A Bold Leap from Pop to Blues
On 22 June 2010, Cyndi Lauper – still unmistakably the vibrant pop icon behind hits like Girls Just Want to Have Fun and Time After Time – surprised the world by releasing Memphis Blues on her 57th birthday (June 22, 2010). This marked her eleventh studio album and a passionate homage to the roots of American music through covers of classic blues songs. Rather than simply dabbling, Lauper fully immersed herself in Memphis, both spiritually and musically, shedding her familiar pop sound for something rawer and more heartfelt.
Why Memphis? A Musical Pilgrimage
Memphis, Tennessee, is a crucible of musical heritage—home to Sun and Stax, the Delta blues, and soul innovators. Lauper chose this storied city intentionally. Recording at Electraphonic Studios in March 2010 with producer/engineer Scott Bomar, she channeled the city’s gritty traditions. Bomar himself, a Memphis-native whose Electraphonic studio combined vintage analog gear and modern tech, captured an authentic sound that echoed the smoky clubs of yesteryears.
Collaborations with Blues Legends
One of the album’s most striking features is its star-studded lineup:
- Charlie Musselwhite lends his harmonica to both the opening track ‘Just Your Fool’ and ‘Down Don’t Bother Me’, grounding the album in genuine blues tonality.
- Allen Toussaint, the New Orleans piano legend, appears on ‘Shattered Dreams’, ‘Early in the Mornin’, and ‘Mother Earth’ – adding layers of soulful elegance.
- B.B. King joins on ‘Early in the Mornin’, providing iconic blues guitar accompaniment.
- Ann Peebles duets on ‘Rollin’ and Tumblin’, offering powerful gospel-infused vocals that contrast Lauper’s tone beautifully.
- Jonny Lang appears on two tracks – ‘How Blue Can You Get?’ and ‘Crossroads’ – bringing modern blues guitar sensibility but with mixed critical reception.
This roster wasn’t about star power – it was about respect. By working alongside these blues legends, Lauper invited a conversation between her signature style and the genre’s foundational voices.
Track Insights: Where Pop Meets Traditions
‘Just Your Fool’ (feat. Charlie Musselwhite)
A reimagining of the Little Walter classic, Lauper’s voice is raw and expressive atop Musselwhite’s gritty harmonica. The song was released as a single and peaked at #2 on the Billboard Digital Blues Songs chart.
‘Shattered Dreams’ (feat. Allen Toussaint)
Toussaint’s sparse yet powerful piano underpins Lauper’s vocals, offering subtle musicality and emotional undercurrents.
‘Early in the Mornin’ (feat. Allen Toussaint & B.B. King)
A slow-burning blues track driven by Toussaint’s piano and King’s expressive guitar. Critics praised it as one of the album’s strongest, with Toussaint’s “tremendous blues piano licks” earning particular acclaim.
Solo Tracks:
- ‘Romance in the Dark‘ and ‘Down So Low‘ give Lauper room to craft an intimate, reflective blues narrative rooted in her own interpretive strengths.
- ‘Don’t Cry No More‘ taps into a boogie-woogie feeling that feels tailor-made for her strong, expressive voice.
Album Track List
- Memphis Blues
- Just Your Fool (feat. Charlie Musselwhite)
- Shattered Dreams (feat. Allen Toussaint)
- Early in the Mornin’ (feat. Allen Toussaint & B.B. King)
- Romance in the Dark
- How Blue Can You Get? (feat. Jonny Lang)
- Down Don’t Bother Me (feat. Charlie Musselwhite)
- Don’t Cry No More
- Rollin’ and Tumblin’ (feat. Ann Peebles & Kenny Brown)
- Down So Low
- Mother Earth (feat. Allen Toussaint)
- Crossroads (feat. Jonny Lang)
Bonus Track Editions
Some regional editions include extra tracks:
- Wild Women Don’t Have The Blues – included on certain editions (e.g., Japanese, Latin American)
- I Don’t Want to Cry (feat. Leo Gandelman) – featured on the Latin American/Japanese bonus disc
Critical Reception: A Mix of Praise and Critique
Critics were divided. On the positive side, many applauded the production and guest artists:
- AllMusic and others highlighted how the album stayed true to ‘electric blues’ traditions while allowing Lauper to explore new emotional terrain .
- Some noted the ‘punch’ added by Musselwhite’s harmonica and praised Toussaint’s contributions as uplifting the overall sound .
Conversely, some reviewers voiced dissatisfaction:
- Slant Magazine found fault with Lauper’s fit for blues, saying her ‘stagey’ vocals were often out of sync with the genre’s emotional authority, despite standout guest contributions .
- Record Collector humorously noted how the album might frustrate seasoned blues fans, calling it ‘not an especially good record’ despite Lauper’s charm.
Metacritic aggregated the critiques at a middling 45/100, indicating a polarized reception.
Commercial Performance and Legacy
Despite mixed reviews, Memphis Blues performed strongly in its category:
- Debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Blues Albums chart and reached No. 26 on the Billboard 200 -Lauper’s third-highest position on the overall chart.
- Remained at the top of the Blues chart for 13 consecutive weeks, making it the best-selling blues album of 2010.
- By November 2010, it had sold around 600,000 copies worldwide.
- Earned a Grammy nomination (2011) for Best Traditional Blues Album – highlighting its industry impact.
The Tour and Lauper’s Dedication
To support the album, Lauper embarked on her largest-ever tour:
- The Memphis Blues Tour ran from June 2010 to November 2011, spanning over 140 shows across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
- Designed for a more intimate experience – ‘smoky café’ – style settings – she also used the tour to champion her Give a Damn Foundation, encouraging concertgoers to donate to LGBT youth homelessness.
The Album as a Personal Statement
This album wasn’t just a stylistic experiment – it was a heartfelt tribute. Lauper’s dedication, printed in the album gatefold, honored Ma Rainey and the early blues artists “who traveled through the crossroads… their music and spirit can still be felt today”. Working in Memphis, alongside local legends, she embraced the city’s storytelling atmosphere, seeking emotional honesty above all.
Final Reflections
- Ambitious & Passionate: Lauper’s journey is courageous – she stepped out of her pop comfort zone to engage with a venerable musical tradition.
- Collaboratively Rich: The participation of blues legends brought authenticity and artistic depth.
- Critically Divisive: Praised for musicianship but questioned for vocal fit, the album polarized listeners – some saw it as a heartfelt tribute, others as stylistically awkward.
- Commercially Successful: Its chart dominance and Grammy nod confirm its resonance within the blues genre.
- Legacy of Evolution: Memphis Blues illustrates that true artistry involves exploring new territories—showing Lauper’s willingness to evolve even decades into her career.
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