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Girls Just Want to Have Fun

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"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" redirects here. For other uses with "wanna" or "want to", see Girls Just Want to Have Fun (disambiguation).

"Girls Just Want to Have Fun"
Song
B-side"Right Track Wrong Train"

"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" is a 1979 song originally written by Robert Hazard and made famous by singer Cyndi Lauper.[1] It was the first major single released by Lauper as a solo artist and the lead-off single from her debut album She's So Unusual. Lauper’s version gained recognition as a feminist anthem and promoted by an award-winning video. It has been covered on either an album or in live concert by over 30 other artists.

The single was Lauper's breakthrough hit, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming a worldwide hit throughout late 1983 and early 1984. It remains one of Lauper's signature songs and was a widely popular song during the era of its release, the 1980s. The "Rolling Stone & MTV: '100 Greatest Pop Songs': 1-50", "Rolling Stone: "The 100 Top Music Videos"" and the "VH1: 100 Greatest Videos" lists ranked the song at #22, #39 and #45, respectively.[2][3][4] The song received a Grammy Award nomination for Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

Background

With the inclusion of promotional releases, the single has seen about 40 individual versions of release.[citation needed] The most common is a 7" vinyl single (with varying cover artwork) released in 1983/1984 (depending on the country) and the second most common is a 12" vinyl single (also with varying cover artwork) released in 1983/1984.

The song was written by Robert Hazard, who recorded it in 1979. He wrote it from a male point of view. For Lauper's version, she changed the lyrics slightly to allow it to be performed by a female and Hazard approved the minor changes. Her version appeared on her 1983 debut solo record, She's So Unusual. It is a synthesizer-backed anthem about the roles of women in society and is considered by many to be a feminist classic of the era.[citation needed] Gillian G. Gaar, author of She's a Rebel: The History of Women in Rock & Roll (2002), described the single and corresponding video as a "strong feminist statement", an "anthem of female solidarity" and a "playful romp celebrating female camaraderie."[5]

The variety of releases of the single includes an Austrian birthday card with a 3" CD of the song inside. The song has been heavily distributed in karaoke version as well. Lauper later went on to completely re-work the song in 1994 resulting in the new hit "Hey Now (Girls Just Want to Have Fun)". The song was remade by Lauper yet again in 2005 on her The Body Acoustic album, also produced by Chertoff and Wittman with Lauper, with guest support vocals from Japanese pop/rock duo Puffy AmiYumi.

Music video

File:Vidstill.jpg
Lauper and Albano in the "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" music video, directed by Edd Griles.

The release of the single was accompanied by a quirky music video. It cost less than $35,000, largely due to a volunteer cast and the free loan of the most sophisticated video equipment available at the time. The cast included professional wrestling manager "Captain" Lou Albano in the role of Lauper's father while her real mother, Catrine, played herself (Cyndi would later return the favor by appearing in WWF storylines opposite Albano and guest-starring in an episode of the Super Mario Bros. Super Show, where she announces Albano is missing because of a letter he wrote her, with part of it torn off leaving out an important detail). Lauper's attorney, Elliot Hoffman, appeared as her uptight dancing partner. Also in the cast were Lauper's manager, David Wolf, her brother, Butch Lauper, fellow musician Steve Forbert, and a bevy of secretaries borrowed from Portrait/CBS, Lauper's record label.

Lorne Michaels (Broadway Video, SNL), another of Hoffman's clients, agreed to give Lauper free run of his brand new million-dollar digital editing equipment, with which she and her producer created several first-time-ever computer generated images of Lauper dancing with her buttoned-up lawyer, leading the entire cast in a snake-dance through New York streets and ending up in Lauper's bedroom in her home. The bedroom scene is a homage to the famous stateroom scene in the Marx Brothers' film A Night at the Opera.

Before the song starts, the beginning of her version of "He's So Unusual" plays.

The music video was directed by Edd Griles. The producer was Ken Walz while the cinematographer was Francis Kenny. The treatment for the video was co-written by Griles, Walz, and Cyndi Lauper. The video was shot in the Lower East Side of Manhattan in summer 1983 and premiered on television in December 1983.[6]

Charts and certifications

Charts

The song was released in late 1983 but much of the its success on the charts came during the first half of 1984. The single reached the Top 10 in over 25 countries and reached #1 in ten of those countries including Australia, Canada, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, and Norway. It also reached #2 in both the United Kingdom and the United States.

