Cyndi Lauper Album: “She's So Unusual [Bonus Tracks]”

It's easy to undertsand why Cyndi Lauper will always have a place in music history. This album says it all. Songs like "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Time After Time" take me back to those days when I was a kid and had those songs on vinyl. "Money Changes Everything" is so true in its message that people will only stand by you if you have money. Of course the scandalous (in those days) "She Bop" shows that Cyndi was not afraid to talk about something that only few artists have dared to mention in their songs. The 1920's-ish "He's So Unusal" reflects Cyndi's uniqueness which is why I think this album was so successful. All the songs are great and they reflect that 80's beat that we all know and love. Buy this album, you won't regret it!

Why this record didn't lead to megastar status for Cyndi is still beyond me. It has the musical freshness and quirky charisma (not to mention a whole passle of good tunes) which should have sent Lauper to pop heaven with that other breakout female singer (can't remember her name, something Catholic) in 1984. But it didn't. Still, after nearly 15 years, returning to this CD is an unmitigated delight: the infectious joy of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" still communicates, as does the wholesale delicacy and pathos of "Time After Time" and "All Throught the Night." Best yet, Cyndi could really sing--check out the sustained notes she hits at the end of "Money Changes Everything." I think people got caught up in Lauper's rainbow-haired look and forgot to listen as closely as they should have. (Note: the original CD transfer isn't all that good, hence the one star deduction--Columbia/SONY needs to reissue it. But if you don't mind highlights, the "12 Deadly Cyns" CD contains some well mastered versions of a number of "Unusual's" hits.) Cyndi, in a Material World, you're still so unusual, thank God!

This album is full of unforgettable songs that sound good in any decade!!! Cyndi has never sounded better. If you just want to have fun then you NEED this album! It belongs on Amazon.com's "Essential recordings" list!!!

Although SACD is a phenomenal improvement over regular CD sound IF you've got the right equipment, this review pertains to the artistic content of the album, and as such applies to either version. I was a junior in college when this album was released, and though even then I thought "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" was a bit too quirky and "bubble-gum" for my taste - the track has stood the test of time remarkably well. My appreciation has only increased since then. Better examples of Lauper's amazing ability to emote through her vocals are "Time After Time", and "All through the night." No less an artist than Linda Ronstadt has commented that Lauper's ability to express emotion in her vocal style is amazing. This is no faint praise. To set the record straight - as some younger reviewers evidently don't have a clue - "She Bop" is a rather obvious statement about masturbation. 'Everybody does it - what's the big deal?', is the message here. Lauper directly acknowledged this during an appearance on Dr. Ruth Westheimer's TV show, "Good Sex", years ago. "Money Changes Everything", both the studio and live version, is a standout as well. Anyone who has seen Lauper perform live knows what a musical perfectionist she is. Her live performances are sensational, something I noticed from the time "Girls" hit the charts, and Cyndi hit the talk-show circuit to promote the album. I'd also strongly recommend Lauper's later work, particularly "Hat Full of Stars", a brilliant album that was panned by many ignorant critics and did not enjoy much commercial success. What a shame. Great singer AND songwriter - much more than her superficial oddball persona would seem to indicate. Listen to this album and I guarantee you'll be impressed.

I believe the first time i heard this album I may have been 3 or 4, i dont remember. What i do remember is that i loved it. I remember dancing to "All Through the Night" & "She Bop". Hearing this cd again, now that im in my 20's really takes me back to the days of the 80s, when i was little, and music was good.