Some albums arrive with a bang, saturating the charts and dominating the airwaves. Others – like Cyndi Lauper’s Shine – take a longer, bumpier road. But oh, the reward is sweet for those who find them.
Let’s rewind to the late ’90s. Cyndi Lauper, already a pop legend thanks to She’s So Unusual and a string of powerful albums, was in a new creative space. Her voice, still wild and wonderful, had deepened with age and experience. The songs she began crafting around 1999 weren’t just bangers – they were reflections. Explorations. Some might even say revelations.
A False Start and a Vanishing Act
Originally slated for release in 2001 under Edel Records, Shine was caught in a frustrating industry snafu. The label folded just as the album was ready to launch. Poof – gone. A full studio album, vanished like glitter in the wind.
But Cyndi’s fans are nothing if not loyal. Bootlegs surfaced, whispers turned into roars, and eventually, she responded. In 2002, a five-track Shine EP was released, offering a tantalizing glimpse into what could’ve been. A year later came Shine Remixes, a club-focused collection that kept the momentum alive. Finally, in 2004, the full album got an official release – but only in Japan, via Epic Records. It felt almost mythic: the album that slipped through the cracks of pop history was finally, officially, here.
A Sonic Palette Unlike Any Other
What makes Shine so special is how far it stretches musically without losing Cyndi’s essence. This isn’t a straightforward pop album. It dips into dance-pop, electronic textures, even new wave nods. But listen closer and you’ll catch unexpected flourishes – fiddles, sitars, rich layered harmonies – that make it feel far more global than her previous records.
It’s as if Shine is Cyndi Lauper looking into a mirror, seeing all the versions of herself – quirky icon, introspective songwriter, brave activist – and setting them to music.
Tracks That Shimmer in the Dark
- ‘Shine‘ – The anthem of resilience. A thumping, club-ready track that later found its home in Queer as Folk, where Cyndi herself performed it during a high-drama scene in Babylon. It’s disco with a heartbeat and a soul.
- ‘It’s Hard to Be Me‘ – Inspired by Anna Nicole Smith, this song is more than tabloid tribute. It’s a meditation on fame, identity, and the loneliness that often accompanies both.
- ‘Madonna Whore‘ – A title that raises eyebrows and a track that demands attention. It’s a smart, bold dive into the Madonna–Whore complex, unpacking society’s double standards with Cyndi’s signature flair.
- ‘Water’s Edge‘ – Dreamy and introspective, this track feels like a late-night walk along a quiet beach, asking big questions without expecting easy answers.
- ‘Who Let in the Rain’ (Re-recorded) – A more nuanced version of her 1993 ballad, this time delivered with deeper emotion and an even richer arrangement.
Album Track Listing:
- Shine
- It’s Hard to Be Me
- Madonna Whore
- Wide Open
- Rather Be With You
- Who Let In The Rain
- Comfort You
- Eventually
- Valentino
- This Kind of Love
- Higher Plane
- Water’s Edge
- I Miss My Baby
Note: “I Miss My Baby” is a bonus track included in the Japanese release
A Lost Classic, Found
To this day, Shine remains one of Lauper’s lesser-known works – perhaps because of its chaotic release, perhaps because it straddles too many genres to be easily boxed in. But for those who stumble upon it, it’s a revelation. This is not a pop star clinging to past glory. This is an artist unafraid to evolve, unafraid to tell stories that don’t always come with happy endings.
If you’ve never heard Shine, do yourself a favor. Pop it on during a rainy evening or a quiet morning. Let it unfold slowly. It’s not an album that screams for attention – it glows quietly, confidently, from within.
