Laura Branigan

[Greenwolf103]

It seems that the Fates tend to guide what I do/see/experience in life. I'm constantly reminded of this in many ways, but moreso this week, since I happen to read something right after or during the time I'm writing something (I just wrote an article about goals and now EVERYTHING is turning up "goals").

This week, this happened to me in an interesting way.

Our own Frank Baron (aka eraser) has a column that goes out every week. And even though I'm behind on catching up with them (sorry, Frank), I did happen to read the one he sent out last week. And while I plan to write about this in my blog on Friday, I think I need to comment on it here.

As I read Frank's column, where he talked about reading old news long after it's happened (and I could only nod my head, as I've done the same thing), I happened to learn, thanks to this column, that singer Laura Branigan passed away last year. And this really hit me on a personal note, because her song Gloria helped inspire one of my unfinished novels (well, it's still going through the revision stages). Interestingly enough, it's got a character in there named Frank -- but that's for a whole 'nother thread.

As I wrote the first draft of this novel, I kept wondering how Ms. Branigan would react knowing her song played a part in the creation of my story. I even put the song in there. Twice. Not words, mind you. Just the song playing. It has meaning to my main character. And it had meaning to me. I often pictured her smiling once she saw her song in this book.

But now she won't get to read this book, if it ever gets published. (Hey, I'm hopeful. But who knows, right?) I firmly believe in the afterlife. And I know that, in some way, she'll learn of how much her song meant to one unknown writer in the world. How many times it was played -- often with high volume, I might add, since my hearing aid prevented me from hearing too well -- and how much of it really eerily reflected on one part of my life.

Part of me feels like I have let Ms. Branigan down. Because I never finished the final draft of this book or got it published somewhere, so that she could read it while still alive. But maybe, just maybe, there will yet be a happy ending to this story. Maybe, by some miracle, the story will get published. Then she can learn of it from the Great Beyond and still have that smile on her face I always hoped to see.

It's a nice thought...

[maestrowork]

There was an article on her in the last issue of Entertainment Weekly. They compared her with Celine Dion... same talent, different times, different fates.

[sc211]

Nice post. I felt the same with the death of Joe Strummer - always wanted to send something back to him, you know?

And tragically, it's all too common. A friend died in a car accident just a week before her birthday, and at her funeral was this wonderful carving, made by her daughter just for her, that she never got. I myself was left with books and CDs and a letter I'd been meaning to get to her.

As I wrote at the time, "Give while you can give."

Still, about your post, there's two points I disagree on.

You were inspired by her work and put effort towards putting your own creative spark out there, to affect people in turn. That's not letting her down - that's fulfilling her mission.

And a work doesn't need to be published to be seen from the other side. Just holding out the papers and saying, "Hey, Laura, check this out, and thanks," is all you need to do.

[aka eraser]

Or maybe she's checking out these posts and smiling.

You've a good heart Dawn and I believe heart-thoughts have a way of crossing dimensions. :)

[Greenwolf103]

Thank you so much for those replies!! They really moved me. I hope one of those assumptions are right.

[Azura Skye]

Did someone mention Joe Strummer? :(

I was shocked to hear of Branigan's death too -- so young.

I kind of like to think of those who've died as muses. They inspired us in life and can continue to inspire us in death. Although I never met Joe Strummer I still think of him and the music he created and how it still gets me going. Somehow, I believe he has to feel that...somehow. Just the same, I'm sure Laura Branigan knows.

[writing diva05]

I'm interested in finding out. In my manuscript there are a couple of very important songs but instead of stating the song name, I wrote a romantic old tune. Is it acceptable to write, "summerwind played in the background" or "memories played as they.." This is my first time writing and I'd love to name the songs but don't know if it would be okay. Can someone tell me. My characters had a few good songs going on and I'd like to share that as it adds to the story.

[maestrowork]

It's okay to name songs. If you quote lyrics, however, you'd need permission.

[Greenwolf103]

The way I've got it is that I name a song title and the artist singing it. If my character starts to sing along with a song, as she is known to do, I just write that she's doing this and keep out what lyrics she sings.

[writing diva05]

Okay, let me see if I got it here.

I can write something like: Thom and Kitty sat on the sofa talking until the radio began playing Frank Sinatra's "You make me feel so young" at that moment Thom took Kitty's hand and they danced closely, while he sang the words in her ear softly. or He walked in to hear Tom Jones singing "I who have nothing" saw her dancing with Jo Shmo and went in to cut in.

I can do that? Name the title and artist singing it, but not the lyrics. Right?

[sc211]

You got it. You could even say, "Like a vision she dances across the porch as the radio plays Roy Orbison singing for the lonely."

Of course, you couldn't say that exactly, or you'd be quoting Springsteen.:D

[Greenwolf103]

When I saw that a picture of Laura Branigan had her with red hair, I got a little nervous, because my character has red hair and her family might think that I'm copying her, or something. Though the thing of it is, her hair wasn't the EXACT same red as my character's. Then I see another photo of her, and the hair color is EXACTLY the same:

Laura Branigan (http://www.redentertainment.com/laurabranigan.htm)

Thankfully, the date of births are not the same, but my character's birthday IS in August (the same month she passed away).

Anyway, here's my blog post:

Branigan posting. (http://dawncolclasureblog.blogspot.com/)