For the month of October, I’m selecting a song each day from the decade that has the most meaning to me: the 80s. It was the decade that I grew up in. The period of time where I discovered my love for music — and explored many different genres. For the next 31 days, I’ll highlight a handful of songs that I truly loved and that were representative of the decade. #31DaysOf80sSongs
Was Cyndi Lauper a product of 80s culture? Or was 80s culture a product of Cyndi Lauper? One thing’s for sure, few artists personified their era more so than Lauper. Right up there with Kate Bush, Madonna and Joan Jett, Cyndi Lauper was the epitome of self-expression. There was nothing contrived about her. No one else dressed like her. No one else danced like her. And certainly no one else sang like her. Which is why even on the cover song “All Through the Night”, Lauper was always doing things her own way.
Originally written by folk singer Jules Shear, Lauper took the song in an entirely different direction, switching from straight-ahead guitar strumming to synth arpeggios and headspinning chords. In true Cyndi Lauper fashion, the night somehow became maddening, frightening and euphoric all at the same time. Listening back to “All Through the Night”, I’m appreciating the synth grooves much more than when I first heard the song. They’re not just uniquely 80s, they’re uniquely Cyndi Lauper in all their eccentric glory.
“We have no past, we won't reach back. Keep with me forward all through the night.”