Cyndi Lauper denies feud with Madonna: 'I've Loved Her Ever Since' 'Like a Prayer'

Madonna was so pretty.

Madonna is the sum of her parts. Cyndi is a true musician.

Cyndi's shrill screechy voice is like nails on a chalkboard.

To each his own, r3.

I know people want to think Lauper was/is somehow jealous of Madonna, but I have a theory... (And I am a fan of both)

I honestly believe Madonna would give up full-on half of everything (money, hits, fame, etc.) to have the kind of good will and respect Cyndi has. Lauper is an Oscar away from an EGOT, and if the long-rumored Kinky Boots movie happens, all she needs to do is write a good new song for the end credits. Bam. Oscar assured.

Madonna is, if nothing else, driven, and that drive makes her a less sympathetic "character." No one really roots for her because she will be fine either way.

Lauper is someone you really root for.

“You do realize” we’re in a bit of a spiteful echo chamber. Sometimes I’ll mention Madonna (or someone similarly dragged on these bitchy websites) to an non-DLer and they’ll immediately say which songs 🎵 they love.

Madonna was the talented, slutty one. Cyndi was the talented, off the wall one. I happened to like them both. It was just journalistic BS.

Uhhmm, Cyndi must be having a bit of the 'heimers.

Like A Prayer came out well past Cyndi's peak famous days when people were comparing the two of them

Amazingly, Madonna seems to be the better mother.

There was never a feud. It was mostly generated by publicists and media because they both came on the scene and got big around the same time... I think 1984.

At the time, it was assumed that Madonna was just a quick fad but Lauper would have staying power. The reverse sort of happened, although Lauper resurfaced later.

Same thing 2 decades later with Brittany vs Christina Ag

R8 - Uhmmm, I was referring to the early part of their careers, (83' - 84) when 'Like a Virgin' and 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun' hit the charts.

Like a Prayer was 1989 -

Always found this interesting: before his death in 1991, lyricist Howard Ashman said he thought Cyndi Lauper's career would outlast Madonna's:

[quote] Anyhoo, Howard told me that he thought Madonna was a flash in the pan whose talent was more superficial. Cyndi Lauper, on the other hand, was the real deal in Howard’s view, and would last longer because her talent came from a more genuine place. I wonder what Howard would make out of how things have played out. Somehow, I don’t think it would change his feelings about their respective talents.

Madonna was considered a gimmicky dance act who would be a flash in the pan when she first became famous. She wanted to join the We Are the World recording session but they didn't want her. Of course Madonna had the last laugh when "Crazy For You" pushed WATW (which was such a piece of shit song) out of the #1 spot.

Cyndi had a song about masturbation on her first album. Madonna didn't masturbate until much later.

[quote] Uhhmm, Cyndi must be having a bit of the 'heimers. Like A Prayer came out well past Cyndi's peak famous days when people were comparing the two of them

Perhaps Cyndi did it on purpose as some sort of backhanded compliment? Maybe she's saying Madonna's music didn't become good until the Like A Prayer album? Hmmmm....

The media only does this rivalry shit with women or black artists. It’s beyond tired at this point.

Madonna wanted to use her sexuality as much as possible. Cyndi wanted to hide hers. They were polar opposites.

Maybe she meant Like A Virgin and just misspoke?

R18 Or maybe Cindy is a shade throwing genius and knew exactly what she was saying. She ain’t fuck with 80s Madonna.

She did recently say in an interview that she didn't think Madonna liked her very much. And, probably, Madonna didn't like her, because Madonna is a narcissist and also was very cutthroat in her prime, disparaging competitors privately, and sometimes publicly. From very early in her career onward, Madonna had a shrewd savvy about the entertainment business that it seemed many fellow pop stars don't, historically, until they have been in the business for a long time, if they ever get there. She was very cunning about how she played her cards. Cyndi fell off be cause her material didn't follow trends or break new ground. Compare Madonna's 1989-1993 musical output to Cyndi's and the difference is pretty obvious.

