True Colors (Cyndi Lauper song)

Billy Steinberg originally wrote "True Colors" about his own mother. Tom Kelly altered the first verse and the duo originally submitted the song to Anne Murray, who passed on recording it, and then to Cyndi Lauper.[2] Their demo was in the form of a piano-based gospel ballad like "Bridge over Troubled Water". Steinberg told Songfacts that "Cyndi completely dismantled that sort of traditional arrangement and came up with something that was breathtaking and stark."[1] Other songs they wrote for Lauper include "I Drove All Night" and "Unconditional Love", of which the former went on to be covered by Roy Orbison and Celine Dion, the latter by Susanna Hoffs.

The music video for the song, which received heavy rotation on MTV, was directed by American choreographer Patricia Birch. In the video, Lauper sings on a dark sound stage besides a percussion, while a young girl (Catrine Dominique) explores a beach and ends up seeing two women drinking tea on a boat. Lauper appears on the beach in an elaborate jeweled headdress with a shell in her hand. She is then seen lying on a white sheet which a long haired man (David Wolff) proceeds to pull. They eventually share a kiss. Lauper is then seen walking on the beach with a skirt made of newspaper while she walks past a class of schoolchildren. At the end of the video, she leans over a pool of water in a scene reminiscent of the album photo cover. The video ends as it began, with the singer banging on the percussion.

The single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on October 25, 1986, beating Tina Turner's "Typical Male" to the top spot. It also peaked at number three in Australia and New Zealand, and 12 on the UK Singles Chart.

"True Colors" also became a standard in the gay community. In various interviews, Lauper elaborated that the song had resonated with her because of the recent death of her friend, Gregory Natal, from HIV/AIDS.[3] Years later, Lauper co-founded the True Colors Fund,[4] a non-profit dedicated to eradicating LGBT youth homelessness.

Lauper embarked on a True Colors Tour in 2007 with several other acts including Deborah Harry and Erasure. The tour was for the Human Rights Campaign to promote LGBT rights in the US and beyond. A second True Colors tour occurred in 2008.

7" Single[5]

1. "True Colors" - 3:45
2. "Heading for the Moon" - 3:17

European 12" Single[6]

1. "True Colors" - 3:45
2. "Heading for the Moon" - 3:17
3. "Money Changes Everything" (Live) - 6:04

"True Colors"
Single by Phil Collins
from the album ...Hits
B-side	"Don't Lose My Number" "Take Me Home"
Released	October 26, 1998
Genre	Soft rock smooth jazz R&B blue-eyed soul
Length	4:34
Label	Atlantic, Virgin, 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, the song was recorded by Phil Collins for his compilation album ...Hits. The version was a smooth-jazz-influenced version compared to the original. R&B singer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds produced and provided backing vocals. The track peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100, number two on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and number 26 on the UK Singles Chart. It reached the top 40 in Austria, Canada, France, Germany and Hungary.

In 2004, a live rehearsal version was released on Collins' Love Songs: A Compilation... Old and New album.

"True Colours"
Single by Kasey Chambers
Released	April 2003
Genre	Pop rock country pop
Label	EMI Music
Songwriter(s)	Tom Kelly, Billy Steinberg
Producer(s)	Nash Chambers
Kasey Chambers singles chronology
"If I Were You" (2002) "True Colours" (2003) "Hollywood" (2004)

In 2003, Australian singer-songwriter Kasey Chambers' recording of "True Colors" became the theme song for the 2003 Rugby World Cup.[46] The song peaked at number four, was certified gold and went on to be the 76th best-selling single in Australia that year[47]

The song has been recorded by many artists.

In 2001, "True Colors" was recorded by Sarina Paris and included in her self-titled debut album. Released on May 22, 2001, the album was composed of songs co-written by Paris, with the exception of this cover. The album reached #167 on the Billboard 200 in the United States.

In 2009, Jenna Ushkowitz performed it in the television program Glee, and it was released as a single "True Colors (Glee Cast Version)". The version was included in the compilation album Glee: The Music, Volume 2 released on December 4, 2009. The single charted on Billboard Hot 100, and reached number 15 in Ireland, number 35 in the United Kingdom,[49] number 38 in Canada,[50][51] and number 47 in Australia.

In 2012, Artists Against Bullying (often styled as "Artists Against"), an agglomeration of seven Canadian musicians re-recorded the song. It was released during Bullying Awareness Week.[52] The project was inspired by the increase in teen bullying and cyberbullying, especially the Amanda Todd case,[53] with proceeds being donated to Kids Help Phone - a Canadian counseling service for children and youth.[53] The artists involved in the recording were Lights, Pierre Bouvier (from Simple Plan), Jacob Hoggard from Hedley, Fefe Dobson, Kardinal Offishall, Alyssa Reid and Walk Off the Earth. The song entered the Canadian Singles Top 100 chart at number 10[54] the week it was released.

In 2014, Shane Filan of Westlife released it as a promotional single for his debut album You and Me.

In 2016, Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick performed a new version of the song for the animated film Trolls and its accompanying soundtrack. Park Hyung-sik and Lee Sung-kyung sang the Korean version for the Korean dubbed version of the film.

In 2020, Peter Gallagher performs "True Colors" on NBC's Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist.[55]

• True Colors Second Hand Songs
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics (Cyndi Lauper version)