Song: “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”
A classic '80s anthem that never grows old
Released in 1983 as the lead single for Cyndi Lauper’s album She’s So Unusual, “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” was written by Robert Hazard in 1979. Lauper had to modify some lyrics to be more appropriate for a female singer, and the song would be Hazard’s most famous. It also launched a stretch of success for Lauper, whose debut album would spawn four mega-hits — “Time After Time,” “She Bop,” and “All Through the Night.”
The video ran constantly on MTV in 1983. It features the wrestler Captain Lou Albano as Lauper’s father. The mother in the video is Lauper’s real-life mother, who had no acting experience. The video won the first ever Best Female Video award at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards.
Lauper actually didn’t initially want the song, but her producer, Rick Chertoff, was convinced it could become her anthem. It posed a challenge for Lauper, who couldn’t figure out how to sing it at first. She ended up singing in the style of the ’50s hit “Let the Good Times Roll” by Shirley & Lee, where Shirley Goodman sings in a high-pitched voice.
Compositionally, the song shoots so fast from the chorus back into the verses that its momentum feels at times delirious.
Because Lauper is big on acceptance and most of the women on MTV at the time were beautiful people rarely seen in the real world, Lauper made sure her video was populated with regular folks doing regular things.
The song borrowed a lot from another early-’80s hit, “Come On Eileen.” When recording it, the band and singer couldn’t quite find the groove until they listened to that Dexy and the Midnight Runners classic, played it at the same tempo, and things fell into place.
Enjoy!
BONUS: The Warning Covers “Crazy Train”
It was nine years ago, the members of The Warning were so young (16, 14, and 12), and they were obviously Ozzie fans!
Now, they are among the hottest bands around, recently completing their European and US tours, ending by announcing a new concert movie coming next month along with a double “live” album.
RIP, Ozzie. Your inspiration lives on . . .
Nine Years Later . . .
The Warning — Sunday, July 20, 2025 — Columbus, OH