True Colors (Cyndi Lauper song)

song written and composed by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly; originally recorded by Cyndi Lauper and released in 1986

"True Colors" is a 1986 song by Cyndi Lauper and is the title track to her second studio album True Colors. It went to number 1 in the United States, Canada and Chile, number 2 in Israel, number 3 in Australia, number 4 in Belgium, number 6 in Ireland, number 7 in the Netherlands and Zimbabwe, number 8 in New Zealand and number 10 in Norway. It was nominated for a Grammy Award.

"True Colors"
Single by Cyndi Lauper
from the album True Colors
B-side"Heading for the Moon"
ReleasedAugust 28, 1986
RecordedMarch 3, 1986
GenreSynth-rock[1]
Length3:46
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Cyndi Lauper
  • Lennie Petze
Cyndi Lauper singles chronology
"The Goonies 'R' Good Enough"
(1985)
"True Colors"
(1986)
"Change of Heart"
(1986)
Music video
"True Colors" on YouTube

Track listings

change
  • 7-inch single
  1. "True Colors" – 3:45
  2. "Heading for the Moon" – 3:17
  • European 12-inch single
  1. "True Colors" – 3:45
  2. "Heading for the Moon" – 3:17
  3. "Money Changes Everything" (Live) – 6:04

Phil Collins version

change
"True Colors"
Single by Phil Collins
from the album ...Hits
B-side
ReleasedOctober 26, 1998 (1998-10-26)
Length4:34
LabelVirgin, Face Value, Atlantic, WEA
Songwriter(s)Tom Kelly, Billy Steinberg
Producer(s)Babyface
Phil Collins singles chronology
"The Same Moon"
(1997)
"True Colors"
(1998)
"You'll Be in My Heart"
(1999)

In 1998, British singer Phil Collins covered it for his greatest hits album ...Hits. It went to number 2 in Poland, number 6 in Belgium, number 7 in Hungary and number 26 in the United Kingdom and was covered by Australian singer Kasey Chambers in 2003.

Track listings

change

UK CD1 and cassette single[2][3]

  1. "True Colors" – 4:33
  2. "I Missed Again" – 3:41
  3. "In the Air Tonight" – 7:32

UK CD2[4]

  1. "True Colors" – 4:33
  2. "Don't Lose My Number" – 4:47
  3. "Take Me Home" – 5:51

European CD single[5]

  1. "True Colors" – 4:33
  2. "In the Air Tonight" – 7:32

Australian CD single[6]

  1. "True Colors" – 4:33
  2. "In the Air Tonight" – 7:32
  3. "Don't Lose My Number" – 4:47
  4. "I Missed Again" – 3:41

References

change
  1. Breihan, Tom (January 11, 2021). "The Number Ones: Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors"". Stereogum. Retrieved October 10, 2022. Lauper took their demo...and turned it into a whisper-to-howl synth-rocker.
  2. True Colors (UK CD1 liner notes). Phil Collins. Virgin Records, Face Value Records. 1998. VSCDT 1715, 7243 8 95383 2 8.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. True Colors (UK cassette single sleeve). Phil Collins. Virgin Records, Face Value Records. 1998. VSC1715, 7243 8 95383 42.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. True Colors (UK CD2 liner notes). Phil Collins. Virgin Records, Face Value Records. 1998. VSCDG 1715, 7243 8 95384 2 7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. True Colors (European CD single liner notes). Phil Collins. WEA, Face Value Records. 1998. 3984 24775-9.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. True Colors (Australian CD single liner notes). Phil Collins. WEA, Face Value Records. 1998. 3984 24774-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)