Branigan 2

Branigan 2
Studio album by Laura Branigan
Released	March 1983
Genre	Pop / Rock
Length	37:15
Label	Atlantic
Producer	Jack White, Robbie Buchanan
Professional reviews
Allmusic link
Laura Branigan chronology
Branigan (1982) Branigan 2 (1983) Self Control (1984)
Singles from Branigan 2
"Solitaire" Released: March 1983 "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" Released: August 1983

Branigan 2 is the second album by singer Laura Branigan, released in 1983 (see 1983 in music). Two hit singles emerged from the album, the dramatic "Solitaire" and her introduction of the ballad "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You". The album improved upon the chartings of her debut in the U.S., Australia and Japan, and Allmusic would later write that "Laura Branigan's full, expressive voice shows serious growth" on "a much more cohesive collection" than her debut, commenting that "this album doesn't waste a single track".^[1]

In addition to establishing Branigan as more than a one-hit wonder following the major success of "Gloria" months before, her second album's two big hits began the careers for two then-unknowns who themselves became industry legends. While "Solitaire" was originally a French song, its English version provided the first major hit for lyric writer Diane Warren, who co-wrote many of Branigan's early songs. Allmusic noted that the song, "with its quiet beginnings and pull-out-all-the-stops finale, shows off just what chops this singer has".^[2]

The second single from Branigan 2 was the ballad "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You," which was the first major hit for its co-writer, Michael Bolton, beginning for him a successful sideline as a songwriter. He would later pen three more songs for Branigan. While "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You" barely missed the Top Ten on the pop charts, it spent three weeks at Number One on the adult contemporary airplay charts. Allmusic called Branigan's version "far superior" to Bolton's own hit cover from 1989, "simpler, prettier, and (showing) shades of emotion at which Bolton could only hint"^[3]

Branigan 2 also included the ballad "Find Me", uptempo tracks "I'm Not The Only One" and "Don't Show Your Love", and a cover of The Who's "Squeeze Box". One of the album's tracks, "Deep In The Dark", is a newly-written song to the music of Falco's "Der Kommissar". Allmusic called Branigan's take "sexy" and "welcome" despite a competing English-language remake of the German version the same year by After the Fire.^[4] The album was certified Gold in the United States.

Track listing

1. "Solitaire" (Martine Clemenceau, Diane Warren) – 4:07
2. "Deep in the Dark" (Bowersock, Ponger, Ponger) – 3:50
3. "Close Enough" (Buchanan, Lang) – 3:41
4. "Lucky" (Bi) – 3:58
5. "Squeeze Box" (Pete Townshend) – 3:00
6. "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" (Michael Bolton, James) – 4:29
7. "I'm Not the Only One" (Doctor, Warren) – 3:22
8. "Mama" (Bigazzi, Umberto Tozzi, Warren) – 3:56
9. "Find Me" (Connors, Shire) – 3:22
10. "Don't Show Your Love" (Connors, Holdridge) – 3:30

Personnel

• Laura Branigan - vocals
• Dennis Belfield - bass
• Michael Boddicker - synthesizer
• Robbie Buchanan - synthesizer, keyboards
• Lenny Castro - percussion
• Joe Esposito - background vocals
• Jim Haas - background vocals
• Eddie Hawkins - background vocals
• Jon Joyce - background vocals
• Michael Landau - guitar
• Doane Perry - drums
• Joe Pizzulo - background vocals
• Carlos Vega - drums
• Marty Walsh - guitar

Production

• Producer: Jack White
• Associate Producer & Arranger: Robbie Buchanan

Charts

Album

Singles

References