Today is the birthday of singer Cyndi Lauper (given name: Cynthia Anne

Stephanie Lauper), who was born in Queens, N.Y. With her

squeaky New Yawk voice and wild attire, Lauper's early pop career revolved

around bubblegum hits such as "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Time After

Time."

Lauper was raised in Queens by her waitress mother, dropping out of

high school to sing in cover bands. Even before her first record deal she'd

ruined her voice and sought vocal training before the making of her 1983

debut She's So Unusual. "Girls" was an instant success, dazzling in

its pop appeal, and "Time After Time" became a #1 hit as "She Bop" -- a

playful ditty about masturbation -- raised Tipper Gore's ire. Lauper

followed her debut with True Colors in 1986, a slow-to-sell record

which did score a #1 single in its title track (now the jingle for Kodak film).

Lauper's third release, A Night to Remember, flopped badly despite a single for "I Drove All Night." In 1993 she married actor David Thornton,

with Little Richard tying the knot. By this time most music fans had stopped

paying attention; however, 1993's Hat Full of Stars is considered by

some to be her best album yet. Lauper co-wrote and co-produced all the tracks,

yet it failed to see a hit single. In 1995, she released a best-of, Twelve

Deadly Cyns and Then Some, and made a new album for 1997, Sisters of Avalon. So far Lauper's latest has scored with one single, "You Don't

Know."

Other birthdays: Bobby Gillespie (Primal Scream), Steven Page (Barenaked Ladies), Nick Kitsos (BoDeans), Kris Kristofferson, Peter Asher (Peter & Gordon), Howard Keplin (Turtles), Todd Rundgren, Alan Osmond (Osmonds), Derek Forbes (Simple Minds), Green Gartside (Scritti Politti), Gary Garry Beers (INXS), Jimmy Sommerville (Communards/Bronski Beat) and Michael James Edwards (Jesus Jones).