Complete List Of Cyndi Lauper Songs From A to Z

Feature Photo: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper was raised in Queens, New York, in a working-class family with a mix of Swiss-German and Italian heritage. Her upbringing was marked by creativity and resilience. She began writing songs and teaching herself guitar at the age of twelve, showing early signs of the artistic force she would become. As a teenager, she left home and drifted between jobs and cities, studying art in Vermont and working odd jobs before returning to New York. In the late 1970s, she fronted the rockabilly-influenced band Blue Angel, releasing one album in 1980. When the band dissolved and she filed for bankruptcy, many would have folded—but Lauper’s refusal to quit set the tone for the rest of her career.

Her breakthrough came in 1983 with the release of She’s So Unusual, a debut album that permanently altered the pop landscape. Lauper became the first female artist to have four top-five singles from a debut album on the Billboard Hot 100: “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” “Time After Time,” “She Bop,” and “All Through the Night.” The album sold over 16 million copies worldwide and earned her the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1985. She also won the first MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video, thanks to the groundbreaking visual for “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” The combination of infectious pop melodies, quirky fashion, and a message of inclusivity made Lauper a defining artist of the 1980s.

Her second album, True Colors, was released in 1986 and showed a more introspective side. The title track reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and the album also included the hits “Change of Heart” and “What’s Going On.” Lauper’s vocal versatility and emotional depth continued to distinguish her in a crowded field of pop stars. That same year, she also contributed the theme to Pee-wee’s Playhouse, adding to her expanding portfolio of cultural touchpoints.

Lauper’s third studio album, A Night to Remember, was released in 1989 and featured the single “I Drove All Night,” which became one of her signature tracks and earned a Grammy nomination. Although the album didn’t match the commercial success of her earlier releases, it further proved her ability to interpret emotionally rich material. In the following years, she continued to record new albums, including Hat Full of Stars (1993), which dealt with topics like domestic abuse and homophobia, and Sisters of Avalon (1996), which embraced feminist themes and electronic textures.

Over the course of her career, Lauper has released twelve studio albums, spanning genres from pop and rock to country and blues. Her 2010 release Memphis Blues topped the Billboard Blues Albums chart for thirteen consecutive weeks and was nominated for Best Traditional Blues Album at the Grammy Awards. In 2016, she returned with Detour, a collection of country standards that showcased her ability to reinterpret classic American songs with emotional honesty and distinctive flair.

Her achievements in music are matched by a diverse array of honors. Lauper has won two Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, a Tony Award, and an MTV Video Music Award, making her one of the most decorated multi-platform entertainers in the business. Her Broadway musical Kinky Boots, which premiered in 2012, won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Original Score—making Lauper the first woman to win the latter category solo. The show also won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 2014 and a Laurence Olivier Award in London for Best New Musical.

In 2015, she was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2016. In 2025, Lauper was named an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Her debut album She’s So Unusual was included in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and VH1 ranked her among the 100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll. Her impact has extended beyond charts and accolades into the cultural and humanitarian spheres.

Lauper has long been a fierce advocate for LGBTQ rights, inspired in part by her sister Ellen’s experience. In 2008, she co-founded True Colors United, an organization focused on ending LGBTQ youth homelessness. She has remained actively involved in raising awareness and funding for this cause. In 2022, she launched the Girls Just Want to Have Fundamental Rights Fund to support reproductive health access and abortion rights in the wake of shifting U.S. laws. That same year, she sang “True Colors” at the White House ceremony celebrating the Respect for Marriage Act.

Outside of music, Lauper has taken on acting roles in film and television. She won an Emmy Award in 1995 for her guest appearance on Mad About You and starred in the 1988 movie Vibes, as well as Life with Mikey in 1993. She also made a Broadway debut in The Threepenny Opera and published a memoir in 2012 that became a New York Times bestseller. Her influence even extended into toy culture with the release of a Cyndi Lauper Barbie doll.

In recent years, Lauper has continued to receive high-profile honors. She was presented with Billboard’s Women in Music ICON Award in 2019 and the United Nations High Note Global Prize for her work in human rights advocacy. In 2022, the official video for “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” surpassed one billion views on YouTube, demonstrating the enduring popularity of her most iconic track. Her 2023 documentary Let the Canary Sing premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was released globally in 2024.

As a final chapter to her touring life, Lauper launched the “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour” in October 2024. The 60-show world tour was scheduled to wrap in August 2025, covering North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Lauper clarified that this was not a retirement from performing altogether, but a celebration of her decades-long connection with fans, while she still felt strong enough to deliver the kind of performance that defined her career.

