True Colors (song)

Infobox Single
Name = True Colors


Caption =
Artist = Cyndi Lauper
from Album = True Colors
A-side = True Colors
B-side = Heading For The Moon
Released = 1986
Format = Vinyl
(7")Vinyl
(12")
Recorded = 1986
Genre = Pop
Length = 3:45
Label = Epic Records
Writer = Tom Kelly, Billy Steinberg
Producer = Cyndi Lauper, Lennie Petze
Certification = Platinum (US)
Chart position = #1 (US)
#2 (UK)
Last single = "We Are the World"
This single = "True Colors"
Next single = "Change of Heart"
Misc =

"True Colors" is a song written by professional songwriters Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly. It was both the title track and the first single released from Cyndi Lauper's second album.

ong information

Billy Steinberg originally wrote True Colors about his own mother. Tom Kelly altered the first verse and the duo submitted the song to Cyndi Lauper. Other songs they wrote for Cyndi Lauper include "I Drove All Night" and "Unconditional Love", the latter of which went on to be covered by Susanna Hoffs.

It reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, #3 in Australia, and #5 on the UK Singles Chart.

True Colors also became a legend of its own in the gay community. Lauper embarked on a 2007 annual True Colors Tour 2007 with several other acts including Deborah Harry and Erasure. The tour was for the Human Rights Campaign to promote human rights in the US and beyond. A second True Colors tour is currently underway in the US.Fact|date=March 2008

The song has been used in many advertisements, including;
*Dove "Campaign for Real Beauty"
*Kodak - Used in "Show Your True Colors" campaign; also as the pre-show film for "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience"
*Peugeot "The Drive of your Life" / 406 sedan
*Aer Lingus "Appearances"
*Marks & Spencer
*Sky+ HD

Music video

In an article from the New York Times, detailing the making of "True Colors" and the time right before its release, Lauper described the True Colors video:

"In the beginning, she's a storyteller pounding on an African drum; a girl moves through childhood and adulthood, with the shell symbolizing the turning of tides and so forth; Cyndi then walks through that desert with the new group of children in the background; the last shot is of Cyndi pounding on the drum a final time. Then she of course spoke of loving yourself, and accepting who you are."

Chart performance

Official versions

#Juniors 12" Vocal Mix
#Junior's 7" Mix
#Junior's Gay Pride '98 Mix
#Junior's Main Pass Mix Edit
#Junior's Reprise Mix
#Junior's Romantic Love Mix
#Juniorverse Mix

Covered by

* Phil Collins (1998)
* Elaine Paige (1991)
* Aztec Camera (1993)
* Tuesday Child (1997)
* Dominique Moore (1999) (Peugeot 406 Advert) www.myspace.com/dominiquemoore
* Leatherface (2000)
* David Young (2000)
* Sarina Paris (2001)
* Save the Last Dance (2001)
* Fredro Starr & Jill Scott (2001)
* Maggie Reilly (2002)
* Maddy Prior and the Girls Bib and Tuck (2002)
* American Juniors (2003)
* Eva Cassidy (2003)
* Voice Male (2003)
* Kasey Chambers (2003)
* Kalan Porter & Theresa Sokyrka (2004) (Canadian Idol)
* Shirley Clamp I dina ögon (True Colors) (2006)
* Anna Tsuchiya (2006)
* K (2007)
* Lauren Talbot (2007) (Deutschland sucht den Superstar)
* Haley Scarnato (2007) (American Idol)
* Ane Brun (2008)

External links

* [http://www.secondhandsongs.com/song/115.html Covers]