I'll Tumble POLL Ya: The Culture Club Singles Poll

Time (Clock of the Heart) vs. Church of the Poisoned Mind vs. Mistake No. 3, I think.

― Daniel, Esq., Tuesday, 30 June 2009 01:58 (3 years ago) Permalink

I used to play "Time" repeatedly, and I was fascinated with the instrumental version on the b-side as well. Those bell sounds at the end = uberclassic

― I wonder who his history bitches are and if they approve (Bimble), Tuesday, 30 June 2009 02:22 (3 years ago) Permalink

"Move Away," but if there's some "I'll Tumble 4 Ya" remix out there that expands the awesome "dub" section then I'd for that. That song is way too short!

― Mr. Snrub, Tuesday, 30 June 2009 02:30 (3 years ago) Permalink

"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" is one of the worst songs I've ever heard in my life.

― Mr. Snrub, Tuesday, 30 June 2009 02:33 (3 years ago) Permalink

"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" is one of the few songs that I knew on first listen would be a huge hit, and deservedly so.

― Hideous Lump, Tuesday, 30 June 2009 03:28 (3 years ago) Permalink

nothing touches "karma chameleon" for me. but there are at least 10 songs here i love.

― us_odd_bunny_lady (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, 30 June 2009 03:36 (3 years ago) Permalink

Wasn't their first single technically "I'm Afraid Of Me" b/w "Murder Rap Trap"? (Still have an Oct 1982 New York Rocker issue in which it's reviewed.)

Anyway, the only ones I bought as 45s at the time were "Time (Clock Of The Heart)" and "Karma Chameleon." Voting for "Time," because it's so pretty, and because if I don't maybe nobody will.

― xhuxk, Tuesday, 30 June 2009 03:37 (3 years ago) Permalink

Actually, though, just noticed that a couple other people mentioned it above. So maybe I won't be alone. Still think it's the only song where Boy George convinced me he was a real soul singer.

― xhuxk, Tuesday, 30 June 2009 03:39 (3 years ago) Permalink

that might be true but it seems a little unfair. he's a good pop singer -- a soulful one even -- so i'm not sure he has to register as a 'real soul singer.'

― us_odd_bunny_lady (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, 30 June 2009 03