"Hold Me" by Laura Branigan

Song#:  2501
Date:  10/19/1985
Debut:  84
Peak:  82
Weeks:  4
Genre:  Dance-Pop



Pop Bits:  Branigan's first three albums each contained a lead off single that went into the Top 10, but that streak stopped with her fourth album Hold Me. The first single from that LP, "Spanish Eddie," coudn't find an audience and it stopped at #40 on the Pop chart. Hoping to turn things around, this second single was released. Sadly, it did even worse spending a month at the bottom of the Pop chart while only getting to a minor #39 at Dance. With those results, Hold Me became Branigan's worst performing effort to-date only getting to #71 and failing to reach gold or platinum like her previous three albums.

ReduxReview:  While I think this album-opening track was a better single than "Spanish Eddie," it still wasn't a strong contender. The tune's darker, more mature sound just didn't have the same hooky allure as her other hits. Yet I do think that if this had some solid promotion behind it and a good video (none was filmed for it, which didn't help), this song could have done better than "Spanish Eddie" as a first single. Unfortunately, as a second single following up a weak first one, nobody paid attention.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  The closing track on the Hold Me album was "When the Heat Hits the Street." The song got picked up by Chrysler and was used in commercials that introduced their new sports car, the Laser. The tune was written by Linda Schreyer and Cappy Capossela. Capossela (real name Carolee Capossela) would co-author a book in 1985 on how to organize a group of people to help take care of someone that is seriously ill. This was after she went through the experience of helping a friend dying of cancer. Later in 2002, Capossela's father was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. As she was helping him, she then discovered she also had a brain tumor. Her father died in October of that year and sadly Capossela would then pass away a mere 12 hours after him. Her book is still being published and is considered by many organizations as an essential tool in caregiving.

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