She's So Unusual

Classic 80s sounds. Overall it’s a great album.

So many iconic songs on this album.

I guess I need to admit I’m a child of the 80s cause I enjoyed this more than I expected. I had know idea all of her hits were on the same album. Or at least it seemed like it. Such a different voice. On one song it did annoy me but that’s it. Would listen again.

Really good!

# Playlist track - I'll kiss you # Notes - Listening to "Girls just wanna have fun" at home, with good speakers is really interesting. There are some interesting instrumentals that are lost when the song is blared in shitty speakers late at night in a disco club. - Very interesting range here. I like the SKA guitars on "Witness" and the synths on "I'll Kiss You" very much. - Super fun album 6/7 stars.

I have been so disappointed by the Madonna albums on this list since I only knew the hits, but even only knowing the hits from this Cyndi Lauper album, this album is everything I want and expect from an 80s pop icon. Cyndi should have been bigger and Madonna doesn't deserve her rep, at least not based on the albums on this list.

Best line: “suitcase of mammaries”

Favourite song - Money changes everything

Wow, this goes harder than I expected. For 80s pop this is really ahead of its time, it's nowhere near as cheesy and annoying as a lot of the other pop music from this era. Her lyrics are inventive, break gender stereotypes, and all sorts of less conventional instruments make really tasteful appearences at some points. Some moments are still a bit too bubblegum pop for my liking, but they are few and far between, and barely take away from the listening experience.

Bombastic with incredible production. Cyndi never reached these heights again, but when she did it was great fun.

I was not expecting to know as many songs as I did on this. Truly a great record packed with hits from the 80s.

Cyndi Lauper is amazing. What a great album. Great record cover too. Gets a bit silly towards the end, but there's plenty of bangers up front!

What a bop Goonies never say die

4-

A bit like Duran Duran, this used the great 80s formula where you write a rock album but play the riffs on synth and funk bass instead of a guitar. Loads of great songs, particularly like she bop, Jamie Lenman does a good cover. I think it could be a five if Cyndi's voice wasn't so grating. It sounds like she's trying so hard to sound cute and different and it gets on my nerves. It is quite iconic though, particularly on girls just want to have fun, maybe if she just toned it down a bit. By and large though the music makes up for the singing style, really enjoyed it.

Good fun, this album. Cyndi Lauper has a great voice and is backed by pulsing pop-rock tunes, including a cover of the brilliant Prince's If You Were Mine

Great little pop album. I never listen to this whole thing through and it’s actually pretty good even now it still sounds good.

Girls Just Want To Have Fun is appropriately joyful, if overplayed, but the melancholy Time After Time and sparkling All Through the Night are the real winners here. The rest of the record keeps the energy levels high and the synths drive the low end. Analogue never sounded better.

Having known only the two big singles from this prior I found this album to be a pleasant surprise! Very poppy take on new wave, with enough charisma, personality and weirdness to carry it through and make for a really enjoyable listen. "She Bop" enters the great canon of songs about masturbation, "Witness" isn't a particularly great song but I appreciate the presence of a weird poppy dub experiment. Happy to further flesh out a little bit of my 80's pop knowledge.

Great discovery

Very encapsulating of the 80s.

Damn this is a good album. Still holds up pretty well despite obviously being 80’s. Girls…, Time After Time, She Bop, all classics! Production’s good too! 4/5

Didn’t know what to expect and went in blind. Was met with multiple hits that everyone has heard before. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and Time After Time have both been played in movies and other forms of media throughout my life. Fun to see where they come from. I had no clue they were from the same person let alone who that person was. Another great example of the type of album I would want to be on the list.

This feels like the sound track to Weird Barbie's life. A couple of major hits on here and the rest aren't bad either.

At her very best

really fun

Fun and excited, great album to listen to if you have a lot of energy, Cyndi’s voice is unique imo and it helps carry this quirky album. 3.5

So many bangers on this one! Crazy, even if it's not quite your favorite music style.

Incredibly iconic 80's vibes

Ikay yeah

Girlie pop eta was so good

Slammin

Just really fun 80s pop whats not to like

Lauper? Don't even know 'er! Gotta change that though because holy shit this slaps! Biggest surprise of this project so far.

It's not that I'm unfamiliar with Cyndi Lauper, I've just never listened to a full album of her's before now. I've got to say: I was in to it the whole time! I had no idea so many classic hits all came from this, her first solo album. Pretty awesome! The album is well deserved to be on this list. It's fun, catchy, and upbeat.

Fun!

Never listened to any Cyndi Lauper besides "Girls just wanna have fun". Wow, how did I not know she sings "Time after Time". this is a good album. Definition of 80s throughout this album.

This album defined pop in the ‘80s, albeit not being quite as big through time as some of her contemporaries

One of those artists who made classic songs I knew but didn’t know her name until now.

Amazing her debut album had so many hits. For sure inspired many teens at the time to rebel haha

Solid album with timeless bangers. 4/5

Great, quirky synth pop informed by post punk.

It takes a few tracks for this to find solid footing, but when it does, it's a solid '80s record. Cyndi is obviously super well known for Girls Just Want to Have Fun but that's actually one of the weaker tracks here. That's not to say it isn't good, but she shines so much more on the weirder, quirkier tracks like She Bop, I'll Kiss You, or Yeah Yeah, and the more emotional numbers like Time After Time. She's definitely unusual, she's weird, fun, and playful, and it's all reflected in her music. This was a really fun record, overflowing with infectious '80s joy. Quintessential listening if you're a fan of the era.

certified hood classic

Near pop perfection. <3

Some HOF 80s cuts. You know the ones, but don't sleep on Money Changes Everything...

4/5 awesome pop record with all time classics

super fun and enjoyable album - really just brings a smile to your face to hear the dated yet still entertaining 80s pop sound that we associate with Cyndi Lauper

Girls do just wanna have fun.

Could Cyndi Lauper be as big in 2024? I don't know, because the industry has changed. But she combined musicianship and fun to create some excellent music. Plus, anyone who partners with Captain Lou Albano is all right in my book.

