Hat Full of Stars | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 22, 1993 | |||
Recorded | August 1, 1992–February 28, 1993 | |||
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Genre | ||||
Length | 52:50 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Producer |
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Cyndi Lauper chronology | ||||
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Singles from Hat Full of Stars | ||||
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Hat Full of Stars is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper, released in 1993. The album was released 4 years after the singer's third studio album, A Night to Remember , which received unfavorable reviews and had low sales compared to the singer's previous releases. Hat Full of Stars received favorable reviews but was poorly received by the public, receiving gold certifications in Japan and France only.
Hat Full of Stars deviated from Lauper's pop-rock sound of previous projects and delved heavily into alternative music. It also furthered her growing penchant for writing topical songs about social issues. The album was recorded at the Hit Factory, Sigma Sound, Messina Sound, Right Track, The Enchanted Cottage, The Ranch, and World Famous Orbit Sound. It was co-produced by dance-music artist Junior Vasquez and is highly typical of his work of the time; as such, many of the songs are held together by synthetic loops and percussion. Lyrics address issues like abortion ("Sally's Pigeons"), racism ("A Part Hate"), spousal abuse ("Product of Misery" and "Broken Glass") and incest ("Lies").
The track "Product of Misery" was inspired by a teacher of Lauper's, Bob Barrell, who described the masses of struggling people as a 'product of misery' and that misery begets misery unless the chain is broken. [2]
The song "A Part Hate" was conceived as an anti-apartheid song and was originally written for Lauper's second album True Colors but was not included because her label felt it would make the album too political; it already had a cover of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and the title track included. [3]
Lauper has commented that she wishes that her vocals on the project had been sharper. She worked with a vocal coach to sharpen her vocals for her next studio album Sisters of Avalon , and mentions this in the liner notes. The album cover was inspired by a photograph of the actress Mary Pickford, taken by photographer Nelson Evans. [4]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Calgary Herald | B [6] |
Billboard | (favourable) [7] |
Entertainment Weekly | B [8] |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
People | (favourable) [10] |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The album received mostly favorable reviews from music critics. Holly George-Warren from Rolling Stone gave the album four out of five stars and wrote that the album is Lauper's "most ambitious". She praised Lauper's vocals ("her multioctave voice has never sounded better, hitting highs, lows and everything in between") and the musical arrangement for its "imaginative" combination of rootsy instrumentation and R&B staples, underpinned by dance-music mainstays. People magazine gave the album a favorable review in which it was said that the real strength of the album "is the way Lauper lets her feelings and opinions, dark as some of them are, emerge naturally" the review ended claiming that the "wacky energy that made Lauper perfect for the go-go ’80s is pretty much gone-gone, but Hat’s clear-eyed pop rock provides ’90s nourishment for body and soul." Tom Sinclair from Entertainment Weekly gave the album a B and wrote that it brings a diversity of rhythms and vocals to reach varied tastes he conclude that old fans of Lauper "probably won’t be disappointed by Hat Full of Stars" but he was skeptical about the record being able to garner a new audience for the singer.
Billboard magazine gave the album a positive review, stating that it marked a "metamorphosis" for Lauper from "fun-loving, she-bopping squealer" to a "mature artiste with admirable depth". [7] The review highlighted the song "Who Let in the Rain" as reminiscent of Cyndi's 1984 hit "Time After Time". [7] Other tracks noted as highlights were "A Part Hate", "Lies", which recalled "early Siouxsie & the Banshees", "Feels Like Christmas" and "Like I Used To", described as a "hybrid of Madonna-style pop and vintage Motown". [7]
In negative reviews, Mike DeGaggne from AllMusic wrote that the singer "sounds much more appealing and enjoyable as an effervescent pop singer wading through simplistic and feel-good material rather than trying to befriend mildly opinionated pieces, which is what happens throughout most of Hat Full of Stars." Robert Christgau rated the album as a record that "may impress once or twice with consistent craft or an arresting track or two. Then it won't."
The album was a commercial disappointment in the United States [12] and despite some positive critical reviews it stalled at No. 112 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. As of 2003 the album has sold 119,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. [13]
The album fared better overseas, becoming most successful in Japan and France, achieving a Gold certification in both countries. In Japan, the album spent a total of 7 weeks on the albums chart, peaking at 15. [14] In France the album debuted at 10 [15] before reaching its peak of 9 the following week. [16] This was both her highest debut and peak for a studio album in France and it stayed in the Top 40 for 7 weeks. [17]
The album achieved lower chart positions in the rest of Europe. In Germany, Hat Full of Stars entered the chart at 84 and re-entered at its peak of 52 two weeks later, spending a total of 9 weeks in the Top 100. [18] The album spent four weeks on the Swiss albums chart, entering at 34 and climbing two positions higher to its peak in its second week. [19] The album was released in the UK in November, entering the albums chart at 56 before dropping off the following week. [20]
The tracks "That's What I Think", "Sally's Pigeons", "Hat Full of Stars" and "Who Let In the Rain" were released as singles; the latter of which was re-recorded in 2001 for her album Shine .
