Music Review: Cyndi Lauper "True Colors"

Cyndi Lauper

True Colors

Album: True Colors

Year: 1986

         Cyndi Lauper helps a friend through a hard time in the maternal   “True Colors”

             A peaceful drum and a comforting piano open the single, setting an empathetic tone.  She taps her foot in quick motions, wondering about her friend. She excuses herself and then heads walks downstairs to check on her. Through the glass window, her friend looks up, her eyes poring into her own, silently telling her to not go. She hopes her friend knows she will be there once she speaks up. She can see her friend is not herself and letting the other person’s words get to her. (“You with the sad eyes/Don't be discouraged/Oh I realize/It's hard to take courage/In a world full of people/You can lose sight of it all/And the darkness inside you/Can make you feel so small.”)

             In the chorus, her friend is a good person. Bright and bubbly, she can light up an entire room. She walks past her friend on her back upstairs, giving her a smile. She has to let her know there is one person who believes she can do anything. (“But I see your true colors/Shining through/I see your true colors/And that’s why I love you/So don't be afraid to let them show/Your true colors/True colors are beautiful/Like a rainbow.”)

           Once alone, she starts telling cheesy knock knock jokes. Her friend groans and a tiny grin flashes on her face for a second. She tells her it’s great to see her grin. She’s missed it. As they finish lunch, she tells her friend to call her if she wants to talk. She’s been dealing with a lot and shouldn’t have to go through it by herself. (“Show me a smile then/Don't be unhappy, can't remember/When I last saw you laughing/If this world makes you crazy/And you've taken all you can bear/You call me up/Because you know I'll be there.”)

                 The chorus is sung again.

The second verse is sung again.

The chorus is sung again to close the single.

              Lauper’s nurturing vocals reach out with both arms. She puts her own problems aside and makes sure her friend is doing okay. It’s upsetting her to see her friend depressed. She has to do something and reassure her friend she won’t ever be alone.

            The kind “True Colors” envelops listeners into a bear hug, holding tight.