... Long time ago.... Still nice to hear

Good one. Many Hits.

It should be a bad sign that I prefer the covers over the original material but I can’t deny how fun this project is overall.

Girls just wanna have fun is such a good song, the rest of the album was not bad too

Very fun album, cool vibe. I'd listen to this to just have fun. She also has really satisfying vocals, obviously. It also has some motifs, which is cool.

Upbeat 80’s fun!

Cool

I've known Cyndi's singles basically my whole life, but I never got around to listening to the full albums. She's an iconic badass, so I'm excited to delve into her work more. Cyndi's one of those artists whose voice is so unique that you probably either love her or hate her, with little in between. She's very talented vocally, but she can also kind of sound like a drunk toddler sometimes (If you remember the old Will Ferrell sketches, I like to imagine she's who Pearl the drunk landlord grows up to be). The opening track sounds like it could be a Tom Petty song. So far so good. "When You Were Mine" — I didn't realize Prince had written a song for her. It's got a cool Prince meets The Cure meets Devo vibe to it. I like how her voice is kind of subdued and deeper in the mix during the verses and then gets showcased in the chorus. "She Bop" might be my favorite of the singles — partly because it's not as overplayed as the others, but also because of the guts it probably took to put this song out at the time as a female artist. It's also a banger (pun intended?). I honestly thought Cyndi's voice would start to get on my nerves after a while, but that didn't really happen (the spoken parts in the background of closing track "Yeah Yeah" are a little annoying, but not enough to ruin the song). This album has a lot of classic new wave sounds but there's enough funky variety that it doesn't get boring. It's something fans of bands like the B-52s and Oingo Boingo would like. Fans of No Doubt and Carly Rae Jepsen would probably enjoy it too. 4/5

This record is good, but I feel like it's only really good because of the hits. They are good enough to lift up the mediocre songs. If this was out of 10 I'd give it an 8.5. Some of the record feels like someone got a hold of a few synths and just tried to squeeze every single patch onto the record, which makes it sound a bit disjointed but also super fun.

There is a serious lack of female artists on this list. It’s nice to get a little diversity and you could do far worse than Cyndi Lauper. Never listened to this album before but I really liked it. It’s funny to think that she ever could have been controversial. She really has been a pioneer for pop culture. Truly influential. This album spoke to the theatre student in me.

Really fun album, i enjoyed listening to it. Song 9 was an... unusual addition, it felt a little out of place i guess but it seems like the kind of thing that would grow on me over time.

A big dose of the 1980's! Fun stuff. I was sure I was going to give this one a solid 4 stars, but then Cindi lost me a little towards the middle/end. She finished it off with some good fun though, so...

Being a teenager in the 80s this era of music always brings back memories.

a fun listen!

This was a really good album with a bunch of great songs. Cyndi has an incredible voice and the sound of the backing music is ver 80s synth. Because Girls just want to have fun has been played on adverts ad nauseum and it's a great song, can't tell if I like it anymore or not

It's crazy to think she was only 20 when this was released. While our pop music today still showcases talent, they just don't have the same amount of character as Cyndi.

I enjoyed this one a lot more than I thought I would. Time After Time and She Bop added to the library.

That's an unusual surprise to discover that the two most famous songs from the album are actually the least interesting ones

01) Money Changes Everything - 7,5 02) Girls Just Want To Have Fun - 10,0 03) When You Were Mine - 7,5 04) Time After Time - 10,0 05) She Bop - 10,0 06) All Through the Night - 9,5 07) Witness - 8,0 08) I'll Kiss You - 7,5 09) He's So Unusual - 6,0 10) Yeah Yeah - 7,5 TOTAL: 8,35 (84/100) Ah, 80's pop. 4 great songs, 5 nice songs and one filler song we could do without. I was only five when this album came out but I too do have a memory to share: It was summer 1996, the school was about to end, I was in a class, sitting next to the open window, it was a beautiful day. A car went by and "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" was blasting out. Me and my friend sitting next to me looked at each other and started singing. Since than, every time I hear that song I remember her smile, that moment of pure happiness in combination of school ending and the beginning of the last innocent summer... And it feels like I'm 18 again...

Really rather marvellous

This album is token 1980s era albeit with a rebellious pop sort of sound. The pop elements are rough and seemingly without refinement, with Lauper's vocal range being purposely strained at times. In a way this almost comes off as being punk, but then musically, the music is indeed too refined. This contrast works in her favor, where there is pop, but then there is Cyndi Lauper. True to the 80s era, the album has no shortage of ballads with "Time After Time" and "All Through the Night". Ballads and songs of love and angst are sorely missed. So where does this fall as being an album that one should hear before their demise? It makes sense. The 80s had a very pronounced uniformity in music that for those who grew up in it, was rather embarrassing. The change in style, music, etc. going into the 90s was practically an exodus, and it is only thirty years later that the 80s gets nostalgic appreciation, a kind where maybe society should not have been so quick to move on. It was easy to complain about Cyndi Lauper in a world where things seemed less complicated, and more petty in terms of what was happening socially and politically. In this new century however, where everything is complicated and people seem bent on going above pettiness into straight up malevolence, perhaps this look into the past could contain lessons that would be helpful towards how the future can be built.

What a fun way to say “im not like the other girls” Pop songwriting perfection and all-out performance

Some big tunes and a few far less popular that also slap. Probably a 3.5 star for me if that was possible.

8/10

Definitely a stronger first half, and the best song is a cover but it's so good you can't penalise it for that.

I was pleasantly surprised by this one! All I really knew was Girls Just Wanna Have Fun but ended up gladly giving it a second listen. Also learned that Cyndi Lauper wrote Time After Time. Plenty of good tunes and overall an enjoyable listen.

Favorites: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Time After Time. Yeah Yeah Is very interesting.

The first album I’ve gotten that I’m already very familiar with. This was one of the first records I got when I was gifted a record player back in 2020. I listened to this a lot! Pure pop goodness. It maybe peaks about halfway through, but the vibes are great from start to end. I love Cyndi’s voice so much. A true original. Time After Time will forever be an absolutely stunning song.

