Category: Laura Branigan

Laura Branigan – Gloria (US 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1982


“Gloria” is a 1979 song written and composed in Italian by Umberto Tozzi and Giancarlo Bigazzi, and afterward translated to English by Jonathan King. A 1982 cover version by American singer Laura Branigan peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 and has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

The most successful version of “Gloria”‘ was featured on the 1982 album Branigan, the first album released by Laura Branigan. Although another track, “All Night with Me”, was chosen as the album’s lead single, Branigan also performed the cover song during her promotional television appearances at the time of the album’s release. The track was chosen as the album’s second single in June 1982, first becoming a disco favorite, and gradually accruing radio support to enter the pop charts in July. The single reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 on 27 November 1982, behind Lionel Richie’s “Truly”, and remained there the following two weeks, through 11 December—when Richie had been supplanted by Toni Basil’s “Mickey”.

“Gloria” earned Branigan a nomination for the Best Pop Vocal Performance Female Grammy Award for 1982. The song remained in the Top 40 for 22 weeks, and its total Hot 100 residency of 36 weeks established a new record for a single by a solo female act. The song also topped Cash Box magazine’s chart. Certified platinum for one million sales in the United States alone, “Gloria” was also an international success, most notably in Australia where it held the top position for seven consecutive weeks, from 7 February to 21 March 1983. “Gloria” also reached number one in Canada, number four in Ireland, number six in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and number nine in South Africa.

SIDE A:
Gloria (Vocal Long Version) 5:56
Written-By – Giancarlo BigazziTrevor VeitchUmberto Tozzi

SIDE B:
Living A Lie (Vocal) 3:39
Written-By – Dick St. NicklausSue Neal

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1982 Gloria U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #2
1982 Gloria U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary #28
1982 Gloria U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/ Club Play #4

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Atlantic – DM 4835
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, SP
Country: US
Released: 1982
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Hi NRG, Synth-pop

CREDITS:

NOTES:
Pub., Sugar Song Publications, Inc., BMI
Administered by MCA
From Atlantic LP 19289 “Branigan”

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus:  Ortofon 2M Black PnP MkII
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp:
Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
DAC:
Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning
: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans
: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!


Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal. I appreciate your help.



Laura Branigan – Hold Me (US 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1985

“Hold Me” is a song by the American pop singer Laura Branigan, which was released in 1985 as the second single from her fourth studio album Hold Me. It was written by Bill Bodine and Beth Andersen, and produced by Jack White and Harold Faltermeyer.

Following the Top 40 success of the first single from Hold Me, “Spanish Eddie”, “Hold Me” was released as the follow-up single. It reached No. 82 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Chart and No. 39 on the Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs Chart.

**”Spanish Eddie” is mislabeled on the label it is actually the LP Version.

SIDE A:
Hold Me (Vocal/New Extended Remix) 5:20
Arranged By – Harold Faltermeyer
Producer – Harold FaltermeyerJack White
Remix – Beau Hill
Written-By – Beth AndersenBill Bodine

SIDE B:
Tenderness (Vocal/Extended Remix Version) 5:52
Arranged By – Ed ArkinMark Spiro
Arranged By [Horns Arrangement] – Jerry Hey
Producer – Jack White
Producer [Associate] – Mark Spiro
Written-By – Jack WhiteLaura BraniganMark Spiro

Spanish Eddie (Vocal/Extended Remix Version) 4:09
Arranged By – Harold Faltermeyer
Producer – Jack White
Written-By – Chuck Cochran (2)David Palmer (4)

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1985 Hold Me U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #82
1985 Hold Me U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play #39

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Atlantic – 0-86845
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Hi NRG, Synth-pop

NOTES:
Special Remix of Atlantic LP “HOLD ME”

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus:  Ortofon 2M Black PnP MkII
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp:
Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
DAC:
Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning
: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans
: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!


Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.



Laura Branigan – Self Control (Full Length Version) (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

American singer Laura Branigan covered “Self Control” in 1984. It was released as the lead single from her third studio album of the same name, released the same year.

Branigan’s first major hit had also been co-written by Bigazzi: “Gloria” (1982) was an English cover of the 1979 original Italian song recorded by Umberto Tozzi. The following year Branigan recorded another English song written over a Tozzi and Bigazzi song, “Mama”, which was part of the 1983 album Branigan 2. Branigan chose two more Italian songs for her third album: the first one, “Ti Amo” with lyrics by Diane Warren once again based on the original by Tozzi and Bigazzi that had been a 1977 single for Tozzi. The second one, “Self Control” became the title track to the album and her biggest international hit. “Self Control” was the only one of the four Italian songs recorded by Branigan that was originally composed in English, and Branigan chose to record the song as written. Also unlike the other songs, Branigan’s version was contemporaneous with that of its co-writer.

