The 10 Songs We NEED To Hear At Cyndi Lauper's Upcoming Shows
Monday, 24 June 2024
Written by Jack Butler-Terry
Photo: Ruven Afanador
For more than 40 years, Cyndi Lauper’s idiosyncratic sense of cool has maintained her spot as one of pop’s most unique figureheads. With a voice you could pick out of a 1000-person choir and a body of work that boasts iconic singles, global-hit musicals and needle drops in cinema classics, she recently announced that her forthcoming tour would be her last as she hangs up the mic (bar the occasional hometown show, maybe). So, with just a handful of opportunities remaining to see her live — including a slot at this weekend’s Glastonbury Festival and a newly announced European tour next February — we have rounded up the 10 songs we NEED to hear at her upcoming Royal Albert Hall show and beyond.
Girls Just Want to Have Fun
It’s impossible to talk about Cyndi without thinking of the song that catapulted her to international superstardom. Girls Just Want to Have Fun went to number one in no less than 12 countries around the world, is 18x platinum globally, was nominated for two Grammys and remains a massive feminist anthem.
True Colors
After the success of ‘She’s So Unusual’, it seemed inevitable that a second album would struggle to match her debut, but when Lauper dropped True Colors as the lead single in 1986, all those concerns were put to bed. Once again showing off her powerhouse vocal abilities, the song topped the Billboard charts and has become a gay anthem — it also lends its name to Lauper’s foundation, set up to help LGBTQ+ youth who are experiencing homelessness.
She Bop
Although it may seem tame by today’s standards, She Bop was practically the WAP of 1983. So risque were the lyrics that they were a major reason behind the advent of the Parental Advisory warning, but it remains an incredibly catchy track and a fan favourite that set the tone for a career of outspoken fearlessness.
Time After Time
One of London’s most acclaimed music halls deserves one of pop’s greatest ever love songs. If Girls Just Want to Have Fun introduced the world to Cyndi Lauper, Time After Time peeled back the layers of eccentricity to show the raw emotion and power she is capable of. Often imitated but never bettered, it’s the perfect representation of everything that Cyndi was and continues to be.
At Last
Never one to sit still and settle, Lauper has made a habit of trying (and conquering) all sorts of genres. Through the dance of Bring Ya To The Brink, the blues of Memphis Blues and country and western of Detour, it’s her jazz covers album ‘At Last’ that really displayed her prowess, and the title track is a prime cut of scintillating, sensual excellence.
Money Changes Everything
Lauper has always loved a cover version, paying homage to everybody from Prince to Marvin Gaye over the years, but it’s her version of The Brains’ Money Changes Everything that stands out as one of her best. Bringing a far more tender spin to the song without losing any of the energy of the original, Lauper well and truly put her stamp on this one.
Sally’s Pigeons
By 1993, Cyndi Lauper was on top of the world, so when she stripped everything back for the hauntingly minimalist Sally’s Pigeons, it served as a reminder of what a fantastic storyteller and songwriter she is. Delicate, vulnerable and heaped in sadness and longing, the song is a mark of her ability and willingness to just be herself.
The Goonies R’ Good Enough
When Steven Spielberg calls you up and asks you to be the musical director for his upcoming movie, you say yes. That’s exactly what happened to Lauper ahead of 1985 classic The Goonies, a film in which she made a cameo appearance as herself, performing this track that captures all the fun and adventure of the film.
I Drove All Night
The 1980s seemingly has a monopoly on power ballads, but when you’ve got the likes of Lauper belting out I Drove All Night, it should come as no surprise. Originally written for Roy Orbison, Lauper’s rendition garnered a Grammy nomination and became yet another top 10 hit on both sides of the Atlantic.
Sisters Of Avalon
By 1996, the music landscape had shifted drastically from Lauper’s early days, but never one to be deterred, she moved with the times to release the atmospheric and complex Sisters Of Avalon. The track seemed to ride the wave caused by Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill the year before, but was still so distinctly Cyndi Lauper that it has become an essential cut.
Tickets for Cyndi Lauper's farewell tour — including UK arena shows in Glasgow, Manchester, London, Birmingham and Belfast — are on sale at 10am on June 28.
Cyndi Lauper Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Wed June 26 2024 - LONDON Royal Albert Hall
Fri October 18 2024 - MONTREAL Quebec - Centre Bell (Canada)
Sun October 20 2024 - TORONTO Ontario - Scotiabank Arena (Canada)
Thu October 24 2024 - DETROIT Michigan - Fox Theatre - Detroit (USA)
Sat October 26 2024 - BOSTON Massachusetts - MGM Music Hall at Fenway Park (USA)
Sun October 27 2024 - WASHINGTON District Of Columbia - Capital One Arena (USA)
Wed October 30 2024 - NEW YORK New York - Madison Square Garden (USA)
Fri November 01 2024 - NASHVILLE Tennessee - Bridgestone Arena (USA)
Sun November 03 2024 - COLUMBUS Ohio - Value City Arena at The Schottenstein Center (USA)
Wed November 06 2024 - TAMPA Florida - Amalie Arena (USA)
Fri November 08 2024 - HOLLYWOOD Florida - Hard Rock Live At The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino - Hollywood (USA)
Sun November 10 2024 - ATLANTA Georgia - State Farm Arena - GA (USA)
Tue November 12 2024 - DALLAS Texas - American Airlines Center (USA)
Thu November 14 2024 - AUSTIN Texas - Moody Center ATX (USA)
Sat November 16 2024 - HOUSTON Texas - Toyota Center - TX (USA)
Tue November 19 2024 - PHOENIX Arizona - Footprint Center (USA)
Wed November 20 2024 - SAN DIEGO California - Viejas Arena At Aztec Bowl (USA)
Sat November 23 2024 - LOS ANGELES California - Intuit Dome (USA)
Sun November 24 2024 - PALM SPRINGS California - Acrisure Arena (USA)
Tue November 26 2024 - SAN FRANCISCO California - Chase Center (USA)
Sat November 30 2024 - PORTLAND Oregon - Moda Center at the Rose Quarter (USA)
Sun December 01 2024 - SEATTLE Washington - Climate Pledge Arena (USA)
Wed December 04 2024 - MINNEAPOLIS Minnesota - Target Center (USA)
Thu December 05 2024 - CHICAGO Illinois - United Center (USA)
Sat February 08 2025 - GLASGOW OVO Hydro [NEW]
Sun February 09 2025 - MANCHESTER Co Op Live [NEW]
Tue February 11 2025 - LONDON O2 [NEW]
Fri February 14 2025 - BIRMINGHAM BP Pulse Live [NEW]
Sun February 16 2025 - BELFAST SSE Arena Belfast [NEW]
Wed February 19 2025 - BUDAPEST Sportarena (Hungary) [NEW]
Fri February 21 2025 - LODZ Atlas Arena (Poland) [NEW]
Sun February 23 2025 - PRAGUE O2 Arena (Czech Republic) [NEW]
Tue February 25 2025 - BERLIN Uber Arena (Germany) [NEW]
Wed February 26 2025 - DUSSELDORF PSD Bank Dome (Germany) [NEW]
Fri February 28 2025 - PARIS Accor Arena (France) [NEW]
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