Great childhood memories listening to this one. Familiar with the radio released tracks, the other songs were consistent with her style, upbeat!

aight

Damn, so many hits one one album.

nothing mindblowing here, obviously i knew the hits on this one and i felt like the rest of the album was pretty in line. maybe it was a lot more novel at the time, but i think at times it comes off as a generic 80s pop record. overall, it was fun enough. not a deep record, but has its moments.

Own

One of the best 80s albums I’ve ever heard.

Reminds me of my time at the University…

Fun

A effervescent blast of 80s pop, She's So Unusual does its best at showcasing the bombastic personality of Cyndi Lauper and it mainly succeeds on that front. From the iconic Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and Time After Time to the rather excellent cover of Prince's When You Were Mine, there is plenty to get ahold of and enjoy with this. Nothing unusual to be found here. Favorites: Money Changes Everything, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, When You Were Mine, Time After Time, She Bop, Witness.

I love Cyndi Lauper style and this album. 4/5

This is a bob and a half

I remember when this album came out. Catchy tunes from a unique personality. Great album that gave us at least 4 hits. Cant tell you how many times I listened to this album while working the Sunday morning shift at KRFS.

Awesome, definitely will give another listen

Better than I was expected. Has held up after 40 years pretty well.

A side fucks incredibly hard. Not sure why the last 2 tracks needed a Betty Boop voice tho 🤷‍♂️

This album was surprisingly good. I was expecting it to be bland and boring like a lot of the previous ones suggested to me. I actually found myself enjoying a bunch of the songs on this album. Notable tracks: Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Time After Time, She Bop, All Through the Night

I’m surprised by this considering I’m not a big fan of 80s pop or Cyndi Lauper’s voice, but this is good. Like REALLY good. All killer no filler synthpop. Best song: All Through the Night

hey that’s pretty good

4/5 well that was a surprise!

Not as terrible as I feared in fact liked some of it. Best tracks "when you were mine", "She Bop" and of course, "Girls just want to have fun". The synth laden production of the era didn't drag it down too much.

Very Cyndi Lauper.

A couple of all time hits on here that tons of people will know. It’s also very specific to the 80s. It’s catchy and easy to listen to. I like it. I might not catch myself going back to it regularly but you do have to admit that Cyndi Lauper did a tremendous job of building a persona for her that started with this album. 4/5

Fun album!

Several bangers on this one from my youth. We actually have it on vinyl. It belonged to my wife's brother and it came with her in the marriage. Just a great album all the way around.

I loved listening to Cyndi Lauper as a child, but I don’t think I actually ever owned this album! And I had never listen to it all the way through. In my mind, I had written her off as light and fluffy, and not very talented. I was wrong! There are some fantastic songs on this album And she really embraces her quirky singing voice, which makes it all the more fun to listen to. Definitely more interesting than anything Madonna was doing at this time.

Album 2: 3.85 / 5 Many iconic songs, album sums up 80’s pop music really well. When You Were Mine is perfect, like I’m in a rollerblade rink with my closest friends having an absolute blast. Feel good music. Only reason it isn’t higher is due to a couple songs that are not so listenable

Poppy, nice

Her highest moment

Delightful

good 80's pop energy

Great example of early 80's pop. Fun, short, sweet.

cute

Great 80s pop.

A classic. While before my time, I saw her videos all the time on Pop Up Video Gotta say, the Dolby Atmos mix on Apple Music is not good

Cute 80’s pop sense when the pop and punk wasn’t too far from each other. There are couple of songs what I would like to cover. I think this album probably had a big influence on Madonna too.

Gotta love Cyndi en haar energie.

There’s a depth to Cyndi’s music that I wasn’t aware of coming into this album. She manages to make all of the 80s tropes sound fresh (in some way because it feels like she’s doing them more earnestly). That said, not totally my thing, but a strong album for sure.

The sound of 80's nihilistic excess or is it supposed to be ironic? Possibly a bit of both. An album built on the strength of it's singles but I enjoyed some of the deeper cuts a little more. Over the top but appealing in it's charm and eagerness.

Was Fun

Just spectacular album once you get past the hits there’s a lot of gold there

I had not heard anything outside of the singles from this album previously. The full album has a cohesive quirkiness that works well and also provides sonic context to the singles I'm familiar with.

Liked it waaay more than I thought I would

Good album. 3.5/5

I watch Todd in the Shadow’s music reviews, and for his Trainwreckord series (where he covers albums that derailed an artist’s career- think St. Anger, Van Halen III, Katy Perry’s Witness) he used Cyndi Lauper’s career as a typical example of a decline- a couple of big albums that were followed with diminishing examples. Because when you listen to her debut solo LP it’s understandable why she was comparable to Madonna- girl had hits. And taste, covering Prince before he blew up. This has some of the best songs of the 80’s and production that still holds up. I’m only reserving it from 5/A status because her voice can be a little rough. Ending with a Betty Boop impression is pretty on brand for Cyndi. Still, an easy B+

"Time after Time"

surprisingly iconic

very strong first half, excited to hear the other side. The other half was great, surprisingly thrilling.

fasza

This album from Cyndi Lauper is a great example of the synthpop and new wave music from the 80s that I enjoy. I highly recommend this album if you have similar tastes. Favorite Song(s): "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", "She Bop", "When You Were Mine"

Girls just wanna have fun maar ik had ook wel fun bij het luisteren naar dit album

