1880 The Worm Turned

Friday, June 27, 2008 (wee hours am)

Cyndi Lauper is five years older than Madonna. They both released their debut albums in 1983. They sounded a lot alike, to this untutored ear, anyway. They sang a lot of the same kinds of songs.

I liked Cyndi better. She looked kind of punk, dressed from thrift shops and looked it, had pink hair before it was popular, all of which seemed to make her more real, more honest. She was outrageous, but it was always obviously a part of her. I thought she was fun.

Madonna was too slick for me. Too calculated. She was outrageous, too, but it was carefully calculated outrageousness. I would not use the words real, honest, or fun to describe Madonna.

Consequently, Madonna's star rose. Cyndi's never fell - she has worked steadily and has had a strong fan base all along, but it was Madonna who got all the press, all the flashbulbs.

Funniest thing - I am hearing that now, at 50, Madonna's crown is slipping. Critics have called her latest album "desperate". People are saying she looks hard, is not aging well. At the same time, I am suddenly seeing Cyndi Lauper everywhere.

And by damn, at 55, she's sounding and looking about the same as ever, still full of giggles and energy.

I say good for you, Cyndi. It's about time you got some attention.

-------------------------

Musing:
Madonna based her whole career on sex appeal. Cindi's was more sexy fun. Maybe there's a lesson there, as to which lasts longer.

Oh, and one thing I will forever blame on Madonna - she's the one who started this underware-on-the-outside fashion. I hate hate hate seeing women walking around in what look to me like slips! Or with a bra showing, like it's too pretty to hide or something. That's all her fault. She started it.
.