True Colors (Cyndi Lauper album)

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True Colors
Cyndi Lauper - True Colors.jpg
Studio album by
Cyndi Lauper
ReleasedOctober 14, 1986[1]
RecordedNovember 22, 1985 – May 31, 1986
Studio
GenrePop
Length37:57
LabelPortrait
Producer
  • Cyndi Lauper
  • Lennie Petze
Cyndi Lauper chronology
She's So Unusual
(1983) 		True Colors
(1986) 		The Best Remixes
(1989)
Singles from True Colors
  1. "True Colors"
    Released: August 28, 1986
  2. "Change of Heart"
    Released: November 11, 1986
  3. "What's Going On"
    Released: March 1987
  4. "Boy Blue"
    Released: June 1987
  5. "Maybe He'll Know"
    Released: September 1987

True Colors is the second studio album by American singer Cyndi Lauper, released on September 15, 1986. The album produced several commercially successful singles as "True Colors", "Change of Heart", and "What's Going On" reached the top twenty of the Billboard Hot 100, with the first two becoming top 5 hits. The album was produced by Lauper herself together with Lennie Petze. The singer also composed all the songs of the album.

Upon its release, the album received generally positive reviews from music critics. The album earned Lauper several awards and accolades, including two nominations at the 29th Annual Grammy Awards. True Colors peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 chart. The album is Lauper's second best-selling release with over 7 million copies worldwide.

Background and production[]

Lauper said that the songs of the album are a way to say: "Have the courage of your convictions and love yourself a little", and "not to be so hard on yourself".[3] In addition to composing all the songs on the album, the singer also produced it.[4] In her autobiography, the singer says that she initially planned that Rick Chertoff, who produced She's So Unusual, would produce what would become her second album, however, the experience with him was problematic and she changed her mind, likewise she refused to produce the album with Rob Hyman since he was affiliated with Chertoff.[4] The album was then produced by her and Lennie Petze.[4]

The title song, written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, has been covered by many other artists, and was used as the theme song for the 1988 Summer Olympics, the 2003 Rugby World Cup and for Kodak cameras and film.

In 2010, the song was also featured on the soundtrack of Sex and the City 2. True Colors was re-issued in a Japanese exclusive limited edition box set 11-track digitally remastered CD album.

Critical reception[]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic3.5/5 stars[5]
The Village VoiceB–[6]
Rolling StoneFavorable[7]

The album received favorable reviews from music critics. Eugene Chadbourne from AllMusic website gave the album three and a hal stars out of five and wrote that while the album is "ambitious" and "some of the stretches really pay off" some of its aspects "date badly" like the "highly reverberated and artificial sounding drums and keyboards" which "were really popular at the time". He conclude that despite those problems "there really wasn't that much music recorded by this artist during her most popular period, so fans will no doubt want to own it all."[5] Robert Christgau from The Village Voice gave the album a B MINUS and wrote that the first side of the LP consists of "cheap sentiment" and "disheartening" and that "the second isn't much more than a relief". He finalized the review writing that "girls just want to have money--and no fun changes everything".[6] Jimmy Guterman from Rolling Stone magazine gave the album a favorable review and wrote that Lauper's voice "sounds more comfortable at any given moment on True Colors than she did on all of She's So Unusual" and that the album "seems to indicate her extreme ease in her new surroundings" and that "she's found a new sense of peace — or at least she's heading in that direction" but he concludes that "her uneasiness gave her early work much of its spark; what places True Colors a notch below her debut is that Cyndi Lauper just isn't that unusual anymore."[7]

Commercial performance[]

In the United States, True Colors has been certified double platinum by the RIAA and peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 albums chart. It topped the Australian chart for four weeks and, in Japan, outsold She's So Unusual, although that was not the case in most countries. The album produced the singles "True Colors" (No. 1 Billboard Hot 100), "Change of Heart" (No. 3), "What's Going On" (No. 12), and "Boy Blue" (No. 71). Each single had a music video although the video for "Boy Blue" was just a live performance from her Zenith concert in Paris. According to Lauper's official website, the album was certified 4× Platinum in Australia and Platinum in Italy.[8] The album sold 7 million copies worldwide.[9]