Pretty good! 80’s be banging

Of course I knew who Cyndi Lauper was. You know, the vibrant, brightly coloured one who romped around in the “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” video, dyed her hair a lot, loved to “bop”, and subjected an entire generation to endless party soundtracks, film montages, fancy dress costumes. Oh, and she scored “Kinky Boots”. Oh, but how reductive I had been. Nothing prepared me for the tidal wave of charisma, confidence and musicality found in the first half of “She’s So Unusual”, her 1983 debut. The opening, “Money Changes Everything”, is a straight-up new wave stomper, originally performed by The Brains. In the hands of Lauper and her producer Rick Chertoff, it’s given the stadium-rock treatment to dazzling effect. If Springsteen or Costello had covered it this way, it would have been canonised forever. Elsewhere, “When You Were Mine” is a Prince cover which works spectacularly: mellow, wistful, tuneful, always brimming with attitude in the vocal. And no more needs to be said about “Time After Time”, “She Bop” and of course the cover of “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” which has long eclipsed the original. They’re all unmistakably 1983 (check out those sawtooth synths), but oh-so-timeless. If anything holds back “She’s So Unusual” from being a five star record with bells on, it’s some of the moments in the back half, where the production gets in the way a little too much of timeless songs. While “All Through the Night” is a gorgeous song, it’s slightly marred by a sledgehammer-load of 80’s stylings (twinkly arpeggios, heavily reverbed drums, a horrible synth solo) and overegged vocals in the chorus. On the other hand, Lauper’s hiccuping vocals in “I Kiss You” and “Yeah Yeah” are a real treat, but they don’t quite save two fairly uninteresting new-wave songs. In the middle, though, “Witness” is a good diversion. I’m going to round “She’s So Unusual” down from a 9/10, because not all of it hits to the same impact and half its best songs are fairly faithful covers after all. Above all, though, it’s just been a lot of fun to inhabit this record. Its widescreen, glistening 80s production combines with Lauper’s characterful, technicolour vocals to make a party you’ll never want to leave. Bops within bops.

This is great, but somehow it sounds like everything the Kings of Leon have made since 2010.

She’s quirky, but I love this album. I call this a “no skipper”. Every track is worth a listen. The 80s synthesizers sneak into a few songs, but the stories and sound is fun throughout! High 4

Solid album. Close to new waveish

8/10

4/5

The album opens with a New Wave classic, and its not the one about girls having fun. Money Changes Everything is brilliant, you can hear so many latter bands who were influenced by this power pop gem. The one about girls is up next, and despite it being heard a million times its a song that will outlast all of us. We slip back into the synth driven power pop with When You Were Mine, followed by the beautiful ballad Time After Time. The quality continues throughout, even if the second half isn't quite as strong as the first. A record that is pure eighties but one that has aged better than others and remains a fun companion.

Groovy

Sure, it's just a pop record from a certain time and place, but these people knew what they were doing

I never realized so many of the iconic 80s songs I know came from one place.

Great album! Girls just want to have fun

This was and will be a classic album of the times.

The whole album has the signature 80s' retro vibe to it but the different vibes scattered throughout the songs keep it refreshing and an easy listen

Great voice.

Yeah.

Sounds like the 80s in it's fullest: containing two bangers this is just an iconic album. You think of the hair, the outfits, top of the pops, this is THE 80s album. Apart from the two stand out tracks I wouldn't necessarily listen to this again just bc it's so basic. Maybe if I were around at the time I would hold a different opinion but otherwise this album didn't age well and is just mid. Still deserves a 4 tho and no one can argue that.

she may be unusual, but she can craft a great pop record. this one has solid hits, including one of the great pop songs of the 80s, “time after time”. from start to finish, this one is special. highlights: “time after time”, “she bop”, “witness”.

Good stuff from one of the Queens of the 80’s.

Girls Just Want to Have Fun and Time After Time are the only two songs I had heard from this album. The opening song Money Chnages Eveyrbting was interesting, I also really liked He’s so Unusual. Her voice and style is unique. Glad to listen to this album.

Glorious 80s pop. Great listen

pretty good. i enjoyed it

Fantastic synth pop album. There were 6 singles on this one and thought they were all great, one of my favourite tracks wasn’t one of them. I had never heard I’ll Kiss You before but it caught my attention. Only track that fell a bit flat for me was witness. Lauper’s energy and playfulness really shines thru on She’s So Unusual, this is awesome. 4 stars

4 stars because I enjoyed many of the songs. I wouldn't recommend this album to everybody in the land though. has a lot of classics drums are repetitive, as is tradition for the genre crazy to put all the good songs at the beginning of an album

Classic 80s nostalgia and fun album. Takes me back to my favorite time of the 80s.

7.0 This one surprised me a little bit. I really kind of liked this one. Very 80s, and could have been just another forgettable timepiece, but what makes this album shine and makes it worth revisiting is Lauper herself, who squeaks and yawps with abundant personality and gleeful. It has it's weak moments, strangely the first song falls into this category, but on the whole this a solid album, and I may even listen to it again someday. high praise indeed!

Fun album from start to finish imho. Nothing mind blowing or anything, but no complaints.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, When You Were Mine, Time After Time, She Bop, All Through the Night in a row really did it for me, especially the last two, and I adored I Kiss You and Yeah Yeah. Considering I just listed most of the album, very successful first time listen and super fun to really listen to the songs that largely existed as boppy background music for much of my life. Really freakin good 80’s pop if not necessarily my go-to when it comes to repeat listening.

Excellent. One of my favourite pop albums of all time,

Some great 80s pop. Fantastic voice.

Has stood the test of time, time after time.

I liked this one quite a bit. Her voice could be a bit much for me at times, but I still enjoyed it most of the time. The hits were good, and some of the deeper cuts were pretty good too, so it's a pretty solid four. My favourite songs were All Through The Night and Time After Time.

Time After Time.

What a great fun album. So many different styles of music and Cyndi's voice is so iconic and varied. Just great to listen to

Did well for me and Maggie on our drive to Elmhurst

Not usually my thing but pretty good. Some classics I didn't realise were classics

Like, it's not my style, but I can't refute the fact that there is something to it. It has an 80s sugar-pop aesthetic that doesn't speak to me personally, but this album was consistent front to back, and I can't deny that the production was solid across the board. It's not for me, but I really can't knock it. I'm going to give a 4/5, just based off how consistent it was, and how formative it was to 80s pop. It's not for me, but it IS well done.

It's fun, but also sounds kind of ephemeral. Clearly, this is some of the best 80s pop.

Solid pop, Lauper's vocals can grate after a while, but I would take it wholeheartedly over another bland traditional vocal. The same sort of idea can be applied to the rest of the record, that not everything works (like the reggae tune on there) but it is a lot more interesting than another damn 70's pop or rock album.

