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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
In Praise of Boy George and Culture Club, November 10, 2005
Of the stalwart popsters heralding the second British invasion, Culture Club definitely opened eyes due to openly gay lead singer Boy George, formerly Bow Wow Wow's Lieutenant Lush, whose gender-bending makeup made him better looking feminine. CC's brand of music was infectiously fun dance pop and some great ballads mixed with some soul, enhanced by George's feminine vocals, small wonder that they won 1983's Best New Artist Grammy. But Boy George's heroin problems put a fast end to the group after their fourth album, From Luxury To Heartache. After getting cleaned up, Boy George went solo, still a hit in Britain, but in the US, alas no! Pity, because he came out with pretty great solo material.
Most of the singles are present, from CC's 3 weeks at #2 hit "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me" from their debut Kissing To Be Clever. This ballad highlights George's soul-tinged vocals, as well as the backing section of soul singers and airy, lounging synths. My favourite CC ballad is the tearjerking non-charter "Victims," with its melancholy piano and backing crooners, as well as a midsection that briefly goes into a classic disco crescendo before settling back down.
The upbeat Caribbean-like "I'll Tumble 4 Ya" peaked at #9, demonstrating CC's dance pop skills. However, the non-LP "Time (Clock of the Heart)" which also peaked at #2, incorporated some classic disco synths with a funky bassbeat, telling that illusory theme how time won't give us time, making lovers feel like they got something real.
Guest artists that helped Culture Club include Jermaine Stewart, who was on their #5 dance hit "Miss Me Blind" before he sang about not having to take one's clothes off. Ironically, it was this song that has the lyric "kissing to be clever," and not their debut album. Helen Terry's wailing soulful vocals found their way not only here but on the #10 "Church of the Poison Mind," an infectious dance tune Wham! would've given their blow-dried hair for. Terry later helped George on his solo single "Generations of Love" also included here.
And it's no contest that Colour By Numbers was their best albums, as that yielded four Top Ten singles, including the three-week chart-topper "Karma Chameleon," of how love games make that love touch and go, like the chameleon that camouflages itself to become invisible. George performed this and I believe "Move Away" when he guest-starred on the A-Team episode "Cowboy George."
However, nothing from Waking Up With The House On Fire is present, meaning no "The War Song," one of my favourite CC singles. The sole representative from From Luxury To Heartache was the #12 "Move Away," CC's last Top 40 hit and one of my favourites, a slick number highlighted by a snappy drum machines and bass, but with some downbeat lyrics, made more so as Boy George's drug problems probably contributed to low sales of what was an underrated album.
Two quibbles. One are the spoken bits preceding "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me" and "Sweet Toxic Love." The others are the exclusion of "The War Song," "Black Money," "Mistake No. 3," and the pro-gay rights anthem "No Clause 28," in response to an anti-gay legislation pushed by then British PM Maggie Torture.
Boy George hit #1 in the UK with his reggaefied cover of Bread's "Everything I Own." He branched out, going a bit mystical with the acoustic singalong of "Bow Down Mister," where he called for doing whatever your religion called for you do, with the same soulful CC choruses, with some hare Krishna refrains. Some sitar is present in the bittersweet two-sides-of-the-coin "Sweet Toxic Love," proving he never lost his touch-just his American audience. In it, he embraces yet feels agony over love, "give me some of that sweet toxic love...to lift me up, to drive me insane." Elsewhere, he assertively tells his lover-"I'm not your punch bag, I'm not your floor, you cant walk on me until you get bored." Pretty intelligent stuff.
His last big hit in the US was the #15 title song to The Crying Game, which ranks as one of the best emotionally-racking songs I've ever heard-"first there are kisses, then there are sighs, and then before you know where you are, you're saying goodbye." Per the song, I've asked myself-not the moon-why are there heartaches and tears.
Culture Club was way too progressive for many parts of the U.S., where a clear homophobic element was rife. The name though was just right. Consider their original incarnations-In Praise of Lemmings (bizarre) or Sex Gang Children, (small trouble marketing that).
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The best of both worlds., October 29, 2003
Since I once had the "Church Of The Poison Mind" 45, I guess that means I've been a fan for awhile. This is pretty much what it says it is, half "Culture Club", and half "Boy George". And though it's split between the two, it's all great. This really has every "Culture Club" track that's essential, like "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me", "Karma Chameleon", and "I'll Tumble 4 Ya", among other's. But what shocked me the most is how good "Boy George's" solo stuff was. Obviously not as 80's as the old songs, but very good. His better songs here are "Love Is Love", "Everything I Own", and the excellent "Crying Game". Another catchy track is "Bow Down Mister (a small portion 2B polite mix)". His voice is still in top form too. Overall this is a really fun collection, and will go great with your "Cyndi Lauper" and "George Michael" cd's.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Packed with hits & more, October 18, 2001
Most of the other reviews go into great detail, so I won't repeat.This is a great collection for the all-out fan, or just the passing Culture Club fan. This disc contains several CC singles & stand out Boy George tracks, such as "Bow Down Mister", "The Crying Game" & "Sweet Toxic Love" which is only available elsewhere as a UK single. Don't mind the hideous cover, buy it.
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