Complete List Of Songs From A to Z

911 – True Colors – 1986
A Christmas Duel – Non-album single – 2008
A Night To Remember – A Night to Remember – 1989
A Part Hate – Hat Full of Stars – 1993
Above the Clouds – The Body Acoustic – 2005
Across the Universe – Across the Universe (Jake Shimabukuro album) – 2009
All Through the Night – She’s So Unusual – 1983
Anna Blue – Blue Angel (Blue Angel album) – 1980
Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2) [Live] – The Wall – Live in Berlin (Roger Waters album) – 1990
At Last – At Last – 2003
Baby Workout [Live] – Cyndi Lauper in Paris (Video release) – 1987
Ballad of Cleo and Joe – Sisters of Avalon – 1997
Begging to You – Detour – 2016
Blue Christmas – Non-album single – 2011
Boy Blue – True Colors – 1986
Boys Will Be Boys – Out of Body (The Hooters album) – 1993
Brimestone and Fire – Sisters of Avalon – 1997
Broken Glass – Hat Full of Stars – 1993
Calm Inside the Storm – True Colors – 1986
Can’t Blame Me – Blue Angel (Blue Angel album) – 1980
Can’t Breathe – Bring Ya to the Brink (Japanese Edition) – 2008
Change Of Heart – True Colors – 1986
Christmas Conga – Merry Christmas … Have a Nice Life – 1998
Code of Silence – The Bridge (Billy Joel album) – 1986
Cold – B-side to “Who Let In the Rain” – 1993
Cold Sky – Music Speaks Louder Than Words (Compilation Album) – 1990
Come On Home – Twelve Deadly Cyns…and Then Some – 1994
Comfort You – Shine (Japanese Edition) – 2004
Crossroads – Memphis Blues – 2010
Dancing With a Stranger – A Night to Remember – 1989
Dear John – Hat Full of Stars – 1993
December Child – Merry Christmas … Have a Nice Life – 1998
Detour – Detour – 2016
Disco Inferno – Non-album single – 1999
Don’t Cry No More – Memphis Blues – 2010
Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood – At Last – 2003
Down Don’t Bother Me – Memphis Blues – 2010
Down So Low – Memphis Blues – 2010
Early Christmas Morning – Merry Christmas … Have a Nice Life – 1998
Early in the Mornin’ – Memphis Blues – 2010
Echo – Bring Ya to the Brink – 2008
Eventually – Shine (Japanese Edition) – 2004
Everybody’s Got an Angel – Blue Angel (Blue Angel album) – 1980
Fade – Blue Angel (Blue Angel album) – 1980
Fall Into Your Dreams – Sisters of Avalon – 1997
Fearless – Sisters of Avalon – 1997
Feels Like Christmas – Hat Full of Stars – 1993
Funnel of Love – Detour – 2016
Girls Just Want to Have Fun – She’s So Unusual – 1983
Give It Up – Bring Ya to the Brink – 2008
The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough – The Goonies: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – 1985
Got Candy – Bring Ya to the Brink (Japanese Edition) – 2008
Grab a Hold – Bring Ya to the Brink – 2008
Hard Candy Christmas – Detour – 2016
Hat Full of Stars – Hat Full of Stars – 1993
Heading for the Moon – B-side to “True Colors” – 1986
Heading West – A Night to Remember – 1989
Heartaches by the Number – Detour – 2016
He’s So Unusual – She’s So Unusual – 1983
Hey Now (Girls Just Want to Have Fun) – Twelve Deadly Cyns…and Then Some – 1994
High and Mighty – Bring Ya to the Brink – 2008
Higher Plane – Shine (Japanese Edition) – 2004
Hole in My Heart (All the Way to China) – Non-album single – 1988
Home on Christmas Day – Merry Christmas … Have a Nice Life – 1998
Hot Gets a Little Cold – Sisters of Avalon – 1997
How Blue Can You Get? – Memphis Blues – 2010
Hymn to Love – At Last – 2003
I Don’t Want to Be Your Friend – A Night to Remember – 1989
I Don’t Want to Cry – Memphis Blues (Latin American and Japanese Editions) – 2010
I Drove All Night – A Night to Remember – 1989
I Fall to Pieces – Detour – 2016
I Had a Love – Blue Angel (Blue Angel album) – 1980
I’ll Be Your River – The Body Acoustic – 2005
I’ll Kiss You – She’s So Unusual – 1983
I’m Gonna Be Strong – Blue Angel / Twelve Deadly Cyns…and Then Some – 1980/1994
I Miss My Baby – Shine (Japanese Edition) – 2004
I Want a Mom That Will Last Forever – Music from Rugrats in Paris: The Movie – 2000
I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart – Detour – 2016
