Self Control

Album

Self Control

Label

Atlantic Records

Genre

Italo-Disco

Duration

5:00

Composer(s)

Giancarlo Bigazzi;Raffaele Riefoli;Steve Piccolo

Entered Chart

Apr 14, 1984

Peak Date

Jun 30, 1984

Released

19 April 1984[

Recorded

Unknown

Catalog #

Atlantic 89676

B-Side

Silent Partners

This song was first released in 1983 by the Italian composer and singer Raf (Raffaele Riefoli), who wrote it with Giancarlo Bigazzi and Steve Piccolo. His version was a low-tempo ballad with disco-techno-pop features, and was an early use of synthesizers. Branigan's breakout hit was "Gloria" in 1982, which is also based on an Italian pop song co-written by Bigazzi. In 2006, the Spanish singer Soraya Arnelas released a version on her album Ochenta's (Eighty's). Also in 2006, the Danish dance group Infernal recorded this song. >> The song is about a girl whose life is dedicated to her exciting nightlife, where she tends to lose control. Harold Faltermeier of "Axel F" fame did the arrangement and played the synthesizer on this track. The video was filmed in New Jersey and New York City and directed by William Friedkin (The French Connection, The Exorcist). Branigan was one of the first artists of the video era to work with an Academy Award-winning film director. She recalled to The Associated Press: "It was a real experience. He's a great film director. We worked very hard on it." "The song was about losing your self-control to the night or to someone," Branigan added. "We had a man representing the night, wearing a mask. There were all these great dancers wearing masks by Willa Shalit. 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 party band plays this and "Some Guys Have All The Luck" in the 1984 Miami Vice episode "The Great McCarthy."

Oh, the night is my world
City light painted girl
In the day nothing matters
It's the night time that flatters

In the night, no control
Through the wall something's breaking
Wearing white as you're walkin'
Down the street of my soul

You take my self, you take my self control
You got me livin' only for the night
Before the morning comes, the story's told
You take my self, you take my self control

Another night, another day goes by
I never stop myself to wonder why
You help me to forget to play my role
You take my self, you take my self control

I, I live among the creatures of the night
I haven't got the will to try and fight
Against a new tomorrow, so I guess I'll just believe it
That tomorrow never comes

A safe night, I'm living in the forest of my dream
I know the night is not as it would seem
I must believe in something, so I'll make myself believe it
That this night will never go

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh (Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh)

Oh, the night is my world
City light painted girl
In the day nothing matters
It's the night time that flatters

I, I live among the creatures of the night
I haven't got the will to try and fight
Against a new tomorrow, so I guess I'll just believe it
That tomorrow never knows

A safe night, I'm living in the forest of a dream
I know the night is not as it would seem
I must believe in something, so I'll make myself believe it
That this night will never go

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
You take my self, you take my self control
You take my self, you take my self control
You take my self, you take my self control
You take my self, you take my self control
You take my self, you take my self control
You take my self, you take my self control
You take my self, you take my self control
You take my self, you take my self control
You take my self, you take my self control
You take my self, you take my self control