Girls Just Want to Have Fun

This post is for Mike!  Mike had commented on my last entry that I hadn't written about Cyndi Lauper, who was an important fixture on the '80s scene.  Well, when I was in 5th grade, she released the album "She's So Unusual."  The year was 1984 I believe.  I absolutely LOVED that album and listened to it over and over.  That was about the time when I think I was first allowed to have slumber parties, which were SO much fun.  Yup -- just invite a handful of your closest (girl) friends over, have pizza, snacks, put the records on, and dance and sing (or lip sync) into the wee hours.  Sleeping bags were there, but not really for sleeping -- more for giggling and storytelling in the dark.  Boy, those were some fun times.  It was just after we had started band, so all of my closest girlfriends were in band with me.  Good times!  Needless to say, my "She's So Unusual" LP was full of skips -- you know, from when you're dancing around and the needle skips and scratches across the vinyl.

Ancient Artifact - Corded Telephone

Anyway, this song is so notorious.  I read that this video won the very first award for best video by a female artist on the 1984 MTV Video Music awards.  I am not surprised.  I probably watched the show, too.   I remember waiting anxiously every year for it.  Seems that around that time, Cyndi Lauper and Madonna were neck and neck competitors.  Newsweek thought that Cyndi would eclipse Madonna, who they called the "Trash Heap Queen."  Ah, yes, well, Madonna was also queen of re-invention and crafty marketing, so I think she gained more notoriety and sold more records, but Cyndi was always my idol.  Her hair was just so amazing with its flaming red color (along with all the other colors throughout time).  The video is terrific, too.  I think I read somewhere that Cyndi's mother is in all of her videos, and it's true.  Her mom always looked so kind and endearing.  Captain Lou Albano played her father, and the video is one giant feel-good dance party.  In fact, at the end of the video, she brings all of Manhattan into her bedroom for a dance party.  I know it isn't all of the city, but it seems like it to her parents.  I love the part where the guy comes in with flowers looking for her.  He says, "Cyndi? Cyndi?"  You can really see him mouth the words.  Then, as was the case in the '80s, we see Captain Lou peeking through the keyhole to see what's going on in there.  The vision of Cyndi and the boy embracing makes him irate, he opens the door, and everyone falls out.  It's pretty funny.  But, I really think aside from the guy mouthing "Cyndi," my favorite part is the telephone sequence.  Remember telephones with cords?  Amazing.  I also think this is a perfect video in the midst of all the "binders full of women" satires.  Yup, this is one video binder full of women.  So, Governor Romney, if you are looking for some female "folks," call Cyndi!