Everyone knows it's Cyndi

I have distinct, positive memories associated with Cyndi Lauper. After endless hours playing the Nintendo adaptation of The Goonies, the 8-bit version of the Goonies Theme has become an ever-present earworm. To this day, any time my mind goes blank the intro kicks in like hold music for my brain. Delving back into her oeuvre, however, was a little challenging to the idealized notion of Ms. Lauper that I have lodged in my memory. Many of her songs* are a detailed exercise in how not to use a synthesizer. However, it's exactly that ubiquitous abuse that precipitated the resurgence of guitar rock just in time for Nirvana. So I guess we should be thankful... maybe. Nirvana eventually led to Creed, so...

Aaaaanyway, moving right along.
Here are the winning picks:

5- When You Were Mine (again)

4- Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

3- True Colors

2- (The Goonies R) Good Enough

1- Time After Time

*Somewhat honorable mention: All Through the Night - If not for the horrendous synth jamming at the bridge, this could have made the list. Life Lesson - Don't leave your producer, session-player or whatever alone in the studio with a casio and a ki of coke.

Cyndi Lauper...this fever for you is just burning me up inside.

From the first time I secretly watched MTV and saw her strut around in that glorious red dress in the video for "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", I knew that one day I wanted to grow up to be Cyndi Lauper. Folks who knew me in high school might say I made an excellent effort in this pursuit.

The aformentioned hit is certainly Ms. Lauper's best known work. But I exclude it from my list for two reasons:

1. It was overplayed as a ring tone for weeks on end on the phone of an annoying coworker.

2. I really think that Lady Lauper's strong suit is the ballad.

One last thought. As I think back on touchstones of my childhood, I am often amazed at the pop culture bits my parents allowed me to consume. Holy crap a lot of Cyndi Lauper's songs are about sex! Girl really needed to get her ticket punched. What were my parents thinking?

Okay, I know what you're here for. So here it goes...My top five:

5. Fearless

4. I Drove All Night

3. Time After Time

2. She Bop

1. All Through The Night