The Top-10 Songs of All (My) Time, #2: “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper

I’m sappy. I can’t help it. Not all the time, but when I feel like being sappy and when I want the world to be more kind and beautiful, I can lay it on thick and Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” is my #2 song of all time (because I’m sappy … does that make sense?).

“Time After Time” is a song I’ve listened to thousands of times and completely missed that it was a “break-up” song. But I’m not the only one because it’s among the most-played songs at wedding receptions and it’s very popular with graduating classes.

The song was written by Cyndi Lauper, inspired by her failed (failing?) relationship with her boyfriend and manager, David Wolff. She wrote it with Rob Hyman (of The Hooters) when her label told her that her album needed, “one more song.” They wrote it that same evening and deep into the morning and they swear what we hear and fell in love with was one take – we hear the “demo”.

“Time After Time” was released as a single in January of 1984, which would’ve put me at, oh, about 10 1/2 years old. Other than the song hitting #1 in June of that same year, it’s not likely I was singing along or even “getting it” as a 4th Grader. 5th Grader? When you’re that age, “break up songs” and “sad songs” don’t register because, I don’t mean to brag, but I was a pretty happy 4th Grader.

However, during my (slightly) troubled high-school years, somehow the song popped onto my radar because of my Mom’s infinite ability to forgive me no matter what. Not to mention my Dad, who at the time didn’t seem “forgiving”, but the further I get away from those late-80s high-school years, I’m realzing he also had an infinite ability to forgive and keep loving me despite myself and my choices. 

No matter what I did (wrong) … Mom & Dad kept loving me and forgiving me … time after time.

“If you fall, I will catch you, I’ll be waiting  …
Time after time”

“Time After Time” wasn’t a “break up song” the way I heard it. I heard a song written to someone who doesn’t understand how much the songwriter loves him (or her) and always will.

For me, it was also a song I enjoyed singing along to. It became a song I’d sing and “think of you” … with the “you” being my little brother and sister when I was missing them while away at college or when I wasn’t a very nice or dependable older brother. It’s a song I remember playing when my college girlfriend (now my wife) and I broke up for a month(ish).

What I’m saying this:  I’ve always loved this song.

This song pops into my head alot but it really took hold when I started having kids and, specifically, makes me think of my daughters.

Note to my Son:  Don’t worry, Jimmy … I have songs that make me think of you …. like “Rollin'” by Limp Bizkit or anything Yacht Rock … trust me … there’s more than enough songs in the world I hear, think of you, and get tears in my eyes). 

“Time After Time” has evolved into a song from me to my daughters.

“Sometimes, you picture me
I’m walking too far ahead…

…you say, “Go slow”
I fall behind”

When I was a new Dad and my girls were learning to walk, or ride their bikes, or walking with me to the park, or the soccer field, or in a parking lot heading into the mall, or anywhere … I realized everything I used to do quickly would now take twice as long. Then one day, I wake up and I’m 50-years-old and there aren’t little, awkward smiley-faced daughters wanting to hold my hand and walk with me. I look behind me and wish someone, in their chirpy little voices, was asking me to slow down and then running as fast as they can in those awkward steps to catch up with me and hold my hand so we can walk together at her speed.

Now at my age and having been a Dad for nearly 23 years, I start to think about, eventually, I’ll be asking my own kids, “go slow” because I’ll be falling behind. I’ll need to catch up.

“Time After Time” still hits me … probably harder … because I’m a Dad (I don’t want to say “girl Dad” but, heck, it fits). it reminds me that Dads are Dads forever. I just hope I’ll be needed forever.

If I had a magic wand, my girls would never get their hearts broken, never want for anything, never be scared, and their lives would be perfect.

Oh, and they’d be snug in their beds sleeping in my house and under my roof forever. 

In this dream… my girls will be 12- and 8-years-old forever, too.

Instead, my daughters keep growing up and, now, they keep running ahead. My job was (is) to make them independent, brave, confident, and capable of living their own lives. Why would I want it any other way? As of writing this, they’re 23 and 19. One has a college Degree and a career. The other went far away to college and having the adventure of a lifetime. Both have boyfriends (great guys, both of them). They have their own friends and make great decisions, smart choices and do things on their own in their own lives … things I’ll never know about unless they tell me.

It won’t be long until I’ll see less and less of them, and they’ll see less of me (and need less from me).

“After my picture fades
And darkness has turned to gray
Watching through windows
You’re wondering if I’m okay
Secrets stolen from deep inside (deep inside)
And the drum beats out of time”

I used to think this song was really nice to sing along to. It reminded me of my Mom, and my younger siblings.

Now, when I hear it, I have to fight back tears … time after time.

And that’s my #2 Song-of-All Time.

Two Cyndi Lauper songs in my Top-10.  I’m not ashamed at all. 

Oh, and I’m not crying … you’re crying.

Stay tuned for my #1 … coming soon.