When I interviewed Cyndi Lauper in 2002, I told her of a dream I had about her shortly before the interview took place. In the dream, she had released an album of cover versions of songs from the '70s, on which she did brilliant renditions of the Barry Manilow hit 'Somewhere In The Night' and Boston's 'More Than A Feeling.' When I asked her if she had ever considered doing an entire album of cover tunes, she said, 'No. That would be like nails on a blackboard to me. But I'm glad it wasn't a nightmare for you. It would have been a real nightmare for me. I did my trysts. I did my punishment. I did cover tunes when I first started. I had to sing them all. And you know what, I still didn't sing any Barry Manilow tunes (laughs).'
Like the song from Ms. Lauper's 1986 True Colors album goes, she must have had a 'Change Of Heart.' At Last (Daylight/ Epic) is Lauper's first exclusive album of cover tunes. I, for one, am glad that she reconsidered, even if 'Until You Come Back To Me' is the only song from the '70s.
The first thing you will notice about At Last is Lauper's remarkable and reverential treatment of the material. The simple piano and strings orchestration on the title track are the celestial background for her heavenly rendition. 'Walk On By' is so heart-wrenching you can practically hear Lauper choking back the tears. Little sparrow Edith Piaf takes flight again on her soaring versions of 'La Vie En Rose' and 'Hymn To Love.' Lauper even turns up the heat on two '60s standards, 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood' and 'You Really Got A Hold On Me,' finding the torch songs burning within each one.
As we all know, Cyndi Lauper also likes to have fun, and she does so on the Latin-spiced version of 'Stay,' the ska glow of 'Sunny Side Of The Street,' and the loose hip-hop jazz feel to 'My Baby Just Cares For Me.' As if that wasn't enough, she makes whoopee on the 'Makin' Whoopee' duet with Tony Bennett.
Cyndi recently took a moment out of her busy schedule, preparing for her tour in support of At Last, to answer a few questions.
Gregg Shapiro: How did it feel for you to be the interpreter of other people's songs on an entire album instead of being the songwriter and the singer?
Cyndi Lauper: When I was growing up in Queens, I used to sit on the stoop with my mother while she and all the neighborhood women, and sometimes men, would share their experiences. I always imagined telling their stories one day, and through this album I have told some of them.
GS: Do any of the songs have special significance—for example, are any of these songs linked to a first kiss, a first crush, a first concert experience?
CL: They all do, especially 'At Last,' 'Walk On By,' again from my childhood. [These are] songs I heard then and always hoped to sing one day.
GS: You do some name checking in 'My Baby Just Cares For Me' by mentioning Queen Latifah and Jennifer Aniston. Why did you come up with those two?
CL: I just wanted to bring some contemporary references to make the songs more relative to today. I love Queen Latifah. She is just an amazing all around artist and such a strong artist. I think she is terrific. Jennifer Aniston is America's beauty and I really like her, too. She is a good actress.
GS: Your rendition of 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood' transforms it into a torch song. Why did you choose to do it in that way?
CL: Always felt like a torch song to me, so I sung it that way.
GS: You sing a duet with Tony Bennett on 'Makin' Whoopee.' What was it like to sing with him?
CL: He is Tony Bennett! He has an angel's voice ... and he's Tony Bennett! Made my knees weak ... .
GS: There is a dance remix of 'Walk On By.' Did you do that so you could keep your connection to your gay fans in the clubs?
CL: I don't choose music to manipulate people. I just love that tune and hoped my fans would too. I am lucky to have a lot of support from the gay community for which I have always been proud and grateful.
GS: In addition to you, several artists including Bette Midler, Barbra Streisand, Rod Stewart, and even Mandy Moore are digging into the past for the material for their new albums. Do you think that is a comment on the quality of new songs that are available to singers?
CL: No, great songs are being written all the time. I write songs all the time. Writers are writing all the time.
GS: You are also going to be doing dates in more intimate club environments. Can you please comment on that?
CL: In the beginning, we will be doing a few months of showcases all around the world starting in New York City on Oct. 20 and ending in Sweden in early December. Then I have a few weeks of theater-size shows and my manager and agent are now working on what we will be doing in 2004. (I) hope to be on the road for a while.