By weighting this "best of" CD so heavily with songs from SHE'S SO UNUSUAL, Cyndi Lauper unintentionally gives credence to some of her harshest critics. Robert Christgau, who hasn't had a kind word for Cyndi since the first solo album, homed right in on the fact that five (he mistakenly says "six")of the tracks are from UNUSUAL. Whether you agree with him that they are the five BEST tracks or not, it does make you wonder if the debut solo album might not be the wiser purchase after all.

On the other hand, Christgau is so out of touch that,not only does he miscount the number of tracks from UNUSUAL, he doesn't even recognize that "I'm Gonna Be Strong" is a re-recording of one of her Blue Angel tracks and thus a doff of hat to her actual (group) debut effort. He also refers to the reggae-flavored "Hey Now, Hey Now (Girls Just Want to Have Fun)" as a remix of her first hit single, when it is also plainly a re-recording with a new chorus and at a different tempo. So how well could he have listened? How well has he bothered to listen to anything Cyndi put out since he decided not to like her music in '88?

If like me, you only had UNUSUAL on vinyl anyway, purchasing 12 DEADLY CYNS in a new format made sense. Like most "greatest hits" collections of the past 25 years, it also contains three new or newly recorded tracks, so there is plenty of incentive for fans to pick it up. It also has a fair enough sampling of the three other Lauper albums recorded prior to '94 to offer a solid overview of a decade of her work. (Although I would agree with those who express some disappointment over the fact that so little of the much neglected A NIGHT TO REMEMBER was included.)

The re-recording of "I'm Gonna Be Strong" is classic Cyndi by the way. This old Gene Pitney chestnut is, in Cyndi's hands, an intriguing blend of old and new styles--folksy fiddles emerge almost out of nowhere after a torchy pseudo-ending. Lauper's unique vocal ranges from scratchy-cute to soaring. She constantly surprises. The song is a total revamp of the Pitney classic: yet it retains and actually amplifies the original's emotional ache. Kristi Yamaguchi wound up doing a skating routine to it at one point...Yet it almost defies the listener to actually LIKE it. "Oh, you thought I was going to end this with dramatic flair...not so fast, get a load of the actual hoe-down ending!!" Well, I ended up loving it. After a few listens, you just might too.

Ultimately, I can't be too hard on Cyndi for including so much of UNUSUAL. It was an extraordinarily successful album, and any "best of" package would have to give it its due. I see now that there are some European products out there that actually include many more tracks and therefore better cover the entire track record. Still 12 DEADLY is actually a fine place for most neophytes to start. You may find that Cyndi Lauper, while certainly unusual, is a solid, versatile singer and not just the kooky soul you thought you knew.

this would be a 5-star cd if "the goonies 'r' good enough" was on it, but for some strange reason it's not. what makes it even worse is that the song isn't even available on any of her other albums or on any compilation albums. why is it that some artists and record labels feel the need to put a few new songs on their "best of" albums at the expense of songs that, in cases like "the goonies 'r' good enough", were top 10 hits? it makes no sense. note to sony music: the next time you put out a cyndi lauper hits album, please make sure to include "the goonies 'r' good enough", or at least put it on a compilation album. if you're going to put a new song in the place of a song that was a major hit, at least have the courtesy to make the song you're leaving out available on some other album. otherwise, this is a good cd; an 80's pop diva singing (most of) her biggest hits.

Cyndi Lauper has this magical way of evoking both joy and sorrow with the simple slip of a vocal chord. The sheer urgency in her voice on tracks like "She Bop" and "Money Changes Everything" to the sadness and nosalgic atmsphere of "Sally's Pigeons" show both her range as a writer/co-writer and as a truly talented vocalist. Just ask Mariah Carey to whip up something this...sincere...betcha she can't! And yes, the CD should include "Good Enough", "Hole In My Heart", "The World Is Stone" and "Who Let In The Rain", but even without those beloved slices of pop Cyndi-style, this collection truly shines. The sound quality of the tracks alone is enough to make saliva dance and gush all about your mouth, but add that to the fact the much of the content has been remixed into what I would deem as their definitive versions and it's nearly enough to send one into cardiac arrest. Definately a must have! (also...you should check out the new DVD)

Twelve Deadly Syns released in 1994 has still been comprehensive guide to Cyndi Lauper music. Interestingly though she let the compilation include two of the Blue Angel days' tracks I'm Gonna Be Strong and Come on Home by which you can enjoy the different color of Cyndi music. Particularly I'M GONNA BE STRONG is an excellent addition showcasing Cyndi's intensive vocal countering well with Bette Midler or Barbara Streisand. HEY NOW is the self-rendition of GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN. But I feel this one just ruins the original and should have had a different song instead. Two of collaboration with HOOTERS works fine in this CD. One of which TIME AFTER TIME is the very song which gave the Hooters an opportunity to debut with amazing result. The more recent collaboration THAT'S WHAT I THINK is fun pop track and I also love this.

Verdict: Great and Comprehensive compilation and has interesting approach to include unknown days tracks for fans. Well done.
Rating: 88 out of 100. HEY NOW contributed the loss of points.
Also Japanese version has three more tracks and that would add to the relative minus to this 14-track version.
Recommended for: Wide range of 80s pop rock fans.

In all my long life I have bought many albums. There were only two in which I liked EVERY song--"Tiffany," by Tiffany and "12 Deadly Cyns." And no, I'm no teenybopper, I'm a 61-year-old male who enjoys a wide range of music. Tiffany and Cyndi Lauper are also my two favorite singers of all time.Again, every song on this album is good; and, in fact, six of my seven favorite Cyndi songs are here. Only "Who Let in the Rain" is missing, and if you buy the "12 Deadly Cyns" video you also get that song!My favorites are "Who Let in the Rain," "She Bop" and "I Drove All Night," and if you just listen to those 3 songs you will hear the FULL range, power and beauty of Cyndi's amazing voice. Also here are her major hits "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," "True Colors" and "Time After Time," plus"Money Changes Everything" and "All Through the Night" (which for some reason is not on the video).If you want to buy just ONE Cyndi album (although I can't imagine buying just one) this should be it!