Cyndi Lauper “She’s So Unusual” 1983. Today, June 22nd, is Cyndi Lauper’s 70th birthday (b. 1953). Her debut LP turns 40 in just a couple of months (October 14) and it still sounds fresh and amazing. The arty synthpop record hit #4 in the US and went to #16 in the UK; it was nominated for six Grammys and won two for Best Recording Package and Best New Artist. In 2019 the Library of Congress entered the record into the National Recording Registry in 2019.

I still really love most of this entire record, my copy purchased (or given to me, can’t remember) in either late ’83 or early ’84 – I was a huge fan of hers back then and definitely tried to replicate some of her outfits and dance moves as a preteen in the early 80’s. I love most of the singles: she released six (that’s a lot!!) including the iconic “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” which made it into the Top 10 virtually everywhere though just to #2 in the US and UK (Van Halen’s “Jump” prevented the #1 spot – which is understandable, I loved that song and clearly everyone else did as well). That track also earned MTV’s Best Female Video award. I also really love the ballad “Time After Time” which became her first #1 hit (US) and still do – and I am not usually a ballad fan at all but this one is so sad, sweet and beautiful. “She Bop” (#3 US, #46 UK) is still funny though I’m pretty sure I had no clue as a 12 year old about its sexual connotations, I probably thought it was about dancing. “All Through the Night” is a cover of a song originally by Jules Shear and occupies a tempo somewhere between ballad and dance-pop; it’s lovely with glittering synths and went to #5 in the US. Her fifth single, “Money Changes Everything” is actually one track I’m not particularly fond of: it’s another cover, originally by the Brains in 1978, and Lauper’s hard-edge on this track is just a bit off-putting for me; her version hit #27 in the US. Her final single (Canada and Japan only), “When You Were Mine” is yet another cover though since Prince wrote it and included it on his 1980 LP Dirty Mind it is, of course, damn near perfect.