Laura Braniga,: "Self Control" (1984)

"Self Control" is the name of the international hit song recorded in 1984 by Laura Branigan, as well as the album on which it appears. The song was recorded that same year with the same English lyrics by Italian singer Raf, who co-wrote the song with Giancarlo Bigazzi and Steve Piccolo. Branigan's version first hit #1 in Germany on June 15, 1984. Raf's version first hit #1 in Italy on June 23, 1984. Branigan's version was the most popular song across Europe during much of the summer of 1984 and was the song of the year in Switzerland. Branigan's version peaked at #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and also went to number two on the dance chart.

The song has become one of the defining pop songs of the 1980s, with a number of remakes recorded each year. Notable covers include Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin in 1993, a hit dance remake by Branigan in 2004 and two 2006 versions that hit the Top 5 in various European enclaves, by Danish dance group Infernal and Spanish singer Soraya Arnelas.

- Lyrics:

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 make 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

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

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, 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...