Cyndi Lauper made \u201cGirls Just Want to Have Fun\u201d famous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But she didn’t write it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A male musician called Robert Hazard did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even stranger:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hazard originally wrote it from a man’s perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lauper took the song, altered its point of view and transformed it into one of pop music’s most recognisable female anthems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Philadelphia musician who had built a strong local following.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 1979, Hazard wrote and recorded a demo of \u201cGirls Just Want to Have Fun\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to later accounts, he wrote the song extremely quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then essentially moved on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He couldn’t possibly have known what was coming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the interesting part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hazard’s version wasn’t really a feminist anthem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It came from a male perspective about women wanting fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That can sound considerably different depending on who is saying it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Lauper heard the song, she realised the central idea could be flipped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead of a man talking about girls wanting fun, a woman could say it herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Suddenly the statement becomes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why shouldn’t women enjoy the same freedom men take for granted?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Same basic hook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Different politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lauper worked with producer Rick Chertoff to adjust parts of the song so the perspective made sense coming from her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hazard allowed the changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That is what makes this more interesting than a straightforward cover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lauper didn’t merely perform the composition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She reinterpreted its meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1983, on her debut album She’s So Unusual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The single became a huge international hit in 1984 and helped establish Lauper as one of the defining personalities of early MTV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bright clothes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unusual voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Huge personality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And one ridiculously catchy song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because MTV was becoming central to pop culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The video presented women of different ages and backgrounds having fun together while gently mocking social expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lauper’s real mother appeared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Professional wrestling manager Captain Lou Albano played her father.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The whole thing feels chaotic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That was the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lauper’s version certainly became one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not because it contains a complicated political argument.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because it normalises something extremely simple:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
women should be allowed enjoyment and independence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The simplicity made it powerful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You don’t need to read a manifesto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can dance instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because the chorus works almost anywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wedding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Advert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sports event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Girls’ night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The meaning is instantly understandable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And unlike a lot of early-1980s production, its bright synthetic sound now feels like part of the appeal rather than something to hide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 1980s became an aesthetic again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
New wave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Synth-pop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The recording combines the rhythmic energy of new wave with an enormous mainstream pop hook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That helped Lauper move between audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Try:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Go-Go\u2019s \u2013 We Got the Beat<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Madonna \u2013 Holiday<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whitney Houston \u2013 I Wanna Dance with Somebody<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bananarama \u2013 Cruel Summer<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Blondie \u2013 Call Me<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kim Wilde \u2013 Kids in America<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Bangles \u2013 Walk Like an Egyptian<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pat Benatar \u2013 Love Is a Battlefield<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pointer Sisters \u2013 I’m So Excited<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Belinda Carlisle \u2013 Heaven Is a Place on Earth<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Robert Hazard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Cyndi Lauper didn’t merely cover his song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She changed who was speaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That changed what the song meant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that is why the version everybody remembers belongs culturally to her.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Cyndi Lauper made \u201cGirls Just Want to Have Fun\u201d famous. But she didn’t write it. A male musician called Robert Hazard did. Even stranger: Hazard originally wrote it from a man’s perspective. Lauper took the song, altered its point of view and transformed it into one of pop music’s most recognisable female anthems. Who was Robert Hazard? A Philadelphia musician who had built a strong local following. In 1979, Hazard wrote and recorded a demo of \u201cGirls Just Want to Have Fun\u201d. According to later accounts, he wrote the song extremely quickly. Then essentially moved on. He couldn’t possibly have…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4504,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2296,2756,2293,43,21],"coauthors":[2],"class_list":["post-4503","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-about","tag-cyndi-lauper","tag-meaning","tag-music","tag-pop"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n