Cyndi Lauper is among the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees. As always, the Rock Hall has been hard at work compiling artifacts to help tell the story of her multi-decade career. Among those artifacts are hand-written lyrics to one of Lauper’s biggest hits, “Time After Time.”
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In a discussion with the Rock Hall, Lauper spoke about the meaning behind this song and the partnership that inspired it. Find out more about the story of “Time After Time” below.
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The Story Behind Cyndi Lauper’s Rock Hall Worthy Hit, “Time After Time”
Released in 1984, “Time After Time” became Lauper’s first No. 1. Written with Rob Hyman of The Hooters, this Lauper song is one of the most iconic love songs of all time.
In her Rock Hall interview, Lauper discussed finding songwriting chemistry with Hyman. In the case of “Time After Time”, Lauper made use of their lyric-fodder conversations. She felt the song’s naturalistic lyrics added to its appeal.
“When I was with Rob, we’d have conversations and I’d just write everything down,” Lauper said. “I love poetry, but if you can say things in a song that people say, really say…I just wanted it to be real.”
You can see the evidence of Lauper writing down her conversation with Hyman in the original lyric sheet for “Time After Time”. The lyrics are just one of several pieces of Lauper iconography on display in the 2025 inductees exhibit at the Rock Hall. Revisit “Time After Time” below.
2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees
The 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction is almost here. The inductees this year include Lauper, Outkast, Salt-N-Pepa, The White Stripes, Bad Company, Joe Cocker, Sound Garden, and Warren Zevon.
“Every award I got, I said the same thing,” Lauper has said of her induction. “I said, ‘Thank you for all of the people that came before me, the women whose shoulders I stand on, and the women that will come after me.’ Because you’re just a chain in a line of history — or ‘herstory.’ I like that word.”
The ceremony will feature a rich lineup of presenters and performers, all of whom will pay homage to this group of legendary artists. Find a complete list of artists who will be featured in the ceremony, HERE.
The induction will be broadcast live on Disney+ and will be available to stream afterward.
Photo: Annie Leibovitz / Courtesy of Sony Music Archives / Shore Fire Media
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