This has always been my favorite Laura Branigan hit. I'd never heard the Raf version before. It actually sounds much more danceable than Branigan's which is interesting because I heard her version a lot in dance clubs back in the day. Thanks for sharing!
To 13-year old Mark, the video for Laura Branigan’s Self Control was a revelation! An instant favorite. I was vaguely aware that there was another version of the song. Branigan’s will always be the definitive for me but I enjoyed the Raf version also.
Fascinating stuff, MK! Only vaguely aware of only Laura's version, but never saw the video! Mid-'80s is my pop-cultural "black hole," as I had returned to college at 30 to make a sharp change in careers! So many videos I missed (I hope I don't sound like I'm complaining)!
I found Friedkin's directorial involvement fascinating, and as I found no hints online, I thought I'd take a stab at his motivation: With MTV only being a couple years old at the time, major (and successful) directors, I think, wanted to "try their hand" at this new thing called music videos! I think John Landis ended up directing a few, too. For the adventurous, I think the medium proved somewhat attractive and even provocative to some.
Instead of a 3-hour film, they could still be directing a "movie," just one that rarely went beyond 4 minutes! Plus, he could still charge a tidy sum for his services, while the artist and label (Atlantic in this case) could brag that they pulled in a "big one"!
Thanks again for helping to fill in a several-year musical black hole for me!
That explanation for Friedkin's involvement works for me! It does seem likely. It's a shame I really don't have access to what was being written about it at the time. Something must have been.
This has always been my favorite Laura Branigan hit. I'd never heard the Raf version before. It actually sounds much more danceable than Branigan's which is interesting because I heard her version a lot in dance clubs back in the day. Thanks for sharing!
Mine as well!
To 13-year old Mark, the video for Laura Branigan’s Self Control was a revelation! An instant favorite. I was vaguely aware that there was another version of the song. Branigan’s will always be the definitive for me but I enjoyed the Raf version also.
You saw the uncut version?
No not the uncut version. To a sheltered 13 year old the standard version was quite racy!
Fascinating stuff, MK! Only vaguely aware of only Laura's version, but never saw the video! Mid-'80s is my pop-cultural "black hole," as I had returned to college at 30 to make a sharp change in careers! So many videos I missed (I hope I don't sound like I'm complaining)!
I found Friedkin's directorial involvement fascinating, and as I found no hints online, I thought I'd take a stab at his motivation: With MTV only being a couple years old at the time, major (and successful) directors, I think, wanted to "try their hand" at this new thing called music videos! I think John Landis ended up directing a few, too. For the adventurous, I think the medium proved somewhat attractive and even provocative to some.
Instead of a 3-hour film, they could still be directing a "movie," just one that rarely went beyond 4 minutes! Plus, he could still charge a tidy sum for his services, while the artist and label (Atlantic in this case) could brag that they pulled in a "big one"!
Thanks again for helping to fill in a several-year musical black hole for me!
That explanation for Friedkin's involvement works for me! It does seem likely. It's a shame I really don't have access to what was being written about it at the time. Something must have been.