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On June 12, 2019, the St. Louis Blues made franchise history when they won the Stanley Cup, beating the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the ice hockey championship in Boston.
Just after the buzzer sounded, St. Louis fans celebrated their unlikely triumph with the most unlikely of anthems: the 1982 pop song, “Gloria.”
Yes, “Gloria,” the decades-old Top Ten hit single by Laura Branigan.
The story of the Blues’ wild ride from last to first place over the course of a season, and the supporting role “Gloria” played, has since become the stuff of legend.
It all started when Blues players heard the tune played at a Philadelphia bar. They adopted “Gloria” as a victory song and, soon enough, started winning.
In many ways, the singer and the team shared similar journeys. They were both underrated but persevered, achieving greatness and a special place in history.
“She's one of the best singers I ever worked with.” Award-winning songwriter Diane Warren wrote the lyrics to Laura Branigan’s next big hit, “Solitaire.” She described Branigan’s voice to Mo Rocca: “It was ballsy and it had power and it had passion.”
Naturally, St. Louis fans held out hope that Branigan, herself, would travel to St. Louis to perform at a game, but there was a problem: Laura Branigan had died in her sleep in 2004.
In this week’s podcast episode of “Mobituaries,” Mo Rocca talks to the people who knew Branigan best, exploring the story of this beloved singer who helped bring a sports team back to life. Rocca shares rare interviews with Branigan’s family, friends, and the loyal fans who continue to keep her legacy alive.