Classic. Made my childhood a happy one. Still get mushy inside over Time after Time and All through the night.

Bonne petite pop-rock des années 1980, très appréciable d'avoir quelque chose de différent. Vaut l'écoute au-delà des chansons connues

This is a great album. Growing up we had Cyndi's "A Night to Remember" album as a staple. This album holds up and I had multiple listens.

Pure 80s and i love it

I did not expect that to hook me like it did wow what a fun time I am a girl

love cyndi lauper

My dad bought this album for me on tape when I was 16 years old. Perfect confluence of time and place. I love every song on this album, and even though I haven’t listened to it in many years, I could still sing along to near enough every line. So many classics on one album, even though Side 2 isn’t quite as punchy. And Cyndi Lauper is a brilliantly eccentric, kooky character who still has presence. She can mix it up from upbeat and fun to melancholy ballads all with an 80s synthy vibe. I’d never thought about it before but I certainly used to dress in big net skirts and bovva boots - very Cyndi! Guess what us girls wanna do?

So, I was a fan of this album when it came out, big time. I remember dragging my friend Suzi to Hammerjacks in Baltimore to see Cyndi Lauper live — a big fan of Nine Inch Nails and The Cure, she was definitely not anticipating enjoying the show — and I can still see it clear as day when she turned to me with a big smile on her face and said "She's awesome!" I think the persona implies a frivolity that undermines the fact that she's a big talent with a really imaginative singing style and sensibility. Yeah, the album is certainly a product of its time, but even the solos are quirky and weird in the same way Lauper is — what other hit has a raindrop keyboard pad sound? I love that she covers Prince from the Dirty Mind album — that and "She Bop" are hints at her subversive shadow self. So this was a fun one to revisit. It's close to a 5, but I'm trying not to let my sentimental connection sway me.

I never realized how many of these hits that were so ubiquitous in the early '80s were from her debut. Impressive to say the least. And I dug the album tracks, too, though not the last one so much. Overall: good stuff and I grossly underestimated her talent when this came out. Then again, I was 13, so perhaps I can be forgiven.

I remember digging through my dad's vinyl collection a few years back, and making fun of him when I found this album. I shouldn't have. It's a pretty fantastic pop record. Although songs like "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Time After Time" have been dulled by their ubiquity, it doesn't make them any less of gems. And the rest of the album is a lot of fun too. Kitschy in the best way, it keeps you bopping for the entire 40 minute runtime.

8 just some really good classic pop, could easily see this grow on me

It is definitely the most 80s album on this list so far. Quintessential to the decade, it had everything - electronic beats, catchy rhythms, and simple lyrics. In my opinion, 90% of albums from 80s is absolutely unlistenable now. But those few exceptions include "She's So Unusual". If I were to dissect song from this album, they wouldn't be impressive at all, but somehow Cyndi wrote few hits, and they still hold quite well. I won't listen to this album again anytime soon, but I certainly appreciate a well done record from my least favourite decade.

Super 80s of course. Kept my interest and has some pretty good songs.

1983 was such a horrid year for music. There's only 8 or 9 albums that I know of who deserved 5 stars that year. Quite low compared to most other years... Under that light, *She's So Unusual* was a needed breath of fresh air at the time. Typical new-wave-inspired mainstream pop, but what singles it out is Cindy Lauper's stellar vocal performance. And honestly, the songs are good, whether they are originals (the heartfelt ballad "Time After Time", hard-driven yet deliciously campy "She Bop"), or covers (the legendary "Girls Just Want To Have Fun", a tune that literally know one had heard of before Cindy's timeless rendition of it ; or "All Through The Night", beating it out of the park compared to Jules Shears' initial version ; or Prince's "When You Were Mine"...) There's also a couple of fillers on side two that I won't bother mentioning here. But all in all, it's a pretty solid pop album that aged particularly well, in spite of aesthetics fully anchored into the eighties. 4/5. Number of albums left to review: 472 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 251 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 120 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 155

Unusually good

Great album that shows her range of styles.

It's a greatest hits of sorts, that is still playful. It's an 80s sound that has a timeless appeal, but it's not timeless.

Mehr bekanntes als erwartet, aber auch das unbekannte überraschend gut

She's So Unusual by Cyndi Lauper is a vibrant and iconic album that captures the essence of the 1980s pop scene. Released in 1983, it catapulted Lauper into stardom with her distinctive voice and quirky persona. Tracks like "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and "Time After Time" remain timeless classics, showcasing her vocal prowess and emotive delivery. The album's production is polished and filled with catchy synth-pop hooks that perfectly complement Lauper's unique style. While some tracks may not have the same impact as the standout hits, She's So Unusual is a fun and infectious record that encapsulates the spirit of its era. A must-listen for fans of '80s pop and a testament to Lauper's lasting influence on the music world.

This is not my listening preference, but this is undeniably a great collection of early 80s pop.

Listened Before? Y A quintessential 80s pop album. When I listen to it I'm transported to a different time. She was a big deal when this one dropped and I remember it well. As for the music - its pretty good stuff! I like all the popular tracks and the album cuts are good enough to be interesting. Solid. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: All Through the Night

This album was a nice surprise. I really enjoyed it. There were some classic songs on there and I like the 80s sound mixed with power pop and other genres.

Great pop record, loved it

3 for the reich, 4 for the hood

"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Time After Time" are absolute classics and great to listen to anytime. The rest of the album is hit or miss, but what remains consistent is the incredible emotion and freedom in Cyndi's voice, and the band doing its best to keep up with her.

The big 3 hits are still bops. I mean this is 80s top shelf in general. If only the rest of the album could reach those heights, but the power of Lauper’s vocals are to be respected.

Man, this has a lot of hits and singles on it, doesn't it? May as well be a best of album, save for one or two missing tunes. I do think it earns its popularity, however, being a very solid album throughout, with only one or two tracks that reek slightly too much of 80s cheese to stand out. Of course, I may not go out of my way to listen to most of this again, because I can hear half of it by just going grocery shopping anyway, but still very good. I particularly enjoy the punch of the final song, "Yeah, Yeah," as it's one of the few I'd not heard before, and it definitely sends the album out right.

