Sisters of Avalon

Sisters of Avalon
Studio album by Cyndi Lauper
Released	October 15, 1996
Recorded	April 29 – June 1, 1996
Genre	Pop rock alternative rock electronica trip hop[1] new age[2] dance[2]
Length	51:13 56:20 (Japanese edition)
Label	Epic
Producer	Cyndi Lauper Mark Saunders Jan Pulsford
Cyndi Lauper chronology
Wanna Have Fun (1996) Sisters of Avalon (1996) Merry Christmas ... Have a Nice Life (1998)
Singles from Sisters of Avalon
"You Don't Know" Released: October 2, 1996 "Sisters of Avalon" Released: January 29, 1997 "Ballad of Cleo and Joe" Released: September 16, 1997

Sisters of Avalon is the fifth studio album by American singer Cyndi Lauper. It was released in Japan on October 15, 1996, and worldwide on April 1, 1997, by Sony Music Entertainment. Thematically the album expounded on the issue of complacency and ignorance in popular culture and the discrimination of minorities, gays, and women. Songs like "Love to Hate" and "You Don't Know" address the entertainment industry and media and their corruption. "Ballad of Cleo and Joe" is a song about the double life of a cross dresser. "Say a Prayer" is about the AIDS epidemic.

The album was heavily praised by multiple music critics due to Lauper's creative growth and eclectic themes.^[3] However, the album's release was delayed and sold only 56,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.^[4] Since its release, the album has been met with continued praise including the Songwriters' Hall of Fame noting the title track as one of Lauper's key songs in her catalog.^[5]

Background and production

The title of the album is a reference to the book The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, which tells the legend of King Arthur from the point view of the female characters.^[6] The record takes a deviation from previous projects, incorporating a blend of electronica production with a variety of traditional instruments such as the guitar, zither, Appalachian dulcimer, and slide dulcimer, as well as an omnichord. There is a permeating pagan theme highlighted by the track "Mother," an ode to Gaea. Speaking to Billboard in 1997, Lauper commented: "To me, this album is a natural progression from the songs on Hat Full of Stars. I've never been more proud of a group of songs." Many of the album's tracks were written by Lauper and Jan Pulsford, who had joined Lauper's band as keyboardist for the tour promoting Hat Full of Stars (1993). Lauper told Billboard: "We were on a special journey that felt so right. Jan and I are extremely compatible collaborators".^[7]

The album was released in 1996 in Japan and in 1997 in other parts of the world. The Japanese version features a bonus track, "Early Christmas Morning". The track "Lollygagging" is a hidden track which is nothing more than Lauper and her musicians attempting to record the song "Hot Gets a Little Cold" but making a musical mistake and laughing about it. Cherish Alexander played lead guitar for Cyndi Lauper for the song Sisters of Avalon in the album.^[8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[9]
Entertainment Weekly	B+[10]
The Guardian	[11]
Music Week	[12]
New York Times	(favourable)[13]
Pittsburgh Post Gazette	[14]

Upon release, Larry Flick of Billboard wrote: "The album plays to Lauper's considerable strengths as a vocalist and her marked maturity as a songwriter, with broad stylistic leanings."^[15] David Grad of Entertainment Weekly noted: "Lauper remains an intoxicating pop siren. Her sixth album is a wonderfully eclectic affair."^[10]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic described the album as "varied and eclectic", adding: "While the results aren't always successful, the record is the most intriguing and rewarding album she made since True Colors."^[9] People noted the album's variety and "cutting commentary", but felt "for all her bold experimentation, Lauper seems to be trying too hard".^[16] Tracy Collins from Pittsburgh Post Gazette gave the album a favourable review and wrote that the album "is an odd, gutty disc from a woman with a great sense of adventury" and also that it is "the closest thing yet to a credible reinvention for Lauper".

Commercial performance

The album performed poorly in most markets. In the United States, the album debuted at #188 on the chart dated April 19, 1997.^[17] It stayed on the chart for one week and has sold 56,000 copies to date.^[4] In an interview with Billboard, then-Epic Records VP David Massey acknowledged the challenges the record faced due to Lauper's shift in musical direction and planned for extensive touring to offset lessened support from MTV and radio.^[18]

In the UK, the album was released earlier in February 1997 and entered the chart at #59 before leaving the chart the following week.^[19] The album entered the Austrian Albums chart at its peak of #45, staying on the chart for 3 weeks.^[20] It was her first studio album to chart there since True Colors.

