Honestly, most people think they know the Cyndi Lauper song list inside out. You’ve got the neon-soaked anthem for girls who just want to have fun, the tear-jerking sincerity of "Time After Time," and maybe—if you’re a real fan—the driving beat of "She Bop." But if you stop there, you're basically leaving half the cake on the table. Cyndi’s career isn't just a 1980s time capsule; it’s a weird, wild, and deeply emotional journey through punk, blues, dance, and even Broadway.
She’s a powerhouse. Her voice? It covers four octaves. That’s not a typo. When she hits those high notes in "Money Changes Everything," she’s doing things most pop stars today wouldn't even attempt without a mountain of pitch correction.
The debut that broke every rule in the book
When She’s So Unusual dropped in 1983, it didn't just sell well. It made history. Cyndi became the first woman to ever land four top-five hits from a single debut album on the Billboard Hot 100. It's kinda wild to think about now, but the industry didn't see her coming.
The Heavy Hitters:
- Girls Just Want to Have Fun: Originally written by Robert Hazard from a male perspective (and it was kinda gross), Cyndi flipped the script and turned it into a feminist rallying cry.
- Time After Time: Co-written with Rob Hyman of The Hooters. Fun fact: The title came from a 1979 science fiction movie she saw in TV Guide.
- She Bop: A song about... well, self-pleasure. It was controversial enough to land on the Parents Music Resource Center’s "Filthy Fifteen" list.
- All Through the Night: A cover of a Jules Shear song that she made entirely her own.
Most people forget about "When You Were Mine." It’s a Prince cover. Prince! She took a Minneapolis funk-rock track and turned it into a synth-pop masterpiece that still sounds fresh in 2026. If you haven't listened to the original 1983 recording of "Money Changes Everything" lately, go do that. The raw energy in her voice is practically vibrating.
Why the True Colors era was more than just a ballad
By 1986, everyone wanted to know if she could do it again. The "sophomore slump" is a real thing, but Cyndi just leaned harder into her own skin. True Colors wasn't just a song; it became a global anthem for the LGBTQ+ community. Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly wrote it, but Cyndi stripped it down to its bones.
She actually co-wrote most of that second album. "Change of Heart" is a perfect example of her pop sensibilities, featuring backing vocals from The Bangles. Then there’s "Boy Blue," a song written for a friend she lost to the AIDS crisis. It’s heavy. It’s real. It shows a side of the Cyndi Lauper song list that isn't just about fun and games.
The deep cuts you need to hear
If you really want to understand her range, you have to look at the stuff that didn't necessarily top the charts.
Sally’s Pigeons (1993): Co-written with Mary Chapin Carpenter. It tells a devastating story about a childhood friend who died from a back-alley abortion. It’s quiet, haunting, and incredibly brave for a pop star to release as a single.
I Drove All Night (1989): Originally recorded by Roy Orbison, Cyndi released her version first. It’s a vocal powerhouse performance that honestly deserves more credit than it gets.
Hat Full of Stars (1993): The whole album is a masterpiece of storytelling. It’s darker. It’s more acoustic. It deals with racism, domestic violence, and personal identity. Songs like "Who Let In The Rain" show a vulnerability that makes your chest ache.
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Cyndi Lauper’s surprise transformations
Did you know she has a blues album? In 2010, she released Memphis Blues. It wasn't just a vanity project. It stayed at number one on the Billboard Blues Albums chart for 13 weeks. She wasn't just "playing" blues; she was living it, collaborating with legends like B.B. King and Allen Toussaint.
Then there’s the whole Broadway chapter. Most artists try to write a musical and fail. Cyndi wrote Kinky Boots and won a Tony for Best Original Score. She was the first woman to win that category solo. Songs like "Not My Father’s Son" are just as iconic as any of her 80s hits, just in a different setting.
The Cyndi Lauper song list: A quick reference for the curious
To make sense of the sheer volume of music she's put out, it helps to see how the styles shifted over the decades.
The New Wave/Pop Peak (1983–1989)
This is the era of She's So Unusual, True Colors, and A Night to Remember. You've got "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough" (which she actually hated for years) and "Heading West."
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The Experimental/Socially Conscious Years (1993–1997)
Albums like Hat Full of Stars and Sisters of Avalon. This is where she started mixing in world music, trip-hop, and deep social commentary. Tracks like "Ballad of Cleo and Joe" were way ahead of their time, exploring the life of a drag queen.
The Dance and Cover Era (2001–2008)
She went full electronic with Bring Ya to the Brink. If you like club music, "Into the Nightlife" and "Same Ol' Story" are absolute bangers. She also did At Last, an album of jazz standards that proves her voice can do literally anything.
The Genre-Bending Later Years (2010–Present)
The blues of Memphis Blues and the country twang of Detour (2016). In 2023, she teamed up with Dolly Parton, Debbie Harry, Belinda Carlisle, and Gloria Estefan for "Gonna Be You." It's like a superhero team-up of legendary vocalists.
What most people get wrong about Cyndi
There’s this weird misconception that she was just a "wacky" version of Madonna. That couldn't be further from the truth. While Madonna was about image and reinvention, Cyndi was always about the voice and the heart. She’s a musician’s musician.
She wrote or co-wrote songs for other people too. "Code of Silence" for Billy Joel? That was her. She also helped write "Unconditional Love" for Susanna Hoffs. Her DNA is all over the history of pop music, even when her name isn't on the front of the single.
Essential tracks for your next playlist
If you’re building a definitive Cyndi Lauper playlist, don't just stick to the Greatest Hits. Mix it up.
- Money Changes Everything (Live Version): The energy is unmatched.
- Sisters of Avalon: For those 90s alternative vibes.
- Right Track, Wrong Train: A rare B-side from the "Girls" single that’s pure 80s gold.
- I’m Gonna Be Strong: Originally by Gene Pitney, her cover with her early band Blue Angel (and later as a solo artist) features a final note that will blow your hair back.
- Above the Clouds: A collaboration with the late, great Jeff Beck.
Taking your fandom to the next level
If you really want to dive deep into the Cyndi Lauper song list, start with the album The Body Acoustic. It’s a collection of her hits reimagined with acoustic instruments and guest stars like Sarah McLachlan and Adam Lazzara. It strips away the 80s production and lets you hear the songwriting for what it actually is: timeless.
Check out the 2024 documentary Let the Canary Sing if you haven't. It gives a lot of context to why she chose certain songs and the battles she fought with record labels to keep her "unusual" edge.
Go listen to Hat Full of Stars from start to finish. It’s the hidden gem of her discography and will probably change how you think about her as an artist.