One of my favourite 80’s songs is True Colors by Cyndi Lauper. This track won’t be found on this album, but it definitely does give me high hopes. There are a few track here that I recognise the names of, so let’s see if the whole album is as good as I hope! Songs I already knew: Girls Just Want To Have Fun, Time After Time, All Through The Night Favourites: Time After Time, Money Changes Everything, All Through The Night This was every bit as good as I was hoping. Her voice is so recognisable, and I can’t decide if I like it more when she sings the more upbeat songs or the softer ones. The synths are great throughout and really compliment the guitar playing. Overall, this was a great album that I’ll definitely be returning to plenty. Give it a listen!

One of the eighties brightest voices. She set a level of jubilant defiance that was seldom matched. Will listen to again

Great sythny fun. Big and bold. Catchy

Punky pop,etill sounds fresh

Like

Surprisingly ballsy and fun to listen to - songs are awesome, even the over played 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' is stellar, along with 'Time After Time', which is a perennial masterpiece. The album is consitently paced, well balanced, not too long and nary a filler song - every track has it's place. It might not be a 5-star but it's close. Had it been possible I would give it 4.5

Powerful voice and power-pop, it’s a combination made for the 80s. 3 absolutely massive songs really speaks to the magnitude of this record. The remaining songs aren’t necessarily forgettable drub from the 80s but they aren’t memorable either. To me this is a fun record, but not a regular rotation. However, the magnitude of the music and voice carry it past the 3.5 mark. This would be a 7/10.

One of a kind, she was the oddball who really did have something to say for everyone. Not so oddball, she was a voice of reason.

suprisingly good rest of the album (meaning anything besides the two songs everyone knows). Enjoyable new wavey pop. deserved 4 stars

Du bon et du très bon (All Through The Night)

en vrai she bop up peu

Money changes everything- catchy pisma

Forgot how great this debut is!

Strangely powerful political statements wrapped up in a punk pop aesthetic. Yes please.

A really fun and quality pop/new wave album from the 1980s. The first half was a bit stronger than the second half otherwise it's closer to the 5 than to a 4.

3.5/5 This thing, was supresilung good, honestyl expecteda generic 80's pop album, but Cyndi Lauper was actually a great singer, who knew how to make a good performace. The opening track was surprising good, it blew my mind, because I didn´t expect that, the album maintains its vibe during the duration, but at the end I feel that it goes something more weak. Anyway I enjoyed this. Fav Tracks: Money Change everything, All throught the night, She bop.

I thought going into this album that the only Cyndi Lauper songs I knew were Girls Just Want To Have Fun, and Time After Time. Once I started listening, I realized that she had quite a few hits from this album. In truth, this could be a "greatest hits" compilation easily. Out of the 10 songs on the record, 6 were hit singles. When You Were Mine was a Prince cover, and she absolutely nailed it. I enjoy Cyndi's version better than Prince's. Amusingly, I also learned today that the song She Bop is about masturbation. Here are a few excerpts from the song lyrics: "I wanna go south and get me some more..." "... They say I'd better stop or I'll go blind" "... I can't stop messing with the danger zone" Cyndi, I feel, is a slept on talent in some respects. I feel like her contribution to pop rock is sometimes minimized by the superstars such as Madonna and Cher. Cyndi should not be ignored though. She has an 8 octave range!! That is insane!! Overall, I was really surprised at how much of this record I had already heard before, and how much I thoroughly enjoyed it also. A bit front loaded, with 6 popular hits one after another, maybe they could have been spread out a bit so that the back end of the album didn't drag so much, but even the filler tracks were great. I will definately listen again!! Favourite songs: Girls Just Want To Have Fun, Time After Time, She Bop, All Through The Night, Money Changes Everything, I'll Kiss You, Yeah Yeah Least favourite songs: He's So Unusual 4/5

She’s more of a rocker than I thought. First 4 songs were awesome.

Very energetic. Likely to be excellent.

This album has a lot of songs I recognize, one of which I thought was a Blondie song. This would've been the album that made Cyndi popular as her most popular songs are there. Time after time and Girls Just Wanna Have Fun are definite classics.

The whole album sounds like a soundtrack to a 1980s movie. In no way a bad thing. I Can see how it’s popular and iconic. A little background reading revealed some interesting information - It was Cyndi Lauper’s first solo album - Her vocal range is an unusual four octaves - Girls just want to have fun was written for her but she thought the lyrics were misogynistic so changed them. - The first female artist to produce four top5 hits I could listen to this again. Currently my favourite Money changes everything and She Bop

Peak 80s

Pop at its funnest

Side A: no skip Side B: good not great. Lots of 80s snare drum here, no surprise. Great tunes on Side a and a lot of fun on Side b

Great Art Pop album. Not really a bad song here and it has a couple of all-time 80s songs. "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", "Time After Time" and "All Through the Night" are all big hits that are actually really good, and to me, they all hold up pretty well. These are the most popular songs on the album and this is a rare case in which a pop album is consistently good from beginning to end. I liked every song on here besides the title track but that is a 45-second track and I was kind of neutral on "I'll Kiss You". I liked "She Bop", "Money Changes Everything" and "Witness" just as much as the big hits. 8-8.5/10 depending on how I feel.

Fun 80's pop album. Was only familiar with the singles; Time After Time is such a great song still.

Time after time is brilliant and a total classic, and so is Girls. I was also positively surprised by the rest of the album.

Party gyal

This had to be the least annoying pop act of the 80s. It's not really my thing. But the two hours are fun enough and I like the quirkyness of it

this album feels like a 80s movie

Elska þessa plötu!

One of my favorites from the era. Loved this when it came out. I think it still holds up pretty well. 4/5

Would be 5 stars if it ended after track 6, up to then is great but pretty much filler after that.

Supremely great.