In the United States, the song entered the Hot 100 at #80 on December 17, 1983. It ultimately peaked at #2 (behind Van Halen's "Jump") on March 10, 1984 where it stayed for two weeks.[7][8] In the United Kingdom, the song entered the chart at #50 on January 14, 1984 and peaked at #2 on February 4, 1984 where it stayed for one week.[9] In Ireland, the song entered the chart on January 29, 1984. It peaked at number one for two weeks and was on the chart for a total of seven weeks.[10] In Belgium, the song debut at #38 on February 18, 1984 and peaked at #4 on April 7, 1984.[11] In the Netherlands, the song entered the chart at #38 on February 25, 1984 and peaked at #4 on March 31, 1984.[12]

In Sweden, the song entered at #13 on March 6, 1984 and peaked at #5 on April 3, 1984, charting for six weeks.[13] In Switzerland, the song entered the chart at #15 on April 1, 1984 and peaked at #6 on April 29, 1984.[14] In New Zealand, the song debuted at #21 on April 1, 1984 and peaked at #1 on May 6, 1984 where it stayed for three weeks.[15] In Austria, the single entered at #3 on May 1, 1984 which was its peak position.[16]

Chart precession and succession

Preceded by Irish Singles Chart number-one single
February 18, 1984 – February 25, 1984 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Cashbox Top 100
March 17, 1984 – March 24, 1984 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Australian Kent Music Report number-one single
March 19, 1984 – March 26, 1984 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single
March 24, 1984 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Canadian Singles Chart number-one single
March 31, 1984 – April 7, 1984 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
"My Oh My" by Slade
"To Be or Not to Be" by Mel Brooks
 Norwegian VG-Lista number-one single
13/1984
15/1984 		Succeeded by
"To Be or Not to Be" by Mel Brooks

Versions and formats

7" Vinyl Single

  • "Girls Just Want To Have Fun"—3:55
  • "Right Track Wrong Train"—4:40

Written by: R. Hazard ("Right Train, Wrong Train" written by: C. Lauper, E. Greenwich, J. Kent)[32]

12" Vinyl Promo

  • A. "Girls Just Want To Have Fun (Extended Version)"—6:08
  • B1. "Fun With V. Knutsn (Instrumental)"—7:10
  • B2. "Xtra Fun"—5:05

Mixed by: Arthur Baker Producer: Rick Chertoff Written by: R. Hazard[32]

CD single (Ringle)

A CD single was issued in 2007, known as a ringle, which included bonus interactive computer material as well as a code to download a free ringtone of the title track. It featured the title track and for the first time on CD, "Right Track Wrong Train". The ringle, as well as all other issued ringles, were recalled by Sony Music due to issues with the ringtone not working correctly. They have yet to be reissued.

  1. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun"
  2. "Right Track Wrong Train"
  3. Computer media

Official versions

  • Album Version – 3:49
  • Video Version - 4:19
  • Extended version – 6:08
  • Fun with V. Knutsn (Instrumental) – 7:10
  • Xtra Fun – 5:05
  • Remix – 6:30
  • Radio remix – 3:39
  • "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (featuring Puffy AmiYumi) – 2:59
  • Extended remix – 7:24
  • More Fun remix – 5:07

Personnel

[where?]

  1. Lyrics: Robert Hazard. Production: Rick Chertoff.
  2. Lyrics: Cyndi Lauper, Ellie Greenwich, Jeffrey B. Kent. Production: Rick Chertoff

Cover versions and other uses

Katy Perry performing the song as a duet with Nicki Minaj

"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" has been covered by many artists, including Katy Perry, Kelly Rowland, Emilie Autumn, Estelle, Miley Cyrus, The Cheetah Girls, Jessie J, and Aloha from Hell.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Shaggy song

Main article: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Shaggy song)

"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" is a same-titled song by reggae musician Shaggy, featuring American female rapper Eve. The song, with completely different lyrics samples in the chorus Lauper's song. It was released as the official lead, and second overall single, from Shaggy's eleventh studio album, Rise and charted in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany and Poland.

In pop culture

The song has been used in various television series, films and video games including Bones, Married with Children, Daria, Gilmore Girls, Girlfriends, Friends, The Simpsons, The Comeback, High Chaparall, Sexo y otros secretos, Medium and WWE Raw, and also in films, such as Naughty Boys, Peter's Friends, Zärtliche Begierde, To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, Riding in Cars with Boys, Hysterical Blindness, I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, Night of the Comet, BioShock Infinite, and Killer Karaoke.

