Popular Italian singer-songwriter Raf (stage name of Raffaele Riefoli) continues to have a successful recording career. His latest studio album Numeri, a Sony BMG production, has been released on May of this year. It has been the most downloaded album in iTunes for a week and a  stable Top 10 Italian Album since then. He’s currently on a tour in several italian cities ending on October 9th.
Undoubtely, the biggest success Raf has enjoyed was actually from his very first single, back in 1984, Self control, from the same name album.  A pop-dance tunes, sung in English language, that was a huge hit (and of course, a n.1 single) not only in Italy but also in Austria, Switzerland, Germany and also in France, where it made into the Top 40.
“Self Control” was also recorded and released contemporaneously by American singer Laura Branigan, whose version was released as the first single off her 1984 album, also titled “Self control”,  became a worldwide success,  reaching the n.4 spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 and n.2 in the dance chart.
The song narrates the singer’s slip into the nightlife’s world, deeming himself to live “among the creatures of the night”. The singer is not actually invoking control over himself, instead, he repeatedly reveals to an imaginary character that “you take my self, you take my self-control”.



Lyrics

Oh the night is my world
city life painted girls
in a day nothing matters
it’s the night time that flatters
Oh the night no control
through the wall something breakin’
wearin’ white as you’re walkin’
down the streets 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’re makin’ me forget to play my role
you take my self, you take my self control.

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 just believe it that this night will never go
night, I’m livin’ in a moment of a dream
Iknow that life is not as it would seem
I must believe in something
so i make myself believin’ that this night will never go

Oh the night is my world
city life painted girls
in a day nothing matters
it’s the night time that flatters

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’re makin’ me forget to play my role
you take my self, you take my self control.

I said 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 just believe it that tomorrow never knows