Chart performance:
| Week | Position | Movement | Comments |
| 17-Aug-84 | 30 | New | |
| 24-Aug-84 | 28 | +2 | |
| 31-Aug-84 | 27 | +1 | |
| 07-Sep-84 | 27 | 0 | |
| 14-Sep-84 | 26 | +1 | |
| 21-Sep-84 | 25 | +1 | Peak |
Written by: Cyndi Lauper & Rob Hyman
Produced by: Rick Chertoff
South African record label (unless otherwise stated): Epic
| Hit number for artist | 2 |
| Peak position | 25 |
| Weeks | 6 |
| Biggest climber awards | 0 |
| Star rater climbs | 0 |
| Biggest faller awards | 0 |
| Top 20 points | N/A |
| Overall Top 20 points ranking | N/A |
| Top 20 points ranking for the artist | N/A |
| Top 30 Points | 23 |
| Overall Top 30 points ranking | =2360 |
| Top 30 points ranking for the artist | 4 |
Annual ranking:
| 1984 | 108 |
Other chart success:
| Australia | 6 |
| Austria | 5 |
| Belgium | 3 |
| Canada | 1 |
| Chile | 1 |
| Denmark | 10 |
| France | 9 |
| Germany | 6 |
| Ireland | 2 |
| Israel | 2 |
| Italy | 8 |
| Japan | 56* |
| Netherlands | 8 |
| New Zealand | 3 |
| Sweden | 10 |
| Switzerland | 7 |
| UK | 3 |
| US | 1 |
| Zimbabwe | 1 |
SA Radio charts:
| Capital 604 | 2 |
| Radio 5 | 3 |
| Radio 702 | 1 |
* 2012 charting.
The inspiration for the track came from a TV Guide magazine which noted a Science Fiction film called ‘Time After Time’. Lauper and co-writer, Rod Hyman also drew inspiration from the state of their respective relationships. It would be one of the last songs to be recorded for Lauper’s debut album, ‘She’s So Unusual’. Lauper’s record label wanted ‘Time After Time’ to be the first single from the album, but Lauper was worried that this would pigeonhole her as a ballad singer. The label eventually relented and released ‘Girls Just Want To Have Fun’ and followed up its success with ‘Time After Time’. It would ultimately shift over 5 million units in the US alone. The song has been covered by Miles Davis and in 1998 a version by US R&B singer, Inoj, would get to 6 in the US. A German band called Novaspace would get to 29 in the UK in 2002/03 with their version. Before Lauper’s song came along, we had already seen a song called ‘Time After Time’ chart and that was by Judy Page in 1971 and was a different song.
Video:
Artist link: Cyndi Lauper
SA Singles Charts 