It would have been a May-December romance, but every time I hear Laura Branigan’s “Gloria”, who sadly died in 2004, I think “I missed the chance to be with my soulmate”.
Does that mean you like the song?
That is a damn good song, actually.
Gloria died in 2004?
My favorite song of hers was “Self Control,” but “Gloria” is top notch.
I think I need to hear more about this story.
The OP does accidentally make it sound like the song died in 2004 
But Laura Branigan did die at only 52, apparently from an aneurysm that had gone undetected.
Here is the original version released in 1979 by Italian singer Umberto Tozzi, who is very much alive. 
Oh, I liked Laura Branigan, as well. Awesome voice! So sad that she died young…
I’m glad the OP brought up this awesome blast from the past. However I have no idea where the interpretation comes from (not saying it’s “wrong” by any means.). Jim Peeples, can you expound?
I always picture a modern day Blanche DuBois type . A fading beauty who is a bit delusional about her prospects. She see’s herself as the belle of the (disco) ball and doesn’t realize that people are starting to tire of her schtick. She always strikes me as quite tragic.
Yes, agreed. The song works. I remember it burning into my teenaged brain - her vocal uses the words so well to punctuate and sell a feeling - GLOR-ia. I think I got your NUMber. I think I got the ALIas, that you’ve been living UNder! Just works together so well. I don’t have to know exactly what it means, dammit.
Wait, now I think I get it. **Jim Peeple’s **had a crush on LB, thus, she could have been his soul mate, despite her being older. Or a crush on Gloria herself? Reading for comprehension is clearly not my super power today :smack:
Yeah, I think the OP is just saying that hearing “Gloria” reminds him of Laura Branigan, who he thought was hot (as did I), though she was quite a bit older than him. The “May-December romance” thing is just a somewhat classier way of saying that.
I’m sad reading this thread, as I didn’t realize that Laura Branigan had died.
LB’s singing. I have no idea what the song is about. (It takes great effort for me to process the lyrics of some songs.)
Just as an aside, I saw Laura in **Love, Janis ******on Broadway and she was amazing.
I just watched the video for that. Seems like it would be ripe for the “literal video” treatment.
I was like 10 when “Self Control” came out and the video totally disturbed me. (Why would she have sexytime with some random masked man? The hell is wrong with her?)
I didn’t know that she also did “Gloria”, which I used to rollerskate to. Sad to hear that she passed so young.
I remember hearing about Laura Branigan’s passing the day it happened. I must’ve been the only one, though, because in all the years since then, everyone that I’ve mentioned her in passing to has been surprised to learn she had died years ago.
Of course, the classic literal video is Bonnie Tyler’s Total Eclipse of the Heart. Was there something about '80s music that favored powerfully-voiced altos, or was it just those two?
Pat Benatar?? I suppose she’s more of a mezzo-soprano.