Hold Me (Laura Branigan album)

Hold Me is the fourth studio album by American singer Laura Branigan, released in 1985 on Atlantic Records.

The lead single from Branigan's fourth album, "Spanish Eddie", was her sixth top 40 hit in two and a half years, although it failed to enter the top 20. A splashy video featuring a newly svelte Branigan was a hit on the various music video programs of the day (NBC's Friday Night Videos, TBS' Night Tracks and USA's Night Flight among the biggest), but it was not picked up by MTV. The following single release, "Hold Me", was a top 40 dance hit and her introduction of the rock ballad "I Found Someone" (co-written by Michael Bolton) reached even higher on the AC chart, but neither song was supported by a music video, and they stayed in the lower reaches of the pop charts.

The track "When the Heat Hits the Streets" was heard in a television advertising campaign for the Chrysler Laser, Chrysler being a sponsor for Branigan's 1985-86 "Hold Me" tour (a Chrysler Laser was prominently displayed in the "Spanish Eddie" video). Despite the weak sales, the album has many of her fan-favourite songs. Not only did she continue to perform "Spanish Eddie" in concerts throughout her career, but she began a lifelong tradition of closing every show with an encore of "Forever Young", the ballad that was made a cult hit by German band Alphaville.

Personnel

 * Laura Branigan – vocals
 * Nathan Alford, Jr. – percussion
 * Beth Anderson – backing vocals
 * Maxine Anderson – backing vocals
 * Eddie Arkin – keyboards, synthesizer, programming, bass, electronic drums, arrangements (2, 3, 6, 9)
 * Larry Ball – bass guitar
 * Michael Boddicker – keyboards, synthesizer, programming, bass, electronic drums
 * Susan Boyd – backing vocals
 * Kelly Bruss – backing vocals
 * Rod Burton – backing vocals
 * Rosemary Butler – backing vocals
 * Jill Colucci – backing vocals
 * Craig T. Cooper – guitar
 * Kevin Dorsey – backing vocals
 * Nathan East – bass guitar
 * Michael Egizi – keyboards, synthesizer, programming, bass, electronic drums
 * Harold Faltermeyer – synthesizer, keyboards, programming, bass, electronic drums, arrangements (1, 4, 6, 7)
 * Tommy Funderburk – backing vocals
 * Gary Grant – trumpet (9)
 * Kyle Henderson – backing vocals
 * Gary Herbig – saxophone solo
 * Jerry Hey – flugelhorn (6), trumpet (9), horn arrangement (9)


 * Dann Huff – guitar
 * Kim Hutchcroft – saxophone (9)
 * James Ingram – backing vocals
 * Phillip Ingram – backing vocals
 * Angie Jaree – backing vocals
 * Jon Joyce – backing vocals
 * Tom Keane – arrangements (5)
 * Michael Landau – guitar
 * Edie Lehmann – backing vocals
 * Brian Malouf – percussion, keyboards, synthesizer, programming, bass, electronic drums
 * Michael Mason – keyboards, synthesizer, programming, bass, electronic drums
 * George Merrill – backing vocals
 * Richard Page – backing vocals
 * Alan Pasqua – keyboards, synthesizer, programming, bass, electronic drums
 * Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trombone (9)
 * Andrea Robinson – backing vocals
 * Marc Russo – saxophone solo
 * Richard Ruttenberg – keyboards, synthesizer, programming, bass, electronic drums
 * Leslie Spiro – backing vocals
 * Mark Spiro – percussion, keyboards, synthesizer, programming, bass, electronic drums, backing vocals, arrangements (2, 3, 6, 9, 10)
 * Bo Tomlyn – keyboards, synthesizer, programming, bass, electronic drums
 * Gary Usher – arrangements (9)
 * Larry Williams – saxophone (9)
 * Steve Williams – keyboards, synthesizer, programming, bass, electronic drums

Production

 * Producers: Jack White and Harold Faltermeyer
 * Associate Producer on Tracks 2, 3, 6 & 9: Mark Spiro
 * Engineers: Dave Concors, David Devore, Jürgen Koppers, John Kovorek, Brian Malouf, Brian Reeves, Ed Thacker, Tom Whitlock and John Van Nest.
 * Assistant Engineers: Rick Butz, Steve Krause, Peggy McAffee and Sam Taylor.
 * Recorded at Image Recording Studios, Westlake Studios and Bodifications (Los Angeles, CA); Can-Am Recorders (Tarzana, CA); Preferred Sound (Woodland Hills, CA).
 * Mixed by Jürgen Koppers at Image Recording Studios (Los Angeles, CA).
 * Mastered by Brian Gardner at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, CA).
 * Art Direction: Bob Defrin
 * Photography: Aaron Rapoport
 * Hair: Hugh Ragan
 * Make-up: Debra Howell/Cloutier
 * Stylist: Anna Chu
 * Jewelry: Y-lang Y-lang
 * Personal Assistant: Naomi Weitzner
 * Management: Susan Joseph
 * Business Management: Larry Kruteck