Cyndi Lauper - Change of Heart 12" MAXI-SINGL

- 1986 New Wave meets club power with Pettibone extended mix Bangles harmonies and Nile Rodgers guitar on a Portrait 12-inch

Cyndi Lauper’s 1986 12" maxi-single "Change of Heart" captures the vibrant energy of her second album "True Colors". Blending New Wave sparkle with club-ready grooves, the track was expanded into an extended mix by Shep Pettibone, highlighting its pulsing basslines and bright synth textures. Featuring guest vocals from The Bangles and guitar work by Nile Rodgers, the single showcases Lauper’s ability to merge pop hooks with edgy sophistication. Issued on Portrait Records in Holland, it remains a standout example of 80s alternative pop at its peak.

Album Description: "Change of Heart"

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Cyndi Lauper – "Change of Heart" 12" Maxi-Single (1986, Made in Holland — Portrait PRT 650201)

Context & Moment

In 1986, with True Colors still warm on the charts, Cyndi Lauper doubled down on pop clarity and club muscle. As the second single from that album, "Change of Heart" arrived purpose-built for dancefloors and radio alike—bright, aerodynamic, and fearless. The 12-inch format wasn’t just packaging; it was a stage where Lauper’s hook-craft could stretch its legs and breathe.

Sound & Studio

Produced by Cyndi Lauper with Lennie Petze and David Wolff, and mixed by Steve Peck with Shep Pettibone for Mastermix Productions, this maxi-single bears the hallmarks of mid-’80s New Wave meeting precision pop. Pettibone’s extended architecture favors long arcs and spotlighted breaks; synths shimmer, percussion snaps, and the bassline gets room to strut. The result is sleek without losing human heat—Lauper’s voice rides high, conversational one moment, skybound the next.

Songs & Arrangements

The Extended Version of "Change of Heart" doesn’t merely elongate—it reveals. Structural pivots, instrumental spotlights, and tension-and-release passages underscore how rhythm drives the song’s emotional urgency. The instrumental version functions like a blueprint: melody and groove laid bare, showing how each keyboard figure and drum accent carries narrative weight.

The companion tracks widen the single’s frame. Heartbeats leans into romantic pulse and late-night glow, a counterweight to the A-side’s kinetic push. Witness brings grit and snap, reminding you that Lauper’s pop instincts were always informed by street-level energy—concise, catchy, and a touch combative.

Performance & Personality

Lauper’s signature is emotional agility: she can sound playful, urgent, and resolute in a single phrase. Here, layered harmonies and ad-lib sparks give the track its lift. The production keeps her at the center—choruses bloom around her, not over her—so the song’s message lands with a dancer’s confidence and a storyteller’s clarity.

Why the 12-Inch Matters

In the mid-’80s, the 12" single was a proving ground where pop songs earned after-hours credibility. "Change of Heart" thrives in that space. The arrangement invites DJs to ride the groove and listeners to live inside it. It’s New Wave streamlined for modern pop, but with enough negative space and rhythmic torque to keep a floor moving.

Place in Lauper’s Story

As a follow-up to the reflective title track of True Colors, this single showed Lauper’s range—big-hearted pop that could still sprint. It became a fan favorite for good reason: memorable chorus, restless motion, and a performance that makes conviction sound effortless. Decades on, "Change of Heart" still feels like forward motion captured on vinyl.

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Production & Recording Information:

Music Genre:

80s New Wave, Alternative Pop

Label & Catalognr:

Portrait PRT 650201

Media Format:

12" LP Vinyl Stereo Gramophone Record
Total Album (Cover+Record) weight: 230 gram

Year & Country:

1986 – Made in Holland

Producers:
  • Cyndi Lauper – Producer
  • Lennie Petze – Producer
  • David Wolff – Executive Producer
  • Rick Chertoff – Producer
  • Lennie Petze – Executive Producer for Red Sox Music Productions, Inc.
Sound & Recording Engineers:
  • Steve Peck – Mix Engineer
  • Shep Pettibone – Additional Production and Mix for Mastermix Productions
  • The Latin Rascals – Editing
Album Credits:
  • The Bangles – Special Guest Vocalists
  • Nile Rodgers – Guitar (appears courtesy of Warner Bros. Records Inc.)
Photography:
  • Annie Leibovitz – Photography

