Who wrote the Cyndi Lauper 1986 number one ‘True Colours’?
Cyndi Lauper’s 1986 hit ‘True Colours’ was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, the American songwriting duo behind songs including Madonna’s ‘Like a Virgin’. The song’s history shows how Lauper transformed their piano ballad into a distinctive recording, while its message of acceptance later made it an anthem for the LGBTQ+ community.
Steinberg began the lyrics as a tribute to his mother, and Kelly urged him to finish them after George Martin praised an early demo. Released in August 1986 as the lead single and title track of Lauper’s second album, it spent two weeks at number one in the US and reached number 12 in the UK. Lauper recorded it while grieving her friend Gregory Natal, who had died of an AIDS-related illness, and later supported LGBTQ+ causes through the True Colors Tour and True Colors United.
In short
- Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly wrote ‘True Colours’.
- Lauper’s version topped the US chart for two weeks.
- Its message became closely associated with LGBTQ+ acceptance.
Explained simply
Cyndi Lauper is an American singer who became widely known in the 1980s. “True Colours” was written by American songwriters Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, who also wrote songs such as Madonna’s “Like a Virgin”; Lauper recorded it for her second album.
The song began as a piano ballad, with Steinberg drawing on feelings about his mother. Lauper’s recording gave it a distinct style, and its words about acceptance have since been associated with LGBTQ+ communities. Its history connects the work of songwriters and performer with the ways listeners find meaning in a song.