Girls Just Want to Have Fun Introduction
In a Nutshell
Remember those days when they actually played music videos on MTV? What about back when female solidarity was rarely talked about in pop music and feminism was totally a dirty word? Or the days when crazy dyed hair was a surprise from anyone who wasn’t part of the punk rock scene? Remember Reaganomics?Don't worry. We don't really remember the early '80s either. Cyndi Lauper, on the other hand…well, those bygone times of boom and bust were her big moment.
Did you know that up until 1983, girls weren't allowed to have any fun? It was a difficult time for everyone, but thank goodness Cyndi Lauper came along.
About the Song
| Artist | Cyndi Lauper | Musician(s) | Cyndi Lauper (vocals) |
| Album | She’s So Unusual | ||
| Year | 1983 | ||
| Label | Portrait Records | ||
| Writer(s) | Robert Hazard, Cyndi Lauper | ||
| Producer(s) | Rick Chertoff, William Wittman | ||
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Music Video
Shmoop Connections
"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" wasn't exactly the first popular anthem specifically for the ladies, but Cyndi Lauper was a groundbreaking figure who rocked a girl-power sensibility before "Girl Power" was a household term or "Girls Rule, Boys Drool" was a t-shirt from Hot Topic.These days, she hangs around the likes of Lady Gaga, making waves as a gay rights activist. Though she certainly was no mere one-hit wonder, "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" was her first hit, as well as one of her most enduring.
On the Charts
"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the chart for 50 weeks in 1983 and 1984. The song was #1 in Australia, Canada, Brazil, Ireland, New Zealand, and Norway and charted in the top ten in Austria, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK.Lauper's debut solo album, She's So Unusual, gave her a string of hit singles: "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," "She Bop," "Time After Time," and "All Through the Night" made Lauper the first female artist to have four consecutive top five singles on Billboard.
The video for "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" took home the first-ever award for Best Female Video at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1984.
Lauper was nominated for six Grammys in 1985 and took home two: Best New Artist and Best Album Package for She's So Unusual.