!

― Nate Carson, Sunday, 9 November 2008 01:40 (seventeen years ago)

two years pass...

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

― Clarke B., Tuesday, 9 August 2011 15:11 (fourteen years ago)

Love this song.

― leave me alone, i was only zinging (rip van wanko), Tuesday, 9 August 2011 15:20 (fourteen years ago)

rules

― ladies love draculas like children love stray dogs (ENBB), Tuesday, 9 August 2011 15:21 (fourteen years ago)

Classic

― If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Tuesday, 9 August 2011 15:21 (fourteen years ago)

yes.

― dell (del), Tuesday, 9 August 2011 15:25 (fourteen years ago)

"Gloria" also rules btw.

― ladies love draculas like children love stray dogs (ENBB), Tuesday, 9 August 2011 15:31 (fourteen years ago)

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

― corey, Tuesday, 9 August 2011 15:31 (fourteen years ago)

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

― CLUB PISCOPO (DJP), Tuesday, 9 August 2011 15:37 (fourteen years ago)

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.

― If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Tuesday, 9 August 2011 15:44 (fourteen years ago)

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.

― Axolotl with an Atlatl (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 9 August 2011 16:15 (fourteen years ago)

I like the line that goes "I!"

― saint dominic's p4k review (Eazy), Tuesday, 9 August 2011 16:50 (fourteen years ago)

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

AHHHHHHHHHH.

― ladies love draculas like children love stray dogs (ENBB), Tuesday, 9 August 2011 16:52 (fourteen years ago)

I like the line that goes "I!"

yes!

― dell (del), Tuesday, 9 August 2011 16:59 (fourteen years ago)

"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, 9 August 2011 18:59 (fourteen years ago)

Quite so.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 9 August 2011 19:58 (fourteen years ago)

Skipping 70 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

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

― licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Thursday, 18 July 2019 14:09 (six years ago)

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

― mike t-diva, Thursday, 18 July 2019 14:42 (six years ago)

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.

― does it look like i'm here (jon123), Thursday, 18 July 2019 16:53 (six years ago)

Ginny - “Can’t Be Serious”, maybe?

― brimstead, Thursday, 18 July 2019 17:18 (six years ago)

What a track that is

― Chewshabadoo, Thursday, 18 July 2019 18:34 (six years ago)

one year passes...

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.

― Noel Emits, Monday, 12 July 2021 13:52 (four years ago)

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

― mike t-diva, Monday, 12 July 2021 15:20 (four years ago)

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.

― AlXTC from Paris, Monday, 12 July 2021 16:42 (four years ago)

the Insane Clown Posse cover is worth checking out too

― ten man poland chasing this means hamsik feasts (breastcrawl), Monday, 12 July 2021 17:38 (four years ago)

The Cheryl Lee Ralph video is so insane.

― Heavy Messages (jed_), Monday, 12 July 2021 21:12 (four years ago)

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

― Linda and Jodie Rocco (map), Tuesday, 13 July 2021 01:15 (four years ago)

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?

― not up to Aerosmith standards (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 13 July 2021 01:27 (four years ago)

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.

― Chewshabadoo, Tuesday, 13 July 2021 11:40 (four years ago)

they play a prominent role in the video as well!

xp

― ten man poland chasing this means hamsik feasts (breastcrawl), Tuesday, 13 July 2021 12:52 (four years ago)

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

― boxedjoy, Tuesday, 13 July 2021 22:11 (four years ago)

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.)

― mike t-diva, Tuesday, 13 July 2021 22:17 (four years ago)

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

― boxedjoy, Tuesday, 13 July 2021 22:22 (four years ago)

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

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

― chinavision!, Tuesday, 13 July 2021 22:58 (four years ago)

two weeks pass...

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

Marianne Faithfull - Broken English

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

― karl...arlk...rlka...lkar..., Wednesday, 28 July 2021 16:12 (four years ago)

good one