LAURA BRANIGAN

Sad news this morning: Laura Branigan, the pop singer best known for "Gloria," died of an apparent brain aneurysm at the age of 47.

You may also know her hits "Self-Control" (I walk among the creatures of the night/I haven't got the will to try and fight...); "Solitaire" (Solitaire--see what it's like now/Solitaire--to cry all night now/Solitaire--see how it feels to play...); and "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You," which Michael Bolton (Branigan's co-writer on the song) rerecorded when no one asked him to.

On a personal note: "Gloria" was the centerpiece of my bat mitzvah mix tape, which also included "Celebration" by Kool & the Gang, and "Flashdance: What a Feeling." Part of the soundtrack to my childhood, truly.

LAURA BRANIGAN

Sad news this morning: Laura Branigan, the pop singer best known for "Gloria," died of an apparent brain aneurysm at the age of 47.

You may also know her hits "Self-Control" (I walk among the creatures of the night/I haven't got the will to try and fight...); "Solitaire" (Solitaire--see what it's like now/Solitaire--to cry all night now/Solitaire--see how it feels to play...); and "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You," which Michael Bolton (Branigan's co-writer on the song) rerecorded when no one asked him to.

On a personal note: "Gloria" was the centerpiece of my bat mitzvah mix tape, which also included "Celebration" by Kool & the Gang, and "Flashdance: What a Feeling." Part of the soundtrack to my childhood, truly.