When this thing hits with hooks, it hits. It does fail to stick the landing a bit, in my opinion, as the album falls off in the latter half. Still, I'm not sure if there's anything as instantly catchy as half this record. It's fun, and for once, the production on it is very nice (for an 80s album, this is pretty rare). Favorite tracks: "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", "Time After Time", "Money Changes Everything"

Hard to dispute this quintessential 80s album. Excellent synths, riffs, lyrics, etc.

Some amazing, decade-defining songs with a few clunkers.

Cyndis ‘r’ good enough 5 Masterpiece/4 Love it/3 Like it/2 Whatever/1 Turn it off

has so many girlie classics. Love

A lot of hits plus a song about masturbation. I love the 80s!

Cyndi, oh Cyndi. What a beautiful freak (in all the good ways). She is pop royalty. Time after time I am reminded of how much I love this album. It is so much fun. The album cover embodies the music it contains. Wild, artistic, pop-fueled, good times. Pop the top on a cold wine cooler, pull on 3 of your favorite skirts and as many jangly bracelets as you can find; then, dance like EVERYONE is watching, and you don’t give a shit. She Bop is the stand-out track on this album. 4 out of 5 stars

I found myself enjoying this much more than I had initially expected. Girls Just Want to Have Fun is an absolute classic and a bit of a guilty pleasure song to me, Time After Time is also wonderful, and yeah this was just an all-around pleasant 80s synthpop record. The last couple of songs were a bit odd though, but generally this was great. Favourite: Girls Just Want to Have Fun

i didn't realize how many amazing songs are on this album. cyndi lauper should be recognized for more of her work.

Some real bangers in here. Back half of the album falls off hard.

Incredible debut. Sassy synth pop rock n roll by the best to do it. First four tracks are back to back bangers. The rest of the album ain’t nothing to write home about but her attitude Carrie’s it. I gotta check out Blue Angel. B-side ripper: I’ll Kiss you

Loved everything, but almost loved it separately? Lyrics at times didn't match, but it made for a super interesting experience.

The first 6 songs are great. It drags a bit after that…

Good to put a name to well known tunes. Some sounding very similar and quite a few sounded a bit like Annie Lennox - similar time period?

Bangers

Wow, this album actually rules. Pretty consistently solid. I expected it to be pretty top-heavy but there were many tracks on it that I liked. Standouts: Money Changes Everything, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Time After Time, She Bop, All Through the Night

This could have been Girls and Time After Time, the latter of which among my all-time favorites, followed by seven tracks of llamas passing gas, and I would have given it a biased 3. But it’s not, of course. The rest is really good! Heartfelt, catchy, and really unique to her sound.

Such a merging of songcraft and voice. Hard to picture one existing without the other.

Surprisingly strong. A lot of classics and they still hold up today. Some of the best 80s synth work I’ve ever heard, even if it can be overpowering at times. The execution is just 🤌. Great synthpop album. Faves: Time After Time, Witness, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, She Bop, When You Were Mine, I’ll Kiss You

As Cyndi Lauper said, during this album "Girls just wanna have fun"... Well I can tell you for sure, I know of many girls and boys that will have fun listening to this album One of those albums that you go "Ohhhhh THAT'S who sang this song!!!!" A whole range of tunes that lighten your mood. Perfect for a cold winter's day.

I remember seeing Miles Davis in 1988 and he played Time After Time. I was impressed that Miles thought this CL co-written melody was worthy of a jazz-standard. This boosted my impression of Cindi, which at that time was based solely on Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and therefore, not so great. The rest of the album I liked more than I thought I would. “She Bop” is another catchy hit that she co-wrote and the fact that it led to the creation of the parental advisory sticker is a feather in her cap. The songs she selected to cover were wisely chosen and nicely frame her punky-pop delivery. Between a 3 and a 4 for me.

Really fun album! Added several songs to my "liked" list. 8/10

There are some really excellent hits on this album - Time After Time and Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - it doesn't get more iconically 1983/84 than that. As an album .... hmmm, I'm not sure the album is as good as the indivudal songs on the album. But generally - super fun, good poppy hits, a bit of filler, but fun to revisit. 4/5

Classic POP album. Favorite track is probably Yeah Yeah followed by Time After Time and She Bop. The rest of the songs are just good pop songs. 4/5

Influence can still be heard today. Cool wonky synths, danceable beats and catch vocals

Great pop record. I’m obsessed with her character/delivery. The big singles of the album fit perfectly.

So unusual I'm just not sure I enjoy listening to her that much. She might get an extra star for being a feminist icon.

A classic!

I like this album. It is upbeat and fresh. The songs are memorable and not too, “exorbitant.“

really nice 80's pop

Straight bops

Cheesy 80s pop for the win

Gosh. This is the epitome of 80s pop. Each chorus, each synth hook, each scream exhales 80s, and I love it! It is a celebration of what was being young and free during this decade.

An oldie but a goodie.

Surprisingly great album. A lot of fun songs and I love the 80's pop sound. 4/5

actually thought this was a really good album

An excellent voice, solid songs, wonderful playing. Fantastic pop rock, there is nothing pretentious about this album, just well made art. “Time after Time” “All Through the Night” and the Cover of Prince’s “When You Were Mine”. Also of note, both the original and rerelease are available via streaming. That’s fantastic, I wish every rerelease was that way.

Great talent in her time. Good album that I never bothered to listen.

Cyndi Lauper is certainly deserving of accolades; she was a trail blazer. I don't know if I totally love this album because it's a bit pop heavy. She Bop is just eye roll worthy; unapologetic pop (lyrics and sound). Maybe I would've been happier if she fully embraced new wave? Witness sounds like Elvis Costello and I'll Kiss You sounds like Rick James - would more of that styling have been better? Not sure. I actually respect He's So Unusual and Yeah Yeah because the Betty Boop impersonation (with a NY accent!) shows just how much she could do with her voice. On multiple listens I realize there's more variety here than I first thought, with a bit more nuance than most pop. And except for She Bop I really dig all six of her singles - Money Changes Everything (a little more rock edge than the rest), Girls Just Want to Have Fun (a little tired and too poppy but still fun), When You Were Mine (good new wave feel), Time After Time (just a beautiful song, imagine if it was stripped down to just guitar or piano), and All Through The Night (again, her vocals). Feels like at least a 3.5 and I'm going to round up.