Note
| Production
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Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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France (SNEP) [34] | Gold | 100,000* |
Japan (RIAJ) [35] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States | — | 119,000 [13] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Country | Date | Format | Label | Catalog |
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Japan [26] | 21 May 1993 | CD | Epic | ESCA 5742 |
21 June 1993 | MD | ESYA 1020 | ||
United States [26] | June 1993 | LP | ET 52878 | |
CD | ||||
Cassette | ET 56878 | |||
United Kingdom [26] | November 1993 | LP | 473054 1 | |
CD | 473054 2 | |||
Cassette | 473054 4 | |||
MD | 473054 8 | |||
Japan [36] | 3 September 2008 | CD | Sony Music | EICP-1042 |
Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Her career has spanned over 40 years. Her album She's So Unusual (1983) was the first debut album by a female artist to achieve four top-five hits on the Billboard Hot 100—"Girls Just Want to Have Fun", "Time After Time", "She Bop", and "All Through the Night"—and earned Lauper the Best New Artist award at the 27th Annual Grammy Awards in 1985. Her success continued with the soundtrack for the motion picture The Goonies (1985) and her second record True Colors (1986). This album included the number-one single "True Colors" and "Change of Heart", which peaked at number three. In 1989, Lauper saw success with "I Drove All Night" and in 1993, had her first dance club hit with "That's What I Think".
She's So Unusual is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Cyndi Lauper, released on October 14, 1983, by Portrait Records. The album was re-released in 2014 to commemorate its 30th anniversary, and was called She's So Unusual: A 30th Anniversary Celebration. The re-release contains demos and remixes of previously released material, as well as new artwork.
"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" is a song made famous by American singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper four years after it was written by Robert Hazard. It was released by Portrait Records as Lauper's first major single as a solo artist and the lead single from her debut studio album, She's So Unusual (1983). Lauper's version gained recognition as a feminist anthem and was promoted by a Grammy-winning music video. It has been covered, either as a studio recording or in a live performance, by over 30 other artists.
True Colors is the second studio album by American singer Cyndi Lauper, released on September 15, 1986, by Portrait Records. The album spawned several commercially successful singles as "True Colors", "Change of Heart", and "What's Going On" reached the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100, with the first two charting within the top five. The album was produced by Lauper herself together with Lennie Petze.
A Night to Remember is the third studio album by American singer Cyndi Lauper, released on May 9, 1989, by Epic Records. The album was originally set to be released in 1988, under the name Kindred Spirit, but was delayed until 1989 and the songs from the initial project were reworked. Although the album managed to score a top-10 single, it did not enjoy the commercial success of her previous two albums, and was met with mixed-to-poor reviews and in interviews, Lauper refers to it as A Night to Forget. Worldwide, the album has sold more than 1,500,000 copies.
At Last is the seventh studio album by American singer Cyndi Lauper. The album is a collection of covers of jazz standards, in addition to a cover of a contemporary song re-arranged into a jazz song. The album features a duet with Tony Bennett on "Makin' Whoopee" and was co-produced by Lauper with Russ Titelman. The album's longbox was available only at Costco or Sam's Club shops within the first two weeks when it was released. In 2008 Lauper said in an interview with Brazilian newspaper Extra that the album was a special project, with the intervention of the record company and that she does not consider it as a "career album".
Twelve Deadly Cyns...and Then Some is a greatest hits album by American singer Cyndi Lauper, released on August 22, 1994, through Epic Records. It contains a collection of singles from the singer's first four studio albums. It also contains three new songs: "(Hey Now) Girls Just Want to Have Fun", "I'm Gonna Be Strong" and "Come On Home", all of which were released as singles. To promote the record, the singer embarked on a worldwide tour. A video album was simultaneously released and contained music videos of fourteen songs.
The Best Remixes is an EP released by Cyndi Lauper in 1989 on Epic/CBS Records, and re-released in 1996 on Epic/Sony Records. It was released exclusively in Japan and compiles six remixes of her top selling singles. It came in a regular jewel case with Japanese lyrics printed inside and peaked at 61 on the Japanese charts. The EP was given a worldwide release in October 2023 via Streaming and Digital download.
