Kissing to Be Clever [Extra tracks, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

Culture Club | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 7, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 1982
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Virgin Records Us
• ASIN: B0000C83YI
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #74,121 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. White Boy (Dance Mix)

2. You Know I'm Not Crazy

3. I'll Tumble For Ya

4. Take Control

5. Love Twist

6. Boy Boy (I'm The Boy)

7. I'm Afraid Of Me (Remix)

8. White Boys Can't Control It

9. Do You Really Want To Hurt Me

10. Love Is Cold

11. Murder Rap Trap

12. Time (Clock Of The Heart)

13. Romance Beyond The Alaphabet

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Against the cynical, post-punk backdrop of the early Thatcher and Reagan era, Culture Club's debut release Kissing to Be Clever was as refreshing as a scoop of gelato in a heatwave. These were the innocent days when Boy George could still declare he'd rather "have a cup of tea than sex," well before he hurtled to the brink of near self-destruction. Several of the cuts are still amazingly fresh and easily convey the winning charisma that transformed Boy George and his band into a pop icon. Songs like "I'll tumble 4 ya" and "Boy-Boy-I'm the Boy" seem tailor-made for the frontman's smooth-sliding tenor, while Mikey Craig's bass grooves pump with dance-til-you-drop Hi NRG. Although relatively brief (the original LP had one more cut than the CD release), the album stylistically hops like a Mexican jumping bean from disco funk to rhumba to reggae and contains obvious filler material. But the gender-bender flair perfected by Boy George announced a unique style that helped define the decade. --Thomas May

Product Description

Another hit-heavy '80s classic: I'll Tumble 4 Ya; Do You Really Want to Hurt Me; White Boy (dance mix); bonus tracks Time (Clock of the Heart); Love Is Cold , and more!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nostalgia in the Purest Form, June 2, 2004

By 

Jeffery Mingo (Homewood, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kissing to Be Clever (Audio CD)

This album will take you back to the early 1980s when British artists were making some of the best music ever invented. You can tell that this album was made when the band members were ambitious, naive, optimistic, and it must be added: in love. In his autobiography, Boy George said a music critic credited this album as the start of world music and it shows. This album is heavily reggae-influenced. You could call it the band's most political work as well. This was back when the band was wearing coordinated, cutting-edge London fashions. This was back when people were shocked to hear that Boy George was a man. The videos from this album were great too. "Time" used to be my favorite song in the world for years. In retrospect, "Do You?" has one of the funkiest bass lines ever played. I also enjoyed "Boy, Boy (I'm the Boy)." [Note: many Culture Club songs refer to boys or men.] The innocence of the time, the band members, and the sound will really touch you. This album should be in your must-have collection.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars He's the Boy, He's the Boy!, September 1, 1999

By 

Joseph J. Brigante "Joseph Brigante" (Norwalk, CT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kissing to Be Clever (Audio CD)

Let me say first of all that this CD contains only the songs that are listed above from Amazon. That's right. They do not contain "Time(Clock of the Heart)", the dubbed version of "Do you really want to hurt me?" with Papa Weasel, and "Romancing the Alphabet". If we went back to 1989, we could get Kissing to be Clever with "Time (Clock of the Heart)", with all the lyrics from the album on CD. That was when Culture Club was from Epic Records in the USA. We were also able to get "Time" on cassette from a label called 747 Pop. The two additional songs, "Romancing the Alphabet" and "Do you really want to heart me?" with Papa Weasel were released on "Kissing to be Clever" on CASSETTE from Epic Records in the 1980's. You can't get those on "Kissing to be Clever" anymore. Now, starting in the 1990's, Epic is out of the picture and Virgin America is in the picture. They decided to release "Kissing to be Clever" the original way it was relesed on record, with the black cover and no "Time", since "Time" was never originally part of the LP. We also do not get any lyrics with the album. It's a shame, no lyrics, no "Time". As a matter of fact, when I first bought this version of the CD in 1992 from the Virgin America label, it's sad to say you could not find "Time" on any cassete or CD at that time (with exception of pawn shops). Anyway, the album with out "Time" is still a classic. "White Boy" is fun, especially when we hear George rap at the end. But not even that, we all know that beautiful voice. Beside "Do you really want to hurt me?" which is a classic in it's own right, the rockers on this album are "You Know I'm Not Crazy", "White Boys Can't Control It", and "Love Twist" (with Captain Crucial, A.K.A. Amos). You can't dislike George's soulful voice, or that awesome 80's beat from the group. Buy this right now before this goes out of print! It is different from "Colour by Numbers", since it does have a different tone, but it is worth it. Just like "Colour by Numbers", every song is fantastic. Albums don't get better than that. Buy it now!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kiss this clever album into your life!, March 15, 2001

By 

Ben Cartwright (Seattle, Wa.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kissing to Be Clever (Audio CD)

Culture Club's 1982 debut album was a success mixing dance, pop, rock, raggae, western, and even a bit of comedy(George has such a sense of humor). Scoring two big hits "I'll tumble 4 ya," and their break-through ballad, "Do you rally want to hurt me?," Georges smooth, mellow, tenor was complimented by Helen Terry's sensational, powerful voice. Before I go on, I'd like to remind anyone about "track-fillers" is this:what may be a track-filler to you, maybe an inspiration to another.

Beginning with the danceable "White boy"(dance mix), the funny "you know I'm not crazy," to cheerful, happy hit "I'll tumble 4 ya," and the dance floor sound of "Take control." Then to the smooth, mysterious "Love twist," danceable, fun "Boy-boy-I'm the boy," and the real funny "I'm afraid of me"(remix). Then to the haunting, mysterious, western sound of "White boys can't control it." (OK, it sounds a little racist, but its still fun.) Closing the album is the classic, timeless "Do you really want to hurt me?" This beautiful, tender, ballad is so heart-hearming and heart-breaking and can send tears running. I hope you enjoy this album like I did. Enjoy!