Cyndi Lauper is one of this year's inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, along with indie rockers The White Stripes, British rockers Bad Company, the late Joe Cocker, grunge pioneers Soundgarden, rap duo Outkast and "The Twist" singer Chubby Checker. But it turns out she has an unexpected connection to Bad Company.
"That was the first song I sang as the lead singer, at a place called the Boardy Barn," Cyndi recalls. The Boardy Barn was a legendary venue in New York's Hamptons.
"I played in front of 5,000 people. Had a heart attack, but it didn't matter," she tells ABC Audio of the 1974 gig. "It was a gigantic place that was kind of half outdoor/indoor, and there were nickel beers. So I was singing a Bad Company song, and now Bad Company will be inducted in the same time [as me]."
To be specific, the song she sang was "Can't Get Enough," a top five hit in 1974. Bad Company, fronted by acclaimed singer Paul Rodgers, also scored with hits like "Good Lovin' Gone Bad," "Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy" and "Feel Like Makin' Love."
"I just thought it was serendipitous that we'd be in the same place [at the induction ceremony]," Cyndi notes, adding that Rodgers "was always a great rock singer."
But looking back, Cyndi says Bad Company's lyrics left something to be desired.
"I mean, when you think of songs like, 'Feel Like Making Love,' and you listen to the lyrics, you're like, 'If you were with a guy and he was like, 'O.K., I feel like making love!' how would you feel about that?" she laughs. "Somehow, in the '70s, that was sexy!"
The 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction will stream live on Disney+ Nov. 8.
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