We are upping the tempo today with some fun and frivolity from one of the most colourful and dazzling 80’s performing artists – Cyndi Lauper. The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough is her second entry here after her signature hit Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1983). The Goonies was released in support of the 1985 film of the same name which I enjoyed as a kid, you know the whole treasure maps, booby traps, pirate ships thing. The movie was accompanied by an equally zany two-part music video (see below) directed by Richard Donner himself.
The song was initially titled ‘Good enough‘, but was re-titled to “The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough” by Warner Bros. for marketing purposes. Lauper originally didn’t want to write a theme song. In interviews, she admitted to feeling creatively boxed in by being asked to conform to the film’s requirements. She said also how she hated the song. Ouch! So much so that she didn’t perform it live for over 15 years. She even left it off her greatest hits album, much to fans’ dismay.
That’s a shame to learn that and caught me by surprise since The Goonies is my favourite song by her. I always liked Lauper’s high energy performance, its quirky charm and the catchy melody never grew tired on me.
The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough became a bona fide hit of course reaching No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked within the top-ten in Australia and Canada. It was Lauper’s fifth top ten single but only spent 15 weeks in total. While it wasn’t as big as Lauper’s earlier hits like Girls Just Want to Have Fun or Time After Time, it held its own in the constellation of mid-’80s pop. As aforementioned despite Lauper growing to dislike the song, due to nostalgia (and fan pressure) she brought it back to her concert setlists y the 2000s. Phew!
[Verse 1]
Here we are, hanging onto strains of greed and blues
Break the chain, then we break down
Oh, it’s not real if you don’t feel it
[Pre-Chorus]
Unspoken expectations
Ideals you used to play with
They’ve finally taken shape
[Chorus]
What’s good enough (Good enough)
For you, it’s good enough (Good enough)
For me, it’s good enough (Good enough)
It’s good enough for me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
[Verse 2]
Now you’ll say you’re startin’ to feel the push and pull
Of what could be and never can
You mirror me, stumblin’ through those
[Pre-Chorus]
Old fashioned superstitions
I find it too hard to break
Oh, maybe you’re out of place
[Chorus]
What’s good enough (Good enough)
For you, it’s good enough (Good enough)
For me, it’s good enough (Good enough)
It’s good enough for me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Good enough (good enough)
For you, it’s good enough (Good enough)
For me, it’s good enough (Good enough)
It’s good enough for me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
References:
1. The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough – Wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
I didn’t watch the movie but the Cyndi Lauper song sounded familiar. Good song! I must have heard it on the radio back in Germany at the time it came out. My absolute favorite by Lauper is “Time After Time.”
I wasn’t really in the mood to write yesterday morning (nor listen to the song!) and I went off just some sketchy and random thoughts about it. Just having heard it again, what I embarrassingly failed to communicate in my article is how well the instrumentals in this song encapsulate the themes of the movie. But impressively so!
Unfortunately her original version of ‘Time After Time’ hasn’t resonated well with me over the years. I can’t say the same about Eva Cassidy’s version. Cheers, man.
Wow, Cassidy’s rendition of “Time After Time”, which I didn’t know/recall, is amazing!
Ok, this made me laugh so much and it probably shouldn’t. I was just telling Constanza who always said ‘noone compares to Cyndi’, well Eva’s version with the timbre and inflections of voice is incomparable. Perfection.
Cassidy’s version is outstanding and her vocals are more compelling than Lauper’s. That said, I still like her original as well.
I’m late to the party on your amazing posts, but I wanted to mention how much this song instantly connects me to when my babysitter in the late 80s would pop the Goonies VHS in our VCR, and we would watch this movie over and over. Such an upbeat song with instant nostalgic feelers for me. I’m so glad I’m a child of the 80s. Such innocence back then, and it’ll never be the same. I still have yet to visit Astoria, OR where most of this movie was filmed…
Where did you come from?! Haha. Hey ol’ buddy.
It was nice to get your reflections on this ol 80’s classic. It’s my favourite song from Cyndi, although she wasn’t impressed with it, to put it mildly.
You said, ‘you were a child of the 80’s’ – so I gather you are Generation X like me?
I hope you get to visit Astoria.
Oh, and out of curiosity, how did you find these three posts (you just commented on), which I wrote about – at least a month ago?
Gen-Xer all the way, man! School is finally winding down, and I had a chance to (finally) go back and read some of your posts and reflections. Incredible stuff, good friend. I look forward to reading more during summer break 😉
Maestro, I hope you have a nice break from what was assuredly a hectic period of waving batons and the like. Haha.
Bernie, thanks so much for your kind messages re. my blog. I’m very humbled that coming from you. Cheers.