I can’t believe that this is the first time I’ve listened to this album. Especially considering that I met Cyndi Lauper as a kid when she came to the town that I grew up in to film parts of the “Time after Time” video. Of course, growing up in the 80s, I knew the singles from the album. The rest of the album is pretty good but has a bit of a dated 80s production sound. My favorite track that I didn’t know was the Price written “When you were mine.” The only track that I didn’t like was “Witness.” It sounded a little too over-produced and forced. I can see what she was going for with the dub sound but to me it didn’t work on the album. It might come across better live. Overall, the album is a solid 3.5 but I’ll give her a 4 since she was so sweet when she came to town.

Echt vibe album. Kende eigenlijk alleen de bekendste nummers maar love dit !

Funky

Girls just wanna have fun AND time after time wow a queen

This has a lot of hits. Didn't realize they were all from this album. Actually enjoyed this probably much out of nostalgia.

Fun. The singles are amazing, the rest of the album a bit less. Gets a bit samey until the novelty track which drops the volume and then the final track wakes you up again.

100% Bops.

Good album, enjoyed all the hits.

If you would have asked me my opinion of Cyndi Lauper before this album, I would have responded something about "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" being an iconic 80s song that I'm OK never hearing again and writing her off as a 2-hit wonder ("Time After Time" is, of course, a pretty great song). After listening to this album I am convinced that despite Cyndi being a household name, she did not get nearly the recognition she deserved. This is an 80s pop banger from start to finish (minus the last two songs). Seriously she slays this, and her backing band is incredible as well. She has an interesting voice and great vocal range. I was seriously impressed and can't wait to listen to this one again. For me, it's ultimately 4 stars (probably 4.5) because although it's nearly perfect, I thought the last two songs weren't just unfavorable compared to the rest of the album, they were downright horrible. I can't fathom who made the decision to end a pop masterpiece with a Betty Boop impersonation.

Always a fun listen.

Very enjoyable listen

If you want to have fun, go for this album even if you are not a girl. Amazing vocals, cool synths, energy for days.

So 80's. Poppy 80s. Synths and drum beats. Cyndi is a force of nature- how can anyone dislike her? But it's good 80s as these were the happy bits I remember. These are catchy anthems.

80s pop perfection.

Nice 80s pop, end of the album is almost punk in my opinion.

Ok

Such a great fun album

Yeah, ok - poppier than my usual tastes, but a fun listen. "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" is obviousl'y era-defining. I'm gonna award a whole extra star for "Time After Time" as it's an amazing karaoke tune. Fave track - apart from "Time After Time", I quite enjoyed the manic energy of "I'll Kiss You"

Banger of a pop album, didn’t expect it

Nice perky pop. A couple of great singles on here. I do find it interesting that this was released just 4 months after Madonna’s debut album though…

Pop ochentero total. Dos megahits.

Time after time!

Little bit too 80s for my taste, with synths overwhelming everything else in the tracks. Nevertheless, it's pretty good, fantastic for a debut album. Girls Just Wanna and Time after Time are deservedly well known and popular, but the front half of the album is fantastic, but the second half is much weaker in comparison.

I really liked this one a lot. Perfect 80's album

7/10. Time After Time and Girls Just Wanna Have fun are about all I wanted from a Cyndi Lauper album, and some of the other stuff on here wasn't too bad either.

Great pop album, falls a little short in the last couple of songs. 8/10

Cyndi Lauper, now that’s a name I’ve herd but never really knew what she’s famous for, looking at the tracklist there’s 2 songs I actually recognise and I would say they’re both the better end of pop so that’s good… Money changes everything screams 80’s new wave it’s good and I really like it on an instrumental level but i’am not a massive fan of her vocals. Girls just want to have fun is one of those singles that reach that “heart of glass” level of pop perfection it’s a brilliant pop hit! When you were mine isn’t brilliant in my opinion but I get it’s role on the track list it’s good bridging the gap stuff in between Girls just want to have fun and… Time after time is a brilliant single girls just want to have fun looks shit in comparison even if they’re both great songs! (I find it odd that side one has 4 songs then side 2 has 6 (bit unbalanced)) But anyway she bob starts off side two with a filler track with a great rhythm somehow it turns out brilliant. I vaguely recognise the chorus of all through the night again it’s a brilliant single with and amazing chorus! Witness (in the context of the album) is rocky (especially the verses) the chorus is sadly a bit eh though. I’ll kiss you is really good pop rock I can’t fault it, especially love the verses! He’s so unusual is wired, short and I really don’t like it. The album ends on yeah yeah it’s not my personal choice for closer but the song is great. Okay it’s a brilliant album but I don’t like the tracklist so I’ll reorder it… 1 money changes everything 2 girls just want to have fun 3 when you were mine 4 she bop 5 all through the night 6 He’s so unusual 7 yeah yeah 8 witness 9 I’ll kiss you 10 time after time 4/5

HL: All Through The Night, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, She Bop Was never a big fan originally, worked a theatre production featuring Cyndi Lauper music earlier this year, which was probably the turning point. I’ll admit I quite enjoyed this one September 23, 2022

Overall good but not my Genre

A very 80s album but it’s hit after hit

You could spin this in its entirety at a roller rink and it would work admirably. The basal production is pretty gimmicked, very eighties, and that's the only thing that brings down the sound. The per-song gimmicks are fresh, and Cyndi can more than do justice to both curated and written material.

Great 80s album with some classics

I was aware of Cyndi Lauper in the 80s when she was a huge star, and although I didn't actively listen to her music I remember finding her songs catchy and memorable. I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to her back then and certainly did not appreciate how talented she is as a songwriter, arranger, and performer, but I definitely appreciate her now. Although the album is a little synth-poppy for my own listening tastes, for the most part the songs are excellent and very enjoyable. "Time After Time" is still so beautiful and moving to me after all these years. Great album by an interesting artist and wonderful person.