Hat Full of Stars

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Hat Full of Stars
Hat Full of Stars cover
Studio album by Cyndi Lauper
Released June 1993 (1993-06)
Recorded 1992
Genre R&B, pop
Length 52:50
Label Epic
Producer Cyndi Lauper, Junior Vasquez, William Wittman
Professional reviews
Cyndi Lauper chronology
A Night to Remember
(1989)		 Hat Full of Stars
(1993)		 Twelve Deadly Cyns...and Then Some
(1994)

Hat Full of Stars is the fourth solo studio album released by Cyndi Lauper.

Contents

[edit] Album information

Issued in 1993 it deviated from her pop-rock sound of previous projects and delved heavily into R&B. It also furthered Lauper's growing penchant for writing topical songs about social issues; thematically it was inspired by her childhood in the 1950s in Brooklyn.

The album was co-produced by dance-music artist Junior Vasquez and is highly typical of his work of the time. As such many of the songs are held together by synthetic loops and percussion. Lyrics address issues like abortion ("Sally's Pigeons"), racism ("A Part Hate") and spousal abuse ("Product of Misery").

The album was successful internationally, selling in excess of four million copies. It achieved Gold sales in France and multi-platinum sales in Japan (where her albums routinely sell extremely well.) However it was considered a commercial disappointment in the United States, despite glowing critical review, it received little or no promotion, and it subsequently stalled at #112 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart. The singles "That's What I Think," "Sally's Pigeons," "Hat Full of Stars" and "Who Let in the Rain" were released; the latter of which was re-recorded in 2001 for her album Shine.

Lauper has commented that she wishes that her vocals on the project had been sharper. She worked with a vocal coach to sharpen her vocals for her next studio album Sisters of Avalon, and mentions this in the liner notes.

The album was recorded at the Hit Factory, Sigma Sound, Messina Sound, Right Track, The Enchanted Cottage, The Ranch, and World Famous Orbit Sound.

[edit] Track listing

  1. "That's What I Think" (Cyndi Lauper, Eric Bazilian, Rob Hyman, Allee Willis) – 4:39
  2. "Product of Misery" (Lauper, Bazilian, Hyman) – 4:11
  3. "Who Let in the Rain" (Lauper, Willis) – 4:37
  4. "Lies" (Lauper, Willis) – 3:40
  5. "Broken Glass" (Lauper, Marv DePeyer, Junior Vasquez) – 5:34
  6. "Sally's Pigeons" (Lauper, Mary Chapin Carpenter) – 3:48
  7. "Feels Like Christmas" (Lauper, Bazilian, Hyman) – 4:35
  8. "Dear John" (Lauper, Bazilian, Hyman) – 3:40
  9. "Like I Used To" (Lauper, Willis) – 4:28
  10. "Someone Like Me" (Lauper, Bazilian, Hyman, Willis) – 4:07
  11. "A Part Hate" (Lauper, Tom Gray, David Thornton) – 4:56
  12. "Hat Full of Stars" (Lauper, Nicky Holland) – 4:28

[edit] Singles

# Title Date
1 "Who Let in the Rain" 1993
2 "Sally's Pigeons" 1993
3 "That's What I Think" 1993
4 "Hat Full of Stars" 1993

[edit] Personnel

  • Cyndi Lauper--Lead Vocals
  • Cyndi Lauper and Junior Vasquez--Production
  • William Wittman--Additional Production
  • Gary Tole, Carl Glanville, Ted Truwhella, Brian Wittmer, Jennifer Monnar--Assistant Engineering
  • Rob Hyman--Accordions
  • Peter Wood--Additional Arrangements
  • Christopher Garcia, Allee Willis--Additional Programming
  • Eric Bazilian, Deborah Fraser, Nicky Holland, Rob Hyman, Georgia Jones, Faith Kekana, Cyndi Lauper, Hugh Masekela, Lawrence Matshiza, Junior Vasquez, Allee Willis, William Wittman, Stella Zulu--Background Vocals
  • Eric Bazilian, Kevin Jenkins, Bakithi Kumalo, Joey Moskowitz, Danny Sembello, Allee Willis, Peter Wood--Bass
  • Rob Hyman, Allee Willis--Casio
  • Bashiri Johnson--Congas
  • Eric Bazilian, Jimmy Bralower, Joey Moskowitz, Peter Wood--Drum Programming
  • Eric Bazilian--Dulicmer
  • Hugh Masekela--Flugelhorn
  • Carlos Alomar, Eric Bazilian, Nile Rodgers, Larry Treadwell, Peter Wood--Guitar
  • Rob Paparozzi--Harmonica
  • Jeff Bova, Nicky Holland, Rob Hyman, Fred McFarlane, Joey Moskowitz, Allee Willis, Peter Wood--Keyboards
  • Anton Fig, David Uosikkinen--Live Drums
  • Eric Bazilian--Mandolin
  • Rob Hyman--Melodica, Organs
  • Eric Bazilian, Nicky Holland--Piano
  • Cyndi Lauper--Recorder
  • Eric Bazilian--Saxophone
  • Hugh Masekela--Vocal Chant
  • Stacy Drummond--Art Direction, Design
  • Dana Shimizu--Design Assistant
  • Robert Lewis--Photograph
  • David Thornton-Drawings
  • Laura Wills--Styling
  • Jody Morlock--Makeup
  • Danilo For Pierre Michel, NYC--Hair

[edit] Charts

Chart (1993) Peak
Position
Austria albums chart 32
France albums chart 9
Germany albums chart 52
Italy albums chart 35
Japanese albums chart 15
Switzerland albums chart 32
UK albums chart 56
USA Billboard 200 112

[edit] Certifications

Country Certification
Colombia Gold
France Gold
Japan Platinum