Track listing[]

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)PublisherLength
1."Change of Heart"Cyndi Lauper, Essra MohawkStone & Muffin Music Corp., Rella Music4:22
2."Maybe He'll Know"John Turi, LauperRella Music, Turi Music4:25
3."Boy Blue"Jeff Bova, Stephen Broughton Lunt, LauperRella Music, Perfect Punch Music, Liquid Crystal Music4:46
4."True Colors"Tom Kelly, Billy SteinbergDenise Barry Music, Billy Steinberg Music3:46
5."Calm Inside the Storm"Rick Derringer, LauperScratch & Shift Music; Rella Music3:54
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)PublisherLength
6."What's Going On"Renaldo Benson, Alfred Cleveland, Marvin GayeJobete Music Corp., Stone Agate Music Division4:39
7."Iko Iko"Rosa Lee Hawkins, Barbara Anne Hawkins, Joan Marie Johnson, Sharon Jones, Marilyn Jones, Boogaloo Joe Jones, Jesse ThomasArc Music Corp., Melder Publishing Company, Trio Music Co., Warner-Tamerlane Publishing2:08
8."The Faraway Nearby"Tom Gray, LauperRella Music, Gray Matter Publishing3:00
9."911"Lauper, LuntRella Music, Perfect Punch Music3:16
10."One Track Mind"Jimmy Bralower, Lennie Petze, Lauper, BovaRella Music, Fancy Footwork Music, Liquid Crystal Music, Red Sox Music 3:41
Total length:37:57
Bonus track (2008 Japan reissue)
No.TitleLength
11."True Colors" (Live at Summer Sonic, 2007) 

Personnel[]

  • Cyndi Lauper – lead vocals, arrangements, backing vocals (4, 6, 7, 10), jam box (7), Emulator voice (10)
  • Jeff Bova – keyboards (1, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10), arrangements (1, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10)
  • – keyboards (2, 4, 5, 6), arrangements (2, 4, 6, 9), additional keyboards (3), synthesizer bass (7)
  • Jon Goldberger – sound effects (7)
  • Nile Rodgers – guitars (1)
  • John McCurry – guitars (2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10)
  • Rick Derringer – guitars (5, 8)
  • Adrian Belew – guitars (6), arrangements (6)
  • Robert Holmes – guitars (6)
  • Neil Jason – bass guitar (2, 4, 6, 9)
  • Jimmy Bralower – LinnDrum programming, arrangements (1, 2, 5, 7-10), percussion (4, 7), jam box (4, 10)
  • Anton Fig – drums (2, 6)
  • Stephen Broughton Lunt – arrangements (3)
  • Lennie Petze – arrangements (3, 5, 6, 7, 10), percussion (7), backing vocals ( 10)
  • The Bangles – backing vocals (1)
  • Billy Joel – backing vocals (2)
  • Angela Clemmons-Patrick – backing vocals (4, 5)
  • Ellie Greenwich – backing vocals (5)
  • Aimee Mann – backing vocals (8)
  • Pee Wee Herman – guest operator (9)

Production

  • Cyndi Lauper – producer, art direction
  • Lennie Petze – producer
  • David Wolff – executive producer
  • Brian McGee – engineer, mixing
  • Jon Goldberger – assistant engineer
  • Tim Kramer – assistant engineer
  • Dave O'Donnell – assistant engineer
  • Jason Corsaro – additional mixing
  • George Marino – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY).
  • Jude Wilder – product manager
  • Holland Macdonald – art direction, design
  • Annie Leibovitz – cover photography
  • Bruce Ando – inner sleeve photography
  • Patrick Lucas – hair stylist, make-up
  • Ralph Scibelli – hair colorist
  • Laura Wills – stylist

