“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”
Writer: Robert Hazard
Original Release Date: 1979
You’ve heard it before, and absolutely sung along to it, but did you know that Cyndi Lauper’s hit “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” is, in fact, a cover?
Originally performed by Robert Hazard in 1979, the song actually told the story of a “girl-crazy bad boy”. The lyrics aren’t what we’re used to, and they definitely don’t have the same feminist quality that made Lauper’s version so anthemic. Instead of preaching that girls are allowed to do whatever they want (even if it involves just having fun), Hazard’s lyrics talk about a guy whose parents are concerned with how much time he’s been spending with numerous women of questionable morals.
When Cyndi Lauper covered it, she changed some of the verses (making sure to get Hazard’s approval), turning it into the girl-power anthem we all know and love. It practically screams “1983” with the brash instrumentation, but even now, three decades later, it is a go-to song if you’re trying to get a crowd of people pumped. Remember when it was used in Gilmore Girls for a heartwarming scene that showed Lorelai enjoying a rare moment of true happiness with her often overbearing mother Emily? That’s basically how this song makes everyone feel.
I’ve heard of Starfucker, but never got around to listening them. However, this cover immediately caught my attention with the thumping bass and the male vocals in place of the female voice I’m used to hearing. They don’t make any significant lyrical changes and, overall, it’s not too different from the Cyndi Lauper version; it just has a slightly more updated feel—a little less 1983, a little more 2009.
But if you’re looking for something completely different with the same female empowering message, do yourself a favor and soak in the sultry smooth ballad version by The Maine, featuring Taking Back Sunday’s Adam Lazzara. The only thing prettier than this cover is John O’Callaghan’s face.