The Branigan recording was arranged by Giorgio Moroder’s protégé Harold Faltermeyer with Robbie Buchanan and produced by Buchanan with Jack White in Germany and Los Angeles. A keyboard hook in Raf’s version was changed to a guitar riff for Branigan’s version and a vocal break was paired with a sharper and repeated percussive element.

Branigan was one of the first artists of the video era to work with an Academy Award-winning film director on a music video when William Friedkin (The French Connection, The Exorcist) directed the clip. Filmed in New Jersey and New York City, the video was produced by Fred Caruso and first aired in April 1984.

The video depicts Branigan, sitting in her bedroom while her lover sleeps. Tempted by the allure of the city at night, she gets dressed up and goes out. Brief encounters with a mysterious man in a full-face white mask lead Branigan from the dance floor of a nightclub to an underground room where the masked man stands in the midst of an orgiastic gathering that he beckons her to join. Branigan allows herself to be led into the group but ultimately flees in fright. Returning home, Branigan finds that the masked man and some of his throng are, somehow, now in her bedroom. The masked man lowers Branigan to her couch and she surrenders herself to him. The masked man, standing over Branigan, now lying unconscious on the floor, turns and walks towards the bedroom window, fading away in the morning light. Branigan, consumed by guilt, gets up and turns out the light. The final scene shows Branigan lying awake in bed when her lover turns to face her, his face hidden behind a familiar white mask.

The video ultimately drew controversy, as it was considered so shockingly sexy that MTV required some edits before it could air. Entertainment Tonight aired a segment on the network’s reaction to the clip, which was being played in late-night slots on other networks. Though Branigan resisted at first, her record company convinced her to allow a minor alteration and the video was aired on MTV, though by this time the single had peaked on the charts. Branigan would go on to be nominated for a 1985 American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Video Artist. Branigan’s fellow nominees were Tina Turner and Cyndi Lauper, who won the award.

Branigan’s recording was a worldwide multi-format hit. In the US, the song became Branigan’s fourth consecutive top 10 hit on a Billboard chart in a year and a half, following “Gloria”, “Solitaire” and “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You”. “Self Control” peaked at no. 2 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, no. 4 on the Hot 100 and no. 5 on the Adult Contemporary chart. In Canada, the track hit no. 1 on both the pop and AC charts. Both the Raf original and the Branigan version of “Self Control” entered the German Top 20 in May 1984: on June 25, the Branigan single assumed the no. 1 position, where it remained for six weeks, while the Raf version occupied the no. 2 spot. Branigan’s “Self Control” also entered the Italian charts although the dominance of the Raf version in his native Italy predicated a comparatively low peak Italian chart peak of no. 29 for Branigan’s version.

“Self Control” afforded Laura Branigan a no. 1 hit in Austria, Canada, Sweden and South Africa and was also a smash hit for Branigan in Norway (no. 2), Ireland (no. 3), Australia (no. 3) and the UK (no. 5). Branigan’s album Self Control went Silver, Gold or Platinum in several countries and yielded subsequent charting singles, though not of the title track’s magnitude, in “The Lucky One”, “Ti Amo” and “Satisfaction”.

SIDE A:
Self Control (Extended Version) 5:02
Arranged By – Harold Faltermeyer
Lyrics By [English Lyrics] – Steve Piccolo
Music By [Original Music] – Giancarlo Bigazzi, Raffaele Riefoli

SIDE B:
Silent Partners (Extended Version) 4:07
Arranged By – Robbie Buchanan
Written-By – Diane Warren, The Doctor (10)

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1984 Self Control U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #4
1984 Self Control U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary #2
1984 Self Control U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play #5

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Atlantic ‎– A9676T, Atlantic ‎– A 9676 T
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic, Rock, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Executive-Producer – Jack White
Producer –  Jack White, Robbie Buchanan

NOTES:
‘Full Length Version’ on cover, ‘Extended Version’ on label
Original versions appears on the LP “SELF CONTROL”

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck 
Phono Pre-amp:
Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube:
Tung-Sol 12AX7 TubeGold Pins
Soundcard:
Novation Audiohub 2×4 Audio Interface
Record Cleaning:
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans:
Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2, ocenaudio
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi