The Story Behind The Song
A standout hit during the late summer of 1984 was Laura Branigan's Self Control. Anyone who has toiled through an arduous working week thinking of nothing else but a night out at the weekend will be able to lose - and find - themselves in this vibrant pop classic.
The song tells the story of someone who "lives among the creatures of the night" because "In the day nothing matters It's the night time that flatters" and "You got me livin' only for the night". This reinforces the first lines: "Oh, the night is my world City light painted girl". Clearly, the song is about enjoying the distractions and pleasures of the night, with some interpreting it as being about a prostitute. However, this is an uncomfortable example of gender bias: the vocalist is female but the song was co-written and originally released by "Raf" Riefoli, an Italian-born singer-songwriter, and it is his version (also sung in English) we examine first.
The original (also released in the summer of 1984) is an excellent synth-based clubbing track. There is little to choose between the two; Branigan's has the better vocal and production (the arrangement was by Harold Faltermeyer) but Raf's has a richer ambience and bass that suits a dance floor. In his native Italy, Raf's original was No. 1 for seven weeks, but in other European countries, most notably Switzerland, the two versions duelled for the top two positions. In total, Branigan's version spent eight weeks at the summit of the Swiss chart before being supplanted by Talk Talk's Such A Shame (Switzerland had some excellent chart-toppers that summer).
The original also provides greater insight into the song's lyrics. In the extended version, a funky, pulsating bass bridges to a two minute rap: "All the party people come alive at night... The daytime ain't the playtime It's the gotta-make-your-money and away time. I say the night time is the right time to get dancin' to the disco". The song is about immersion in the late-night club scene: the pounding music, the copious alcohol and recreational drugs, the sexualised dancing. It is a hedonistic cocktail, experienced by both men and women, unchaining us from our inhibited and humdrum personas ("You take my self") and opening up the possibility of casual sex ("You take my self control").
Back to Branigan. During the height of her career, she also was an actor, making guest appearances on American TV favourites such as Chips and Knight Rider. No surprise, then, that she invested in a promotional video, working with Oscar-winning film director William Friedkin (director of The French Connection and The Exorcist). It required editing before MTV would air it, however, proving that there are overly censorious broadcasters other than the BBC. "The song was about losing your self-control to the night or to someone," Branigan explained. "We had a man representing the night, wearing a mask... There's a shot where the man comes into my bedroom, taking me into the night. He appears and disappears. MTV didn't play it. They said it was risqué. It was played in Europe and everywhere else. I didn't think it was bad at all."
A major motif running through the video is that of a man dressed in a black coat and hat, his face hidden by a white ceramic mask. A metaphor for sexual desire, the sinister figure constantly lures Branigan to follow him, and at one point, he leads her through a room full of writhing, mannequin-like dancers. Once in the bedroom and now semi-naked, he pushes her down on the bed. The seduction complete, he disappears. It's not risqué, but if the figure of desire is seen more literally as a man (and the seduction scene only adds to this perception) then Branigan appears to be controlled by a man, rather than letting herself go.
This was Branigan's biggest global hit. Tragically, twenty years later, she died of a cerebral aneurysm in her sleep, aged 52. To some, especially in the US, her legacy will be her 1982-hit Gloria. To the night-loving creatures of the mid-80s, she will undoubtedly be remembered for Self Control. And that video.
We hereby instate Self Control by Laura Branigan on The Wall as No.17 Best Single of 1984
This song certainly brings back the memories. It was often played at my friend’s house before setting out to the pubs of Winchester on a Saturday night!Dave B