The album was however more successful in Japan where it peaked at #15, spending 9 weeks on the chart and was eventually certified Gold for shipment of 100,000 copies.^[21]

Track listing

All songs written by Cyndi Lauper and Jan Pulsford, unless otherwise noted.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Sisters of Avalon"		4:20
2.	"Ballad of Cleo and Joe"		4:00
3.	"Fall Into Your Dreams"		4:45
4.	"You Don't Know"		5:14
5.	"Love to Hate"		3:25
6.	"Hot Gets a Little Cold"	Lauper Catherine Russell	3:37
7.	"Unhook the Stars"		3:56
8.	"Searching"		4:35
9.	"Say a Prayer"		4:53
10.	"Mother"		4:44
11.	"Fearless"	Lauper	3:38
12.	"Brimstone and Fire"		3:35
13.	"Early Christmas Morning" (Japan only)		5:07
14.	"Lollygagging" (instrumental)		0:23

Personnel

Cyndi Lauper – vocals, backing vocals, guitar, bass recorder, slide dulcimer, omnichord, zither Charlie Giordano – accordion Mark Saunders – bass guitar, acoustic and electric guitar, keyboards, drum loops and programming Jan Pulsford – bass guitar, acoustic piano, drum programming, keyboards, synthesizer, harmonium, loops, samples William Wittman – wah-wah guitar, additional lead guitar, rain loop Catherine Russell – mandolin, backing vocals Shang Shang Typhoon – Japanese banjo, percussion, backing vocals Ron Jenkins – bass guitar

Scooter Warner – drums Jimmy Bralower – drum machine Larry Campbell – guitar, siturn, violin Kat Dyson – guitar, backing vocals Larry Etkin, Daniel Levine, Tom Malone – horn section Nigel Pulsford – lead guitar Geoff Daking, Allen Wentz – technical assistance David Schnaufer – Tennessee music box

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1997)	Peak position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[22]	45
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[21]	15
South African Albums (RISA)[23]	93
UK Albums (OCC)[24]	59
US Billboard 200[25]	188

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[26]	Gold	100,000^^
United States	—	56,000[27]
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Country	Date	Format	Label	Catalog
Japan[6]	16 October 1996	CD	Epic	ESCA 6584
	1 November 1996	MD		ESYA 1077
United Kingdom[6]	February 1997	CD		485370 2
		Cassette		485370 4
Canada[6]	25 March 1997	CD		EK 66433
United States[6]	1 April 1997			EK 66433
Australia[6]	12 May 1997			4853702
Chile[6]	May 1997			KLJC 4-485370
		Cassette		KNJC 4-485370
Japan[28]	3 September 2008	CD	Sony Music	EICP-1043

References

1. Keefe, Jonathan (25 May 2008). "Review: Cyndi Lauper, Bring Ya to the Brink". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
2. Eliscu, Jenny (November 2, 2004). "Cyndi Lauper". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 476.
3. "Lost in Music: Cyndi Lauper - Sisters of Avalon | So So Gay magazine". Archived from the original on 2014-09-25. Retrieved 2014-09-15.
4. Barth, Keith. "Ask Billboard | Billboard.com". billboard.com. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
5. "Songwriters Hall of Fame 2014 Nominees for Induction Announced | Songwriters Hall of Fame".
6. "Cyndi Lauper - Sisters of Avalon". 2004-04-15. Archived from the original on 2005-08-28. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
7. Billboard magazine - Lauper's artistic aspect emphasized on Epic set - Larry Flick - March 1, 1997 - page 34
8. "An Interview With Cherish Alexander, Director & Writer Of "Change Can Start With Me"". cannesworldfilmfestival.com. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
9. AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine (April 1, 1997). "Sisters of Avalon - Cyndi Lauper | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved April 5, 2019. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
10. Grad, David (April 4, 1997). "Album Review: 'Sisters of Avalon'". ew.com. Entertainment Weekly.
11. Sullivan, Caroline (14 February 1997). "Music: This week's pop CD releases". The Guardian.
12. "Reviews: Albums" (PDF). Music Week. February 1, 1997. p. 27. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
13. Zwerin, Mike (January 31, 1997). "RECORDINGS". The New York Times.
14. Collins, Tracy (June 4, 1997). "Record Review". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. p. B-4 – via Google Books.
15. Billboard magazine - Lauper's artistic aspect emphasized on Epic set - Larry Flick - March 1, 1997 - page 15
16. "Picks and Pans Review: Sisters of Avalon".
17. "Cyndi Lauper". Billboard.
18. Flick, Larry (March 1997). "Lauer's Artistic Aspect Emphasized on Epic Set". Billboard.
19. "Cyndi Lauper | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". OfficialCharts.com.
20. "Cyndi Lauper - Sisters of Avalon".
21. シンディ・ローパーのアルバム売り上げランキング (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
22. "Austriancharts.at – Cyndi Lauper – Sisters of Avalon" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
23. "South African Divas Albums". Geo Cities. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
24. "Cyndi Lauper | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
25. "Cyndi Lauper Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
26. "Japanese album certifications – シンディ・ローパー – シスターズ・オブ・アヴァロン" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved July 21, 2022. Select 1996年10月 on the drop-down menu
27. "Ask Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
28. "Cyndi Lauper - Sisters of Avalon". cdjapan.co.jp. Retrieved 23 April 2020.