Accolades[]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1987 "True Colors" Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Nominated
"911" Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance Nominated
"True Colors" MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video Nominated
"What's Going On" MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography Nominated

Charts[]

Certifications and sales[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil — 300,000[34]
Canada (Music Canada)[35] 2× Platinum 200,000^
France (SNEP)[37] Gold 136,100[36]
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[38] Gold 10,000*
Japan — 404,000[39]
New Zealand (RMNZ)[40] Platinum 15,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[41] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[42] Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[43] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References[]

  1. ^ Cyndi Lauper - True Colours Cyndilauper.com. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  2. ^ Cyndi Lauper – True Colors at Discogs
  3. ^ Pareles, Jon (September 14, 1986) "The return of Cyndi Lauper". Archived from the original on July 1, 2016. Retrieved 2016-07-01.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). The New York Times
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c Lauper, Cyndi (28 February 2017). Cyndi Lauper: A Memoir. Simon and Schuster. pp. 165–. ISBN 978-1-4391-4789-4.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b Chadbourne, Eugene. "Cyndi Lauper: True Colors > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b Christgau, Robert (October 28, 1986). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b Guterman, Jimmy (September 25, 1986) "True Colors Album Review". Archived from the original on January 19, 2012. Retrieved 2016-12-25.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). Rolling Stone
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Cyndi Lauper - True Colors". Archived from the original on November 23, 2003. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  9. ^ Bob Larson (November 1987). Larson's Book of Rock. Tyndale House Publishers. p. 166. ISBN 978-0-8423-5687-9.
  10. ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  11. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Cyndi Lauper – True Colors" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  12. ^ "Top Albums/CDs – Volume 45, No. 6, November 01 1986". RPM. Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  13. ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  14. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Cyndi Lauper – True Colors" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  15. ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  16. ^ "Albumit 1986-10 lokakuu" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  17. ^ "Les "Charts Runs" de chaque Album Classé" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  18. ^ "Cyndi Lauper – Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  19. ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  20. ^ "Charts.nz – Cyndi Lauper – True Colors". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  21. ^ "South African Divas Albums". Geo Cities. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  22. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Cyndi Lauper – True Colors". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  23. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Cyndi Lauper – True Colors". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  24. ^ "Cyndi Lauper | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  25. ^ "Cyndi Lauper Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  26. ^ Jump up to: a b David Kent (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australia: St Ives, N.S.W. : Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  27. ^ "Top 100 Albums of '86". RPM. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  28. ^ "1986年 アルバム年間TOP100" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on June 4, 2008. Retrieved May 10, 2016.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  29. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1986". RIANZ. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  30. ^ "Top 100 Albums of '87". RPM. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  31. ^ "Les Albums (CD) de 1987 par InfoDisc" (in French). InfoDisc. Archived from the original on October 23, 2014. Retrieved May 10, 2016.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  32. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1987". RIANZ. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  33. ^ "1987: Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  34. ^ "Change of heart: Novo sucesso para Cyndi Lauper". Luta Democrática (in Portuguese). February 18, 1987. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  35. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Cyndi Lauper – True Colors". Music Canada. Retrieved 2012-02-28.
  36. ^ "Les Albums Or". infodisc.fr (in French). SNEP. Archived from the original on 2011-11-24. Retrieved 2012-02-28.
  37. ^ "French album certifications – Lauper C. – True Colors" (in French). InfoDisc. Select LAUPER C. and click OK. 
  38. ^ "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1988". IFPI Hong Kong. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  39. ^ シンディ・ローパー (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on August 14, 2011. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  40. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Cyndi Lauper – True Colors". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  41. ^ "Gold & Platinum Awards 1987" (PDF). Music and Media. American Radio History Archive. 26 December 1987. p. 46. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  42. ^ "British album certifications – Cyndi Lauper – True Colors". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2012-02-28.Select albums in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type True Colors in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  43. ^ "American album certifications – Cyndi Lauper – True Colors". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2012-02-28.

External links[]

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