The Top 35 Or So Songs of the 80’s

#14: Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want To Have Fun

Robert Hazard’s obscure original is a slice of neurotic new wave where “girls just wanna have fun” is an anthropological truth, observed for us by an intrepid reporter. Cyndi Lauper’s re-interpretation commands the lyrics, not merely reminding us that females can have a good time but demonstrating the point just in case we doubt her. The track bubbles with goofy effects and bursts with huge neon-lit synths. The polyphony of Laupers is undeniable and awe-inspiring: they just wanna, they just wanna! That’s the mission statement, but every line of the song is a hook in her hands. Her infectious “when the working day is done” and excited hiccups leave me giddy every time. Lauper’s insider take on Hazard’s lyrics is much more than a generous testimony; it’s Pop Revelation.