"Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper

#1 Alert!

Gold Record Alert!

Song#:  1867
Date:  04/14/1984
Debut:  53
Peak:  1 (2 weeks)
Weeks:  20
Genre:  Pop



Pop Bits:  Lauper burst onto the Pop chart with her debut single, the power anthem "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." It would end up being a platinum #2 hit. However, with her quirky personality, thrift shop look, and near-novelty video for the song, it left folks thinking that she could easily be a one-hit wonder. Those thoughts were put to rest when this second single was issued. The tender ballad, co-written by Lauper and Rob Hyman (of The Hooters - he sings backup on this song), was the perfect follow-up and it climbed the chart to the #1 spot. It did the same at AC while getting to #10 at Rock. Once again, the song's MTV video became a popular favorite and helped the single reach gold level sales. It would eventually grab a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year.

ReduxReview:  There were some really good single choices from Lauper's She's So Unusual LP, however this was the perfect one to follow up "Girls." It showed a completely different side of Lauper and introduced her as a songwriter. I saw an interview with her one time where she was saying that a songwriter is extremely lucky if just one of their songs is not only a hit, but one that has legs and lasts over time. She felt that "Time After Time" was that song for her. I'd have to agree. No other song that she's written has even come close to having the long life span of this one. It's Lauper's second classic in a row.

ReduxRating:  9/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) Lauper's record company loved this song and wanted it to be her debut single. However, Lauper was against that idea. She thought that if the song was a hit, it would set the tone for her career and she would be tagged as a ballad singer. The label relented and sent out "Girls" for the first single. It ended up being a good decision.  2) This was the final song written for the album. Initially, both Lauper and Hyman (who served as a musician and arranger on the album) thought they had all the songs done and the LP was ready. However, producer Rick Chertoff thought there needed to be one more track and sent the two off to come up with something. It was Lauper and Hyman's first time writing together and they quickly formed ideas for the song. A title for the song was needed and it came about via a movie. While thinking about a song title, Lauper happened to be looking at a TV Guide magazine and saw a listing for the 1979 film Time After Time, a sci-fi time travel flick that starred Malcolm McDowell. The movie's title seemed to fit what they were working on and Lauper began to use the phrase. Eventually it stuck and became the song's final title.

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