Album Description: "Change of Heart"
```Cyndi Lauper – "Change of Heart" 12" Maxi-Single (1986, Made in Holland Ñ 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 alikeÑbright, aerodynamic, and fearless. The 12-inch format wasnÕt just packaging; it was a stage where LauperÕs 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-Õ80s New Wave meeting precision pop. PettiboneÕs 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 heatÑLauperÕs voice rides high, conversational one moment, skybound the next.
Songs & Arrangements
The Extended Version of "Change of Heart" doesnÕt merely elongateÑit reveals. Structural pivots, instrumental spotlights, and tension-and-release passages underscore how rhythm drives the songÕs 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 singleÕs frame. Heartbeats leans into romantic pulse and late-night glow, a counterweight to the A-sideÕs kinetic push. Witness brings grit and snap, reminding you that LauperÕs pop instincts were always informed by street-level energyÑconcise, catchy, and a touch combative.
Performance & Personality
LauperÕs 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 centerÑchoruses bloom around her, not over herÑso the songÕs message lands with a dancerÕs confidence and a storytellerÕs clarity.
Why the 12-Inch Matters
In the mid-Õ80s, 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. ItÕs New Wave streamlined for modern pop, but with enough negative space and rhythmic torque to keep a floor moving.
Place in LauperÕs Story
As a follow-up to the reflective title track of True Colors, this single showed LauperÕs rangeÑbig-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.
