Manager for Late Singer Laura Branigan Vehemently Opposes Use of Song “Gloria” as Video Captures Bad Optics for Trump Family During U.S. Capitol Siege

Party atmosphere in a heated tent in the Ellipse, just south of the White House South Lawn and about 1.5 miles northwest of the U.S. Capitol, as a crowd moves to storm Capitol Hill (video apparently archived from a selfie video by Donald Trump, Jr.).

Bad optics for the Trump family as Donald Trump, Jr. took a selfie video in a heated tent where there was a party atmosphere just before the siege at the U.S. Capitol. Former Fox News personality and girlfriend of Donald Trump, Jr., Kimberly Guilfoyle, was wearing exaggerated black eye makeup with long false eyelashes while dancing to the 80s hit “Gloria” by Laura Branigan. Guilfoyle is later heard saying, “Time to do the right thing, fight.” Guilfoyle, also a former Assistant District Attorney out of San Francisco, was once married to then San Francisco city supervisor Gavin Newsom, who is now infamous as the social liberal Governor of California with questionable handling of the COVID-19 pandemic while California has reported some of the worst COVID-19 statistics and horror stories in the United States. He is known for doling out harsh stay-at-home mandates, capricious control over business operations and closures while hypocritically attending a birthday party for a lobbyist and friend at the Michelin 3-star restaurant “The French Laundry.” More than three families were in attendance, despite his COVID-19 pandemic guidelines limiting private gatherings to only three households.

On stage at the Trump rally before the riot, Trump told the crowd he would be walking with them to the U.S. Capitol, but that was not a true statement. He remained in the heated tent as the crowd of Trump supporters and at least a few ANTIFA members and other leftist bad actors likely infiltrated the crowd as they progressed toward the U.S. Capitol (FBI as of Jan. 8 says no evidence of ANITFA at siege/The Hill). In the tent, a District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department ambulance was also observed moving into position — as captured on one of several flat screen displays carrying multiple views of Washington D.C. with Laura Branigan’s “Gloria” still playing in the background.

Kathy Golik, Branigan’s Legacy Manager Tweeted: “No permission to use “Gloria,” nor endorsement of him, past or present, was granted to Pres. Trump on behalf of Laura or her legacy management company, & we strongly & vehemently DO NOT condone yesterday’s events at the Capitol.”

Italian pop and rock singer and composer Umberto Tozzi co-wrote “Gloria” and recorded it first in 1979 as a love song that became an international hit in 1979 and 1980. The 1979 song was originally written and composed in Italian by Umberto Tozzi and Giancarlo Bigazzi, and later translated to English by Jonathan King. Lyrics were added, to a 1982 the English cover version by American singer Laura Branigan. Branigan’s version sold over two million singles in the United States. The song and melody are the same, but new English lyrics were written with a new music arrangement. Laura Branigan died in her sleep from a brain aneurysm on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 after experiencing headaches for several weeks.

The NHL St. Louis Blues began using Branigan’s cover version of “Gloria” as its unofficial victory song during their record 11-game winning streak in the 2018–19 season. A few Blues players became familiar with the song when they visited “Jacks NYB” a private bar in South Philadelphia (NHL Philadelphia Flyers territory), to watch the “Double Doink” NFL Wild Card game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears on January 6, 2019. Following chants of “Let’s Go Flyers,” someone in the private club requested that DJ Matt Cella play Branigan’s “Gloria” and Cella played “Gloria” during every commercial break of the televised NFL game. The song was catchy for the Blues players, and when they won the next day, they chose “Gloria” as their win song.

That night the Philadelphia Eagles edged the Chicago Bears 16-15 in Chicago after kicker Cody Parkey missed a 43-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining in the NFC wild card playoff game. The kick hit the left upright and ricocheted to the crossbar and down to the turf without going through before stunned Bears players and fans. Parkey made a good kick on the previous snap, but the Philadelphia Eagles had called timeout. The second kick was tipped by Eagles defensive tackle Treyvon Hester, and the kick was ruled a blocked field goal.

“Oh my goodness, the Bears’ season is going to end on a double doink”.

— NBC’s Chris Collinsworth

Parkey got into trouble for appearing on an interview on NBC’s Today Show without clearance from the Chicago Bears front office. On February 22, 2019, the Bears announced Parkey would be released at the start of the next league year. In his first year with the Chicago Bears in 2018, Parkey, 23 for 30 on field goals, was released from his four-year contract with $3.5 million guaranteed and remaining on his contract. He was officially released on March 13, 2019.

Donald J. Trump had previously used the song “Gloria” without permission and against the wishes of the Laura Branigan estate, but since the song is not being used for income for a music-only event, there is uncertainty whether the use of the song can bring awarded damages from a lawsuit.

See also …

AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno | ‘Play Gloria!’ Blues Celebration Song Has Philly Bar Origins

Pro Football Reference | Cody Parkey

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You’re watching the official music video for Laura Branigan – “Gloria” from the album ‘Branigan’ (1982). This cover of Umberto Tozzi’s Italian song “Gloria” reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 36 weeks on the chart, setting a new record for a single by a solo female act at the time (Rhino Records).