SELF CONTROL
58. LAURA BRANIGAN feat.DISCO PEOPLE Lyrics

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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 help 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

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
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
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
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
You take my self, you take my self control

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Self Control" by Laura Branigan featuring Disco People is a reflection of a world that comes alive at night. The song depicts a city that is painted with light, and the singer becomes immersed in the night, living among the creatures of darkness that emerge after the sun sets. The daytime seems to be mundane, but the night is what flatters the city and reveals its true character. The singer finds freedom and no control in the night, where something is breaking through the walls. As the singer walks down the street, they encounter a figure who takes their self-control, leading them to live only for the night until the morning comes, and the story is told once again.

The lyrics convey a sense of escapism, where the singer lives in a fantasy world of their own creation, which allows them to forget their problems during the day. They do not have the will to fight the new tomorrow that awaits them, instead choosing to believe that tomorrow never comes. In the forest of their dreams, the night is not what it seems, but the singer chooses to believe in something to keep them buoyant. The chorus repeats that the person takes the singer's self-control, emphasising the powerlessness and submission they feel, hoping that this dreamlike state will never end.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh, the night is my world
The persona of the song feels more alive during the night.

City light painted girl
The city lights create an illusion of a painted girl.

In the day nothing matters
The persona feels that nothing significant ever really happens during the daytime.

It's the night time that flatters
The persona feels that the night time makes everything seem better than it really is.

In the night, no control
The persona feels as though they have no control over any situation that takes place in the night.

Through the wall something's breaking
The persona can hear something breaking through a wall.

Wearing white as you're walkin'
The persona is referring to a person who is walking while wearing white clothing.

Down the street of my soul
The person is walking down a figurative road inside the persona’s mind.

You take my self, you take my self control
The persona feels as though someone else has control over them.

You got me livin' only for the night
The persona feels as though their life only really matters during the night.

Before the morning comes, the story's told
The persona feels as though whatever happens during the night determines the outcome of the following day.

Another night, another day goes by
The persona feels as though each day passes without much significance.

I never stop myself to wonder why
The persona doesn't question why they feel this way about the night.

You help me to forget to play my role
The persona feels as though the person they are referring to keeps them from acting like they should.

I, I live among the creatures of the night
The persona feels as though they are in the company of people who only come alive at night.

I haven't got the will to try and fight
The persona doesn't feel the need to resist the attraction of the night.

Against a new tomorrow, so I guess I'll just believe it
The persona doesn’t feel the need to worry about what the next day brings.

That tomorrow never comes
The persona feels as though the next day will never really arrive.

A safe night, I'm living in the forest of my dream
The persona feels like they are in a dream that keeps them safe.

I know the night is not as it would seem
The persona is aware that the night time can be deceptive.

I must believe in something, so I'll make myself believe it
The persona feels the need to believe in something to make their life seem more worthwhile.

That this night will never go
The persona hopes that the enjoyable night they are experiencing never ends.

You take my self, you take my self control
Reiteration of a previous line.