Madonna knew music videos were going to change the world and she got on that train fast. Here she is at a music seminar, disagreeing with John Oates about the impact music videos have.

Cyndi Lauper didn't do music videos?

She did but Madonna perfected it similar to MJ. Their music videos were as equally as well known as their songs. That’s what that poster is saying.

Oh, so you're saying that you and the poster are idiots who don't know how iconic Cyndi's early 80s music videos also were

R24 Yawn. I ain’t looking for no ebeef. If you that stupid where you were start insulting another poster for them simply making a clarification, you must be really bored. Furthermore I never stated her videos weren’t iconic. They just weren’t as iconic as Madges.

When Madonna went into that jail and said "That black guy didn't do it" and they let him out, no questions asked, I felt that deep in my soul. That's a powerful message!

Mock all you want that shit was groundbreaking. And I always thought Leon was playing Jesus but he’s actually some saint. That was a completely powerful, groundbreaking and influential video, depicting an interracial romance like that. Hell even in the early 90s it would be career suicide for any A list white actress to date a black man.

Must we continue to pit women against each other? Surely we've evolved past the gay primitive (aka Ryan Murphy) mindset.

I think the Beastie Boys were influenced by that Girls Just Wanna Have Fun video. I liked when she picked up the phone and held it to her head the opposite way, then turned it around.

I, too, thought that Cyndi's career would outlast Madonna's.

And yeah, Like a Prayer came out past the initial hype of Madonna. I think Cyndi knew what she was saying. (I.e., that Madonna's little-bit-later stuff was better than the first couple of albums.)

The older I get the more narcissistic young Madonna looks

[quote]Like A Prayer came out well past Cyndi's peak famous days when people were comparing the two of them

R8, what's the problem? Cyndi thought Madonna's music was crap until Like A Prayer. That's was pretty much the concenus of most people with taste.

Madonna made more money, but Cyndi had way more fun.

[quote] I think the Beastie Boys were influenced by that Girls Just Wanna Have Fun video.

I think most of the music videos from that time period had a similar aesthetic. The 80s were all about decadence and debauchery. Those early music videos were some of the best because artits back then put a lot of thought behind the concepts. Music videos were a new creative way to promote your music. People like Madonna and MJ understood that the best.

[quote] That's was pretty much the concenus of most people with taste.

Bullshit. Madonna made some excellent pop tunes before Like A Prayer.

Cyndi's huge misstep was that WWF shit.

Madonna's debut album was quite strong and has withstood time, as has Lauper's.

I never got into Like A Virgin aside from Dress You Up and Angel. True Blue was a juggernaut, however.

I'm with Lauper though, Madonna really didn't get interesting til the 90s when she became counter-culture. Erotica, Bedtime Stories and Ray of Light are my favorite albums by her.

The WWF was a big mistake, it was so trashy and damaged Cyndi's brand.

I still love Madonna's debut album. The whole thing stands up. I actually prefer it to the Like A Virgin album. Like A Virgin is ok, but it sounds overproduced.

True Blue was such a great pop album. It features some of Madonna's biggest hits and best music videos. Like this one.

True Blue is probably my least favorite Madonna album (of the early albums). True Blue (the single) is about as bad as Stevie Nicks' "You Can Talk to Me."

I do like "Live to Tell," from the True Blue album, though.

The True Blue album has never been my favorite either. I do love "White Heat," though. That one was never released as a single.

Girls Just Want to Have Fun is one of the happiest songs in existence.

Cyndi was GREAT for about three years. Then suddenly her shtick just seemed so old and she didn't quite have it in her to realize that soon enough. The music scene passed her by. She would have been hotter longer if she had never done that wrestler shit. What the fuck was all that about?

She was good for an episode(s) of a tv show. Bones? I can't remember. I think she's great.

Madge always adapted to changing tastes and pop sounds. That’s why they call her the Queen of Reinvention. She made some really good r&b in the early 90s. Take a Bow that shit is excellently produced and written.