10 Best Laura Branigan Deep Cuts
By Eric Grigs | August 28, 2020
Singer Laura Branigan rose to prominence in the 80s, now largely remembered for one of her biggest hits, “Gloria.” The song’s surge in popularity again comes from recent movie and TV placements and somehow magically, as good luck charm theme song for the St. Louis Blues—helping to propel them from last to first place, winning the 2019 Stanley Cup. The story was chronicled in Mo Rocca’s excellent Mobituaries podcast about the artist’s life. Her two other highest-charting hits were products of the early 80s: “Solitaire” (1983) and “Self Control” (1984). To our delight, she was a singer who tried on several styles throughout her career: including hard rock, dance pop, country—even world beats and bops that sound like showtunes.
Ignoring the big three top 10 hits, and her various singles that charted on Billboard Hot 100’s top 40 (sorry, stans of “The Lucky One” or “Spanish Eddie”), here’s a subjective list of her stellar catalog tracks that are worth another spin if you haven’t heard them in a while—or never encountered them to begin with (shame on you!). Continued chart success for Branigan eluded her as the years progressed, likely due to a mix of subpar songwriting material and lack of better production and promotion—but here are ten definite should-have-been hits.
“Maybe Tonight”—from Hold Me
This single didn’t chart but its bouncy vibe about rebounding from lost love could lift the saddest spirits in one listen. Complete with a René Magritte inspired music video, this pure New Wave confection just missed the zeitgeist of that sound. As Laura’s popularity on the charts began to cool, this song illustrates one key reason why: many tracks were just slightly behind the curve of what radio was playing at the time of their release.
“Moonlight on Water”—from Laura Branigan
Branigan recorded quite a few covers—most of them solid renditions that stand on their own, but are probably better known by other performers. This album’s lead single—written by Steve Kipner (Olivia Newton John’s “Physical”) and Andy Goldmark—didn’t crack the top 40. (In fact, this album became her first without any singles to do so.) Few probably recall Kevin Raleigh’s original 1989 version (or this Branigan one either really), which amazingly arrived only one year apart and charted one spot higher at #59. It nails the funky early 90s vibe though.
“Cry Wolf”—from Touch
Laura would be the first artist to record this song, but Stevie Nicks fans will recognize her rendition of the track from The Other Side of the Mirror. This single seemed more aimed at the adult contemporary crowd and didn’t gain traction on the main chart. Laura brings the heartache with coarse vocal gravitas to this beautifully crafted mid-tempo ballad, so you can see why Stevie nicked this one later for her own album.
“Reverse Psychology”—from Laura Branigan
This is some high camp pop—but I dare you, just try not to be won over by its unrestrained earnestness, pure fun, and loopy hook. If I were picking the music to score the 80s comedy movie of my life, the montage scene of high school puppy love that includes hijinks with my best friend—well, this is definitely the song.
“Whatever I Do”—from Touch
One of Laura’s club thumpers, superproducers and writers Stock, Aitken & Waterman repurposed one of their UK hit tracks originally recorded in 1984 by Hazell Dean. Hi-NRG dance music sometimes doesn’t age well but this one holds up. It’s pretty much Branigan’s “I Will Survive” song, and she attacks every line until she ultimately owns it.
“I’m Not the Only One”—from Branigan 2
Guilty as charged that this list skews heavily in favor of dance records. (Can you blame me? There’s a reason why “Gloria” is such a beloved jam and became the template for her signature sound.) Branigan found a lot of popularity in dance clubs, along with a sizable gay following from them. The B-side to hit single “Solitaire,” this song feels like the lost love child from a wild night at Studio 54. It’s not even trying to hide its 70s disco roots, even though its release landed squarely in the 80s. This is a fast song, so get your ass to the dance floor, pronto.
“Never in a Million Years”—from Laura Branigan
This track makes me feel like Vonda Shepard should be collecting royalties for a tune this Ally McBeal sounding. But, surprise, it’s not one of hers! Whereas Branigan can sometime veer into overwrought territory, the understated but genuine performance here is top-notch, making it simply one of her best ballads. As the second single released from Laura Branigan, it saw some solid Adult Contemporary airplay, reaching #22 on that chart, but deserved so much more attention.
“Satisfaction”—from Self Control
There are plenty of great tracks to choose from on what is arguably the best album of her career. Sure, maybe mixing it up with another ballad like “Silent Partners” would lend more variety to this list—but “Satisfaction” is too damn good. Chart topping worthy good. I’ve written about this one for Pop Trash Museum before, including it on my list of under appreciated tracks from the “wonder women of 1984.” I’m still surprised the label didn’t promote it more heavily—such as releasing an accompanying video—to help push it up the main Hot 100 chart, instead of languishing as a minor dance chart hit. She did, however, perform it on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. What more does it take?
“Sanctuary”—from Hold Me
This album was better received outside of the U.S.—and I blame the cover artwork for that. It’s got some weirdly low production values, but I guess a product of its time. (“Grab a silk bedsheet and a Raggety Andy doll and just pick anything from the film roll from the day’s shoot!”) That misstep aside, if you give the album a chance, you’ll find the 80s synth pop that Self Control delivered the year before continues here throughout. Tracks like “Sanctuary” become total pop earworms that beg repeat listens. For a while, the album was a bit of a rarity once it fell out of print, but just this year, it’s back on streaming services to enjoy in full.
“Living a Lie”—from Branigan
A whole album’s worth of material was recorded and shelved before her proper debut LP arrived in 1982. Still under contract with Atlantic, the album that producer Jack White would ultimately deliver to market contained this track alongside “Gloria.” Much of the record has more of a rock edge to it—and this one surrounds Laura’s frayed vocals with plenty of electric guitars and relentless driving energy.
BONUS Non-Album TRACK: “Imagination”—from Flashdance
Speaking of guitars, I can’t leave off the soundtrack song that Laura contributed to one of the most influential movies of the decade. An art-house (read: quite modest, and weird) stripping scene set to strobe lights punctuates what signals for a gritty sound and polished look in the 80s.
Explore More of Laura Branigan’s Catalog
Listen to these tracks, and a few extra surprises, on our new Pop Trash Spotify playlist, Branigan Again.
Eric Grigs is a pop culture writer, artist, and co-host of the Pop Trash Podcast.