Cyndi Lauper’s breakthrough, career-making, signature feminist hit from 1983 has just been given a modern day revamp by James Corden and Cyndi Lauper and they made it more feminist than ever.
This earworm has been covered perpetually ever since Lauper first took a song written and sung from a man’s point of view, originally by Robert Hazard and adapted it into a feminist anthem. C’mon fess up, how many times did you hear it somewhere in passing and then had it play in your head for the entirety of that day? At last count, 30 known musicians have covered it either live or on an album.
The new version by Corden and Lauper raises other women’s issues outside of pay equality across genders, like air conditioning temperature in public places as controlled by men, as well as illogical girl things perpetuated by Hollywood (like girls running from danger in high heels).
While the song frivolously mocks the system and men, it ends on a soft message of hope, which in Lauper’s fantastic voice sounds like a war cry.
…and when the working day is done
oh girls, don’t get too bummed,
’cause one day, we’ll get equal funds!