(Hey Now) Girls Just Want to Have Fun

"Girls Just Want to Have Fun"
Song

"(Hey Now) Girls Just Want to Have Fun" was the first single from Cyndi Lauper's Twelve Deadly Cyns...and Then Some hits collection from 1994. The first charting single on Billboard Hot 100 since 1989 "My First Night Without You".

Background

This song is a new reggae-tinged arrangement of Lauper's own "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" standard, with a musical tip of the hat to Redbone's "Come and Get Your Love". The arrangement evolved as she experimented with the song's style over the course of the 1993-94 Hat Full of Stars Tour. The song was a big comeback hit for Lauper, landing in the top 10 and top 40 in many countries. It was also a big dance hit in the United States. It peaked at #4 in the UK and New Zealand, its highest position.

"Hey Now" plays over the closing sequence and credits of the movie To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar.

Track listing

US CD single
  1. "(Hey Now) Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (single edit)
  2. "(Hey Now) Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (Mickey Bennett's version)
  3. "(Hey Now) Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (Sly & Robbie's Home Grown version)
  4. "(Hey Now) Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (Vasquez remix)
  5. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (original version)
Japanese CD single
  1. "(Hey Now) Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (single edit)
  2. "(Hey Now) Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (Mickey Bennett's version)
  3. "(Hey Now) Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (Sly & Robbie's Home Grown version)
  4. "(Hey Now) Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (Vasquez remix)
French CD Single
  1. "(Hey Now) Girls Just Want to Have Fun"
  2. "Hat Full of Stars"
  1. "(Hey Now) Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (single edit) – 3:39
  2. "(Hey Now) Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (Mickey Bennett's "Carnival" version featuring Patra)
  3. "(Hey Now) Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (Sly & Robbie's "Home Grown" version featuring Snow)
  4. "(Hey Now) Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (Junior Vasquez Remix "Pop Goes the Dancehall" featuring Snow)
  5. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (original version)

Charts

Chart (1994–95) Peak
position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart 62
French SNEP Singles Chart 3
German Singles Chart 56
Irish Singles Chart 10
Japanese International Singles Chart 8
New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart 4
Swedish Singles Chart 38
Swiss Singles Chart 37
UK Singles Chart 4
US Billboard Hot 100 87

Certifications

Country Certification Sales
United Kingdom Silver 200,000[36]

Official versions

  1. Factory Dub version – 6:50
  2. Junior Vasquez remix "Dancehall Main" – 5:46
  3. Junior Vasquez remix "Harder Dancehall" – 5:46
  4. Junior Vasquez remix "Lounge Dub" – 6:00
  5. Junior Vasquez remix "Lounge Mix" – 6:12
  6. Junior Vasquez remix "Pop Goes the Dancehall" – 4:58
  7. Junior Vasquez Soundfactory mix – 7:40
  8. Mikey Bennett's "Carnival" version – 6:04
  9. Mikey Bennett's "Carnival" version edited – 4:09
  10. Single edit – 3:39
  11. Sly & Robbie's "Home Grown" version – 4:16
  12. Straight Up Pass version – 7:13
  13. Techno dub – 3:55
  14. Techno Main mix – 8:23

Awards and nominations

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1983 "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" American Video Awards for Best Female Performance Won
1984 MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year Nominated
MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist Nominated
MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video Won
MTV Video Music Award for Best Concept Video Nominated
MTV Video Music Award – Viewer's Choice Nominated
MTV Video Music Award for Best Overall Performance Nominated
1985 Grammy Award for Record of the Year Nominated
Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Nominated

List of the best

Year By List Work Ranked
1993 Rolling Stone The 100 Top Music Videos[3] "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" #22
1999 MTV 100 Greatest Videos Ever Made[37] #58
2001 VH1 100 Greatest Videos[4] #45
2006 100 Greatest Songs of the 80's[38] #23

See also

Race for Life version

"Girls Just Want to Have Fun"
Song

In 2010 Cancer Research UK's arranged for a charity record for their Race for Life campaign. It features many famous faces such as EastEnders actress Nina Wadia, Coronation Street actress Kym Marsh, Life of Riley actress Caroline Quentin, glamour girl Danielle Lloyd, X Factor finalist Lucie Jones, singer Sonique (herself a breast cancer survivor) and former EastEnders actress Lucy Benjamin also Celebrity Big Brother's Nicola T.[39]

Charts

Chart (2010) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 107
UK Indie Chart 7

