Video: Marilyn Manson and Cyndi Lauper Sing “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and “The Beautiful People”

This really hadn’t occurred to me until just now, but I’m willing to bet Cyndi Lauper was a much bigger influence on Marilyn Manson than people realize. Lauper would have been at the height of her fame in the early/mid ’80s, when Manson was a teenager. It’s not difficult to picture an adolescent Brian Warner seeing “The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough” on MTV and thinking, “Hm, a weird haircut, lots of make-up, and singing about rebelling against your parents? I can TOTALLY do this!”

This being the case, I imagine Manson was more excited than a Norwegian black metal musician at a Christmas morning church burning when he was invited to perform at Lauper’s annual Home for the Holiday charity concert in Los Angeles earlier this week. I mean, I can’t say for sure, because Manson hasn’t emoted since 1999. But I think he seems pleased in the below fan-filmed footage, in which he sings Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” before the pop singer joins him for a rendition of “The Beautiful People.”

Somewhat more oddly, if no less enjoyable to watch: Lauper also joined Henry Rollins for a cover of Black Flag’s “Rise Above.” I wonder what Rollins circa 1984 would have made of this.

You can watch both videos below. Speaking of Manson: he’ll be opening for Ozzy Osbourne in North America next year. Get dates and tickets here.

[via Louder]