If by Chance – Reel Life, Vol. 1 (Wild Colonials album) – 2000
If You Go Away – At Last – 2003
Iko Iko – True Colors – 1986
In the Bleak Midwinter – Merry Christmas … Have a Nice Life – 1998
Insecurious – A Night to Remember – 1989
Into the Nightlife – Bring Ya to the Brink – 2008
It’s Hard to Be Me – Shine – 2002
Just the Other Day – Blue Angel (Blue Angel album) – 1980
Just Your Fool – Memphis Blues – 2010
Kindred Spirit – A Night to Remember – 1989
La Vie en Rose – At Last – 2003
Lay Me Down – Bring Ya to the Brink – 2008
Lies – Hat Full of Stars – 1993
Like a Cat – A Night to Remember – 1989
Like I Used To – Hat Full of Stars – 1993
Lorraine – Blue Angel (Blue Angel album) – 1980
Love to Hate – Sisters of Avalon – 1997
Lyfe – Bring Ya to the Brink – 2008
Madonna Whore – Shine – 2002
Makin’ Whoopee – At Last – 2003
Maybe He’ll Know – Blue Angel / True Colors – 1980/1994
Minnie and Santa – Merry Christmas … Have a Nice Life – 1998
Misty Blue – Detour – 2016
Money Changes Everything – She’s So Unusual – 1983
Mother – Sisters of Avalon – 1997
My Baby Just Cares for Me – At Last – 2003
My First Night Without You – A Night to Remember – 1989
New Year’s Baby (First Lullaby) – Merry Christmas … Have a Nice Life – 1998
Night Life – Detour – 2016
On the Sunny Side of the Street – At Last – 2003
One Track Mind – True Colors – 1986
Primitive – A Night to Remember – 1989
Prisoner of Love – Romance & Cigaretts (Film) – 2005
Product of Misery – Hat Full of Stars – 1993
Raging Storm – Bring Ya to the Brink – 2008
Rain on Me – Bring Ya to the Brink – 2008
Rather Be with You – Shine (Japanese Edition) – 2004
Right Track, Wrong Train – B-side to “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” – 1983
Rocking Chair – Bring Ya to the Brink – 2008
Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree – Merry Christmas … Have a Nice Life – 1998
Rollin’ and Tumblin’ – Memphis Blues – 2010
Romance in the Dark – Memphis Blues – 2010
Sally’s Pigeons – Hat Full of Stars – 1993
Same Ol’ Story – Bring Ya to the Brink – 2008
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town – A Very Special Christmas 2 (Various artists) – 1992
Say a Prayer – Sisters of Avalon – 1997
Searching – Sisters of Avalon – 1997
Set Your Heart – Bring Ya to the Brink – 2008
Sex Is in the Heel – Non-album single – 2012
Shattered Dreams – Memphis Blues – 2010
She Bop – She’s So Unusual – 1983
Shine – Shine – 2002
Silent Night – Merry Christmas … Have a Nice Life – 1998
Sisters of Avalon – Sisters of Avalon – 1997
Someone Like Me – Hat Full of Stars – 1993
Stay – At Last – 2003
Steady – The Eternal Return (Jules Shear album) – 1985
Take a Chance – Blue Angel (Blue Angel album) – 1980
That’s What I Think – Hat Full of Stars – 1993
The Faraway Nearby – True Colors – 1986
The World Is Stone – Tycoon (Various artists) – 1992
Time After Time – She’s So Unusual – 1983
True Colors – True Colors – 1986
Unabbreviated Love – B-side to “My First Night Without You” – 1989
Unchained Melody – At Last – 2003
Unconditional Love – A Night to Remember – 1989
Unhook the Stars – Sisters of Avalon – 1997
Valentino – Shine (Japanese Edition) – 2004
Walk On By – At Last – 2003
Walkin’ After Midnight – Detour – 2016
Water’s Edge – Shine – 2002
We Are the World – We Are the World (USA for Africa album) – 1985
What a Thrill – The Goonies: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – 1985
What’s Going On – True Colors – 1986
When You Were Mine – She’s So Unusual – 1983
Who Let In the Rain – Hat Full of Stars / Shine (Japanese Edition) – 1993/2004
Wide Open – Shine (Japanese Edition) – 2004
Witness – She’s So Unusual – 1983
Yeah Yeah – She’s So Unusual – 1983
You Don’t Know – Sisters of Avalon – 1997
You Have to Learn to Live Alone – Tycoon (Various artists) – 1992
You Make Loving Fun – Non-album single – 1984
You’re the Reason Our Kids are Ugly – Detour – 2016
You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me – At Last – 2003