GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN
“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” has become an anthem for women empowerment since its release by Cyndi Lauper in 1983. However, Lauper was not the first artist to record the song.
Robert Hazard, a Philadelphia-based musician who had a small but devoted following in the local music scene, wrote and first recorded “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” in 1979. In 1982, he released a solo version of the song that got some airplay on college radio stations but didn’t get significant traction.
Cyndi Lauper heard the song while on tour in 1983 and decided to record her version of the track. She changed some of the lyrics to reflect a more feminist perspective and released it as the lead single on her debut album “She’s So Unusual” in 1983. The single became a commercial success, reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and staying in the top ten for several weeks. It also topped the charts in Australia, Canada, and several other countries.
Since its release “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” has been covered by numerous artists from different genres, with each putting their spin on the song. We’ve included a number of those covers below.
Here's Robert Hazard's original song:
“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” has been covered by artists around the world. We’ve included some of the best covers by various artists below. Listen to them all and see if there are any new bands you want to listen to.
Also, if there’s a good cover version that we should add, tell us! Leave us a comment in the comment section with the name of the artist and a link to their performance.
Cyndi Lauper’s smash hit
Shark Bait (pop punk)
CHROMATICS
Which is your favorite? Is there another cover song that we should add? Let us know in the comments.