References

Notes
  1. ^ "Robert Hazard: 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun' writer". The Independent. London. August 16, 2008.
  2. ^ VH1 (1997–2012). "Rolling Stone & MTV: '100 Greatest Pop Songs': 1-50". Rock On The Net.com. Rock On The Net. Retrieved May 31, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date format (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ a b Rolling Stone (1997–2012). "Rolling Stone: "The 100 Top Music Videos"". Rock On The Net.com. Rock On The Net. Retrieved May 31, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)
  4. ^ a b VH1 (1997–2012). "VH1: 100 Greatest Videos". Rock On The Net.com. Rock On The Net. Retrieved May 31, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date format (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Gaar, Gillian G. (2002). She's a rebel: the history of women in rock & roll. Seal Press. pp. 264–265. ISBN 1-58005-078-6.
  6. ^ http://www.mvdbase.com/video.php?id=16167
  7. ^ http://www.billboard.com/charts/1983-12-17/hot-100?order=gainer
  8. ^ http://www.billboard.com/charts/1984-03-10/hot-100?order=position
  9. ^ http://www.theofficialcharts.com/search-results-album/_/Girls+Just+Want+To+Have+Fun#single
  10. ^ http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement
  11. ^ http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Cyndi+Lauper&titel=Girls+Just+Want+To+Have+Fun&cat=s#
  12. ^ http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Cyndi+Lauper&titel=Girls+Just+Want+To+Have+Fun&cat=s
  13. ^ http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Cyndi+Lauper&titel=Girls+Just+Want+To+Have+Fun&cat=s
  14. ^ http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Cyndi+Lauper&titel=Girls+Just+Want+To+Have+Fun&cat=s
  15. ^ http://charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Cyndi+Lauper&titel=Girls+Just+Want+To+Have+Fun&cat=s
  16. ^ http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Cyndi+Lauper&titel=Girls+Just+Want+To+Have+Fun&cat=s
  17. ^ MegaCharts (April 1, 1984). "Austrian Singles Chart". Austrian Charts. Retrieved May 19, 2010.
  18. ^ MegaCharts (February 25, 1984). "Dutch Singles Chart". Dutch Charts. Retrieved May 19, 2010.
  19. ^ Irish Recording Music Association (January 30, 1986). "Irish Singles Chart". Irish Charts. Retrieved May 17, 2009.
  20. ^ Hitparadeitalia (August, 1984). "Hitparadeitalia Chart". Hitparadeitalia Charts. Retrieved 2012-02-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  21. ^ Oricon (April 9, 1984). "Japan #1 IMPORT DISKS Chart". Oricon Charts. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  22. ^ MegaCharts (April 9, 1984). "New Zealand Singles Chart". New Zealand Charts. Retrieved May 19, 2010.
  23. ^ MegaCharts (April 9, 1984). "Norwegian Singles Chart". Norwegian Charts. Retrieved May 19, 2010.
  24. ^ MegaCharts (April 1, 1984). "Swedish Singles Chart". Swedish Charts. Retrieved May 19, 2010.
  25. ^ MegaCharts (March 6, 1984). "Dutch Singles Chart". Swiss Charts. Retrieved May 19, 2010.
  26. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Cyndi Lauper – Girl's Just Want to Have Fun". Music Canada. Retrieved April 1, 2012.
  27. ^ "Les Singles en Or :" (in French). Infodisc.fr. Retrieved April 1, 2012.
  28. ^ "French single certifications – Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved April 1, 2012.
  29. ^ "British single certifications – Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want to Have Fun". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Girls Just Want to Have Fun in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  30. ^ "American single certifications – Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just". Recording Industry Association of America.
  31. ^ "Cyndi Lauper | Lab 344 – Na Velocidade do Som" (in Portuguese). Lab 344. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
  32. ^ a b Discogs (2012). "Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want To Have Fun". Discogs. Discogs. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
  33. ^ Jay Gumbs (2012). "Cover Details". WhoSampled. WhoSampled.com Limited. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
  34. ^ Gary Trust (December 9, 2011). "'Glee': Musician Greg Laswell Seeks Recognition for Cyndi Lauper Remake (Audio)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
  35. ^ TuneFind (2012). "Music from Being Erica". TuneFind. TuneFind LLC. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
  36. ^ "Certified Awards". BPI British Phonographic Industry. BPI. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  37. ^ "VH1: '100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll'". VH1. Rock On The Net. 1999. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  38. ^ "VH1: '100 Greatest Songs of the 80's'". VH1. Rock On The Net. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  39. ^ "Girls Just Want To Have Fun: Sonique Records Cancer Charity Single After Beating Breast Cancer | Showbiz News | Sky News". News.sky.com. Retrieved April 26, 2010.


External links


Awards and achievements
Preceded by
—
 MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video
1984 		Succeeded by
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