Sisters of Avalon

Sisters of Avalon
Studio album by Cyndi Lauper
Released	November 23, 1996 (Japan) April 1, 1997 (Worldwide)
Recorded	April 29–June 1, 1996
Genre	Pop rock, alternative rock, electronica
Length	51:13 56:20 (Japanese edition)
Label	Epic
Producer	Cyndi Lauper, Mark Saunders, and Jan Pulsford
Cyndi Lauper chronology
Hat Full of Stars (1993) Sisters of Avalon (1996) Merry Christmas... Have a Nice Life (1998)
Singles from Sisters of Avalon
"Sisters of Avalon" Released: January 29, 1997 "You Don't Know" Released: August 15, 1997 "Ballad of Cleo and Joe" Released: September 16, 1997

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Sisters of Avalon is the fifth studio album by American singer Cyndi Lauper. It was released on November 23, 1996, by Epic Records. 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 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.

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.

The album was heavily praised by multiple music critics due to Lauper's creative growth and eclectic themes.^[2] However, due to ongoing friction between Lauper and her record label, the album's release was delayed and due to low promotion sold only 56,000 copies only in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.^[3] 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.^[4]

Track listing

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

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" (Cyndi Lauper, Catherine Russel) – 3:37
7. "Unhook the Stars" – 3:56
8. "Searching" – 4:35
9. "Say a Prayer" – 4:53
10. "Mother" – 4:44
11. "Fearless" (Cyndi Lauper) – 3:38
12. "Brimstone and Fire" – 3:35
13. "Early Christmas Morning" (Japan only) – 5:07
14. "Lollygagging" (instrumental) – 0:23

Chart performance

Chart (1997)	Peak position	Total weeks
Austrian Albums Chart[5]	45	3
UK Albums Chart[6]	59	1
U.S. Billboard Hot 200[7]	188	1

Singles

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1997	"You Don't Know"	Billboard Hot 100	111
1997	"You Don't Know"	Hot Dance Music/Club Play	16
1997	"You Don't Know"	Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	16
1997	"You Don't Know"	Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles	11
1997	"Ballad of Cleo & Joe"	Billboard Hot 100	125
1997	"Ballad of Cleo & Joe"	Hot Dance Music/Club Play	36
1997	"Ballad of Cleo & Joe"	Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles	25
1998	"Sisters of Avalon"
1997	"You Don't Know"	UK Singles Chart	27

Personnel

Accordions: Charlie Giordano Acoustic guitar: Mark Saunders Acoustic piano: Jan Pulsford Additional lead guitar: William Wittman Background vocals: Kat Dyson, Cyndi Lauper, Catherine Russell, Shang Shang Typhoon Bass: Ron Jenkins, Jan Pulsford, Mark Saunders Bass recorder: Cyndi Lauper Drums: Scooter Warner Drum loops: Mark Saunders Drum machine: Jimmy Bralower Drum programming: Jan Pulsford, Mark Saunders Dulcimer: Cyndi Lauper Electric guitar: Mark Saunders Guitar: Larry Campbell, Kat Dyson, Cyndi Lauper Harmonium: Jan Pulsford Horn section: Larry Etkin, Daniel Levine, Tom Malone Japanese banjo: Shang Shang Typhoon

Keyboards: Jan Pulsford, Mark Saunders Lead guitars: Nigel Pulsford Loops: Jan Pulsford Mandolin: Catherine Russell Omnichord: Cyndi Lauper Percussion: Shang Shang Typhoon Rain loop: William Wittman Samples: Jan Pulsford Siturn: Larry Campbell Slide dulcimer: Cyndi Lauper Synthesizers: Jan Pulsford Technical assistance: Geoff Daking, Allen Wentz Tennessee music box: David Schnaufer Violin: Larry Campbell Vocals: Cyndi Lauper Wah-wah guitar: William Wittman Zither: Cyndi Lauper

References

1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Sisters of Avalon - Cyndi Lauper at AllMusic. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
2. http://sosogay.co.uk/2014/lost-music-cyndi-lauper-sisters-avalon/
3. Barth, Keith. "Ask Billboard | Billboard.com". billboard.com. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
4. http://www.songhall.org/news/entry/songwriters_hall_of_fame_2014_nominees_for_induction_announced
5. "Cyndi Lauper - Sisters Of Avalon" (in German). austriancharts.at. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
6. "ChartArchive - The Chart Archive". Chartstats.com. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
7. "Cyndi Lauper Album & Song Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved 10 October 2011.