Born in Queens, New York to Swiss German-American Fred Lauper and Sicilian Italian-American Catrine Dominique, she began her career in a cover band, but soon began performing her own songs (though she almost quit singing altogether due to strained vocal chords in 1977). By 1980 she'd released a rockabilly album on Polydor with the band Blue Angel. Despite much critical acclaim, the album "went lead," as Lauper says, and the band split as Lauper filed for bankruptcy.
In 1983 she started dating her manager David Wolff with whom she released She's So Unusual, a worldwide hit album which made Lauper a household name. A mixture of teen-friendly pop-rock and edgier, almost punky sounds, the album's biggest hit, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, quickly established itself as a female anthem. Lauper won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards of 1984 for her work on the album. Lauper was the first female artist to have four consecutive Hot 100 Top 5 hits from one album.
Subsequent albums (such as True Colors, A Night to Remember, Hat Full of Stars) did not sell as well, but Lauper remains active to the present day and still retains a very strong fan base.
Lauper's latest album Memphis Blues was released in June 2011, premiering at #1 on the Billboard Blues Album Chart where it remained for 14 consecutive weeks. The album also reached #26 on the Billboard Top 200, and was later named the Billboard Blues Album of the year, also earning Lauper a Grammy nomination. This brought her total Grammy nominations to 13 with one win.
Unchained Melody
Cyndi Lauper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hunger for your touch,
Alone. Lonely time.
And time goes by, so slowly,
And time can do so much,
Are you still mine?
I need your love.
I need your love.
Lonely rivers flow to the sea, to the sea,
To the open arms of the sea.
Lonely rivers sigh, wait for me, wait for me,
I'll be coming home, wait for me.
Whoa! My love, my darling,
I hunger, hunger!, for your love,
For love. Lonely time.
And time goes by, so slowly,
And time can do so much,
Are you still mine?
I need your love.
I need your love.
God speed your love to me.
These lyrics are a beautiful expression of the deep longing for someone's love and presence. The singer of the song is addressing their lover and expressing how much they long for their touch and companionship. They are not only physically alone but also emotionally lonely. The repetition of "lonely time" emphasizes the deep sadness experienced when separated from a loved one.
The lyrics also touch on the concept of time and how it seems to pass so slowly when you are away from someone you love. Time is depicted as a powerful force that can do so much, including creating distance and separation, but the singer still holds onto hope that they are still loved and wanted. They plead for their loved one's return and for their love to be sent to them, emphasizing the importance and necessity of love in their life.
Line by Line Meaning
Whoa! My love, my darling,
Expressing deep affection and longing towards a beloved one.
I hunger for your touch,
Desiring physical closeness and intimacy with the loved one.
Alone. Lonely time.
Feeling isolated and sorrowful due to the absence of the loved one.
And time goes by, so slowly,
The absence of the loved one makes time seem long and unbearable.
And time can do so much,
The passage of time can either heal or intensify the pain of separation.
Are you still mine?
Questioning if the loved one still feels the same way and is committed to the relationship.
I need your love.
Stating the necessity of the loved one's affection for emotional well-being.
I need your love.
Reiterating the importance of the loved one's love.
God speed your love to me.
Asking for divine assistance in reuniting with the loved one.
Lonely rivers flow to the sea, to the sea,
Using a metaphor of rivers flowing towards the ocean, representing the journey of the heart towards the ultimate destination of love.
To the open arms of the sea.
Continuing the metaphor, implying that the ocean represents the desired state of unity with the loved one.
Lonely rivers sigh, wait for me, wait for me,
Personifying the rivers as longing for the journey to end and finally unite with the ocean.
I'll be coming home, wait for me.
Promise to the loved one that they will return and be together once again.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, UNCHAINED MELODY PUB LLC
Written by: Alex North, Hyman Zaret
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Joaquín Sáez Burgos
Woah, my love, my darling
I've hungered for your touch
A long, lonely time
And time goes by so slowly
And time can do so much
Are you still mine?
I need your love
I need your love
God speed your love to me
Lonely rivers flow
To the sea, to the sea
To the open arms of the sea, yeah
Lonely rivers sigh
"Wait for me, wait for me"
I'll be coming home, wait for me
Woah, my love, my darling
I've hungered, hungered for your touch
A long, lonely time
And time goes by so slowly
And time can do so much
Are you still mine?
I need your love
I need your love
God speed your love to me
Ken Brome
there should be NO question on this Woman's ability to inspire another living being with just her voice !!!
Marcelo Torquatto
I love artists who instantly you recognize their voices on the radio! It doesn’t matter whether they reach certain times or not- but Cyndi has this distinctive beautiful voice and she does reaches any kind of notes! She is the utter queen! 💕
J
I've listened to her rendition of this song through the last decade. Absolutely beautiful. What a gift.
Gangotri108
Brilliant interpretation of a great song. This is now my favorite version.
Lonny Brooks
She did a ton of these when I saw her during the Body Acoustic Tour, She's the female Joe Cocker
Rich Rochester
Ditto!
Pedro Luiz Schroeder
Sem duvida maravilhosa versão, Cyndi canta com a alma, faz vc viver cada pedaço da canção.
Dave Baldwin
Still sounds amazing got so much talent and still going strong after all these years
Jack Clark
Beautiful rendition. Beautiful voice. Love your music.
Anne S
Só Cyndi Lauper pra me fazer gostar de " Unchained Melody". 🌹