Band Members / Musicians:

Band Members, Musicians:
  • Cyndi Lauper – Vocals
  • The Bangles – Backing Vocals
  • Nile Rodgers – Guitar

Complete Track-listing:

Tracklisting Side One:
  1. Change of Heart (Extended Version)
  2. Heartbeats
Video: Cyndi Lauper - Change Of Heart (extended version)
Tracklisting Side Two:
  1. Change of Heart (Instrumental)
  2. Witness
Video: Cyndi Lauper - Witness (Official Audio)
Album Front Cover Photo
Front cover of the 12" vinyl maxi-single "Change of Heart" by Cyndi Lauper, released in 1986 on Portrait Records in Holland. The image shows Lauper reclining on a gold-trimmed sofa with her vivid orange-yellow hair spread out, gazing upwards with a dreamy expression. She wears a sparkling gold sequin dress, large pearl earring, and red lipstick. The background has peeling plaster on a wall, contrasting with her glamour. The album title "Change of Heart" is displayed in blue text at the top right, while her name appears vertically along the left side in bold white letters.

The front cover of the 12" vinyl maxi-single "Change of Heart" presents Cyndi Lauper in a strikingly glamorous pose. Reclining sideways on a gold-trimmed, green-striped sofa, her vivid orange and yellow-dyed hair fans out across the cushion, creating a fiery halo effect around her head.

She gazes upward with a dreamy, contemplative expression, her lips painted deep red and a large, spherical pearl earring catching the light. Her sleeveless gown is covered in shimmering gold sequins that reflect the light, reinforcing the sense of theatrical glamour.

The backdrop contrasts sharply with Lauper’s brilliance: a rough, plaster wall with patches of peeling paint suggests an urban, timeworn setting. This contrast between distressed background and polished subject underlines the tension between grit and glamour, a recurring theme of the 1980s pop aesthetic.

Typography frames the image dramatically. The album title "Change of Heart" appears in playful, hand-drawn blue letters at the top right, while her name Cyndi Lauper is spelled vertically down the left side in tall, white capital letters, anchoring the composition and ensuring instant recognition.

Album Back Cover Photo
Back cover of the 12" vinyl maxi-single "Change of Heart" by Cyndi Lauper, released in 1986 on Portrait Records in Holland. The image shows Lauper in a dazzling gold sequin dress, striking a bold pose in front of an ornate full-length mirror. Her vivid orange-yellow hair flows wildly as she looks upward, hands tugging at her dress with playful confidence. On the right side of the cover, the black background features the track listing: Side One includes "Change of Heart (Extended Version)" and "Heartbeats"; Side Two includes "Change of Heart (Instrumental)" and "Witness". Small production credits and catalog details appear at the bottom.

The back cover of the 12" vinyl maxi-single "Change of Heart" captures Cyndi Lauper mid-pose, radiating energy and theatricality. She wears a shimmering gold sequin gown that drapes dramatically, while her bright orange-yellow hair cascades in waves, adding explosive vibrancy to the scene.

Standing barefoot in front of an ornate gold-framed mirror, she pulls playfully at her dress, exuding both glamour and rebellious charm. The jewelry—large pearl earrings and gold bangles—complements the opulence of her look.

The right half of the sleeve contrasts sharply, a black panel torn into the image’s edge. It contains the printed tracklist: Side One features "Change of Heart (Extended Version)" and "Heartbeats"; Side Two features "Change of Heart (Instrumental)" and "Witness". Below, small white text lists production credits, including The Bangles on guest vocals, Nile Rodgers on guitar, and Annie Leibovitz photography.

A yellow price sticker and the Portrait catalog code give it a lived-in authenticity, as if preserved from its original record shop shelf. The combination of Lauper’s glittering pose and stark design creates a back cover that is both glamorous and rawly authentic.

