80's music always garners some major play time on my i-pod. I couldn't help but smile when I heard a couple of Culture Club songs on my 80s playlist this week. The fresh soulful Caribbean sound that was infused into their music was a style I always admired. And what a ruckus these guys (more specifically Boy George) caused back in the 80's! To many, Boy George was a mystery wrapped in an enigma. Whether you loved him or hated him, there was no denying that the cat could sing. To those who weren't totally oblivious, Culture Club was an emblematic thumbing of the nose to bigots and partisans. The band consisted of an Irish homosexual singer, a Jewish drummer, a black bass guitarist, and an English lead guitarist. I remember Culture Club winning a Grammy for best new group, and people (mostly over the age of 30) being outraged. Even at the age of thirteen, I viewed the disgust and anger as utter foolishness. If nothing else, the group helped spur an in your face movement, and helped to bring several social issues to light which could no longer be ignored by the close minded.
Time (Clock of the heart)
I know they had bigger hits, but this song struck a chord with me early on, and is still my favorite Culture Club song.
It's a Miracle
A tidbit of trivia.. this song was originally entitled "It's America" based on Culture Club's first trip to the states, but was changed for fear of how Americans would perceive it. The chorus of the song is "It's a miracle, where dreams are made of emotion". The lyrics make perfect sense now don't they?
The group reunited in 1998 after twelve years, and even released an album titled "Don't mind if I do". The album has some pretty good music that did pretty well on the UK charts, and it went platinum overseas. The first single off of the album was titled "I just want to be loved" which only had modest success in America. Here's the video below..
The band also reunited in 2006, and briefly in 2011. Now in 2014, the band has once again reunited and are currently putting together an all new album due out this fall.
I'm curious to see how the band has grown and evolved since we last heard from them. Boy George battled personal demons which were well documented in the media and tabloids, but it seems it seems as if he's finally got his life under control, and the future is wide open for him.
You can see the band now, and listen to their thoughts on the new album below..
It's a Miracle
A tidbit of trivia.. this song was originally entitled "It's America" based on Culture Club's first trip to the states, but was changed for fear of how Americans would perceive it. The chorus of the song is "It's a miracle, where dreams are made of emotion". The lyrics make perfect sense now don't they?
The group reunited in 1998 after twelve years, and even released an album titled "Don't mind if I do". The album has some pretty good music that did pretty well on the UK charts, and it went platinum overseas. The first single off of the album was titled "I just want to be loved" which only had modest success in America. Here's the video below..
The band also reunited in 2006, and briefly in 2011. Now in 2014, the band has once again reunited and are currently putting together an all new album due out this fall.I'm curious to see how the band has grown and evolved since we last heard from them. Boy George battled personal demons which were well documented in the media and tabloids, but it seems it seems as if he's finally got his life under control, and the future is wide open for him.
You can see the band now, and listen to their thoughts on the new album below..