Sisters of Avalon is the fifth studio album by American singer Cyndi Lauper. It was released in Japan on October 15, 1996, and worldwide on April 1, 1997, by Sony Music Entertainment. Thematically the album expounded on the issue of complacency and ignorance in popular culture and the discrimination of minorities, gays, and women. Songs like "Love to Hate" and "You Don't Know" address the entertainment industry and media and their corruption. "Ballad of Cleo and Joe" is a song about the double life of a cross dresser. "Say a Prayer" is about the AIDS epidemic.
"Time After Time" is a 1983 song by American singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper, co-written with Rob Hyman, who also provided backing vocals. It was the second single released from her debut studio album, She's So Unusual (1983). The track was produced by Rick Chertoff and released as a single in March 1984. The song became Lauper's first number 1 hit in the U.S. The song was written in the album's final stages, after "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", "She Bop" and "All Through the Night" had been written or recorded. The writing began with the title, which Lauper had seen in TV Guide magazine, referring to the science fiction film Time After Time (1979).
"Money Changes Everything" is a song by American rock band the Brains from their eponymous debut studio album (1980). Originally released in 1978, the song was reissued as the lead single from the album in 1980, by Mercury Records. Frontman Tom Gray is credited as the sole writer of the song, while production was collectively helmed by the Brains and Bruce Baxter. The song was popularized in 1984 by Cyndi Lauper, who released a cover version of the song as a single from her debut studio album, She's So Unusual (1983).
American singer Cyndi Lauper has released eleven studio albums, six compilation albums, five video albums and fifty-three singles. Worldwide, Lauper has sold approximately 50 million albums, singles and DVDs. According to RIAA, She has sold 8.5 million certified albums in the United States with She's so Unusual being her biggest seller.
The Essential Cyndi Lauper is a compilation by American pop singer Cyndi Lauper. It was released as part of Sony BMG's The Essential series in 2003. The album has sold 15,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Merry Christmas ... Have a Nice Life is the sixth studio album and first Christmas album released by Cyndi Lauper. It combines original compositions by Lauper and collaborator Jan Pulsford with traditional Christmas songs. "Feels Like Christmas" previously appeared on Lauper's 1993 album Hat Full of Stars. The album has sold 26,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The album was released for the first time on vinyl, 1,000 pressings, in November 2019.
"Who Let in the Rain" is a song by American singer Cyndi Lauper, from her fourth studio album, Hat Full of Stars (1993). Released as the lead single from the album on June 22, 1993, it is a ballad about the end of a relationship that proved popular among Lauper's fans. Outside the United States, it was a modest hit peaking in the top 40 in the UK and New Zealand. In the US, the song failed to make the Hot 100 and reached only as high as number 33 on the Adult Contemporary singles chart.
"Sally's Pigeons" is a pop song by Cyndi Lauper that was featured on her 1993 album Hat Full of Stars. It was released as the album's second single in some countries, and as its third in others. The song was inspired by the story of a childhood friend of Lauper, who in her teens got pregnant, had a back-alley abortion, and died as a result.
"That's What I Think" is a song by American singer and songwriter Cyndi Lauper, released in November 1993 by Epic Records as the second single from her fourth album, Hat Full of Stars (1993). Written by Lauper with Rob Hyman, Allee Willis and Eric Bazilian, the song was also produced by her with Junior Vasquez. It peaked in the top 40 in a couple of countries and was a dance hit in the United States. Its popular remixes caused the track to climb on the dance charts. It appeared on the album Twelve Deadly Cyns...and Then Some in its album edit format. The accompanying music video was directed by Lauper, featuring different fans explaining what music meant to them. Upon the release, Lauper performed the song at the American Music Awards, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Arsenio Hall Show, and The Tonight Show.
"Come On Home" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper and released in August 1995 as the third and final single from her greatest hits album, Twelve Deadly Cyns...and Then Some (1994). It peaked at number 11 on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart and at number 39 on the UK Singles chart.
Bring Ya to the Brink is American singer Cyndi Lauper's tenth studio album, released on May 14, 2008 in Japan, and 13 days later worldwide. The album is a collection of dance-oriented songs and features collaborations with Basement Jaxx, Richard Morel, Max Martin and Kleerup, among others. Regarded as one of the singer's best works at the time it was released, the Songwriters Hall of Fame has regarded the album track "High and Mighty" as one of Lauper's key songs. The album received a nomination for Best Dance/Electronica Album at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards. The song "Set Your Heart" was released as a promotional single in Japan in early 2008, while "Same Ol' Story" was the first official single released on May 6, 2008. "Into the Nightlife" was released as the second single.
"Boys Will Be Boys" is a song by American rock band The Hooters, which was released in 1993 as the second single from their fifth studio album Out of Body. The song was written by Rob Hyman, Eric Bazilian and Cyndi Lauper, and produced by Joe Hardy, Bazilian and Hyman. Lauper also provides guest vocals on the song.
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