Close up of Side One record’s label
Close-up of Side One record label for Cyndi Lauper’s 12" vinyl maxi-single "Change of Heart" released in 1986 by Portrait Records in Holland. The label has a dark brown finish with the Portrait logo in bright red and yellow script at the top. Text below reads Cyndi Lauper with track details: 1. Change of Heart (Extended Version) (7:52) and 2. Heartbeats (4:49). The label includes 33⅓ RPM Stereo marking, BIEM/STEMRA rights notice, catalog number PRT 650201 6, and production credits to Cyndi Lauper and Lennie Petze. The circular spindle hole is centered.

This image shows a detailed view of the Side One record label from Cyndi Lauper’s 12" vinyl maxi-single "Change of Heart", released on Portrait Records in 1986.

The label background is a deep metallic brown, with the vivid red-and-yellow Portrait logo prominently displayed across the top edge. Just below, the artist’s name Cyndi Lauper is printed in bold white text.

Track details appear clearly: 1. Change of Heart (Extended Version) (7:52) and 2. Heartbeats (4:49). Around the edge, the usual copyright and rights warnings encircle the label.

Additional identifiers include the catalog number PRT 650201 6, BIEM/STEMRA rights organization codes, 33⅓ RPM Stereo designation, and production credits noting Cyndi Lauper and Lennie Petze as producers. The central spindle hole interrupts the design, grounding this functional yet iconic part of the vinyl package.

Index of CYNDI LAUPER Selected Vinyl Album Discography and Album Cover Gallery

Cyndi Lauper Information:

 Cyndi Lauper an American singer, songwriter, and actress who rose to fame in the 1980s with her unique blend of pop, rock, and new wave music. She is known for her powerful voice, colorful fashion sense, and strong advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights and social justice issues. Lauper's music career has spanned over four decades, and she continues to be an influential figure in the music industry to this day.

 Lauper was born on 22 June 1953, in Astoria, Queens, New York City. She grew up in a dysfunctional family and often faced abuse and neglect from her parents. Despite these challenges, she discovered her love for music at an early age and began singing in local clubs and bars. In the late 1970s, Lauper formed the band Blue Angel and released an eponymous album, which received critical acclaim but commercial failure.

 Lauper's breakthrough came in 1983 with her debut solo album, "She's So Unusual," which featured hit singles such as "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," "Time After Time," and "She Bop." The album was a commercial success, reaching number four on the US Billboard 200 and selling over six million copies worldwide. Lauper's unique style and sound, combined with her quirky persona and feminist message, captured the hearts of millions of fans and earned her numerous awards and accolades.

 Throughout her career, Lauper has continued to release critically acclaimed albums and hit singles, including "True Colors," "I Drove All Night," and "All Through the Night." She has collaborated with other prominent artists such as Phil Collins, Billy Joel, and Cher, and has also contributed to several film and television soundtracks. Lauper's music has been praised for its catchy melodies, heartfelt lyrics, and powerful vocals, and she is widely regarded as one of the most influential female artists of her generation.

 In addition to her music career, Lauper is also a passionate activist for social justice issues, particularly LGBTQ+ rights. She founded the True Colors Fund in 2008, which aims to end homelessness among LGBTQ+ youth, and has also been involved in several other charitable organizations, such as Amnesty International and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). Lauper's advocacy work has earned her numerous awards and honors, including the Human Rights Campaign's Equality Award and the United Nations' First High Note Global Prize.

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Thumbnail of CYNDI LAUPER - Change of Heart 12" Maxi Single album front cover

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Cyndi Lauper's 1986 12" maxi-single "Change of Heart" distills the neon rush of the True Colors era into a club engine. Shep Pettibone's extended mix stretches the hook over shimmering synths and snapping drums, while The Bangles lift the chorus and Nile Rodgers adds sleek guitar. Issued by Portrait in Holland, this New Wave gem blends dancefloor drive with fearless pop charisma.

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