Laura Branigan's work ethic

There are critics who talk people who did not fulfill their potential and talent. Particular in music when a person has faded into obscurity or has died. One of those is Laura Branigan. Her famous hit song from the movie "Flashdance" Gloria. She had a reputation as a known hell raiser and a lazy artist with talent.

I think that is why I'm endeared to Laura because she was greedy and lazy with sincerity. I wish the producers could see talent and artistry. What, Jim Morrison was a straight shooter. Please! but they worked with him and his abilities. Too many John Densmores and not enough Robbie Kriegers. Her flaw as well as Stevie Nicks is that she should have had a female producer who understood her complexities and idiosyncrasies. I thought Diane Warren writing her songs for and with her were good but you need to produce them as well. Her later album productions seemed out-of-sync.

Most of theses straight shooter females singers slave and whore themselves to the dorky male producers like they come from Adam's rib. Ah. Shania Twain (I know this is mean but I laughed when Mutt left her) even Melissa Etheridge does it too. Then there is was the Quincy Jones product where really the producer worked the singer to bring out her abilities or a total mismatch which results in bad albums. Donna Summer and Quincy? The group Heart after the first few albums is another example.

Take a listen to her version of Gloria. I believe that production of the song cost her the best female vocal performer of the year to Melissa Manchester of 1982 (Quincy looked like he didn't want to give the trophy to Melissa). There were so many dead-spot dubs (like you an audience hears when somebody sings from a tape recorder ). Likewise, the synth intro was sampled from Olivia Newton John's Physical and the bass line sounds like Billy Joel's "My Life." That was first full year of listening to music from late 1982. I thought Melissa's song "You Should see How She Talks About You" had so much momentum and spunk to win it that year. It is just that Laura's song had to age a bit to appreciate it. I remember hearing it then and thought it was another pop synth song as many were then. But now listening to it, Laura's voice really gave that permanent life while Melissa's sounds very dated and nostalgic.

790 AM in Atlanta used to be an oldies station in the 80's. This song would come on during the night when I was trying to sleep to get ready for school. I don't think Laura would be accepted for her artist lifestyle in any time because she was just herself regardless of time. Madonna took a lot of stuff and had a driving agenda to be successful. She was willing to whore up but willing to do her own production as well which to me is the key. Say what you will, Madonna is a producer that is up there with the Joneses, Martins, and Ramones. However for her, the blonde ambition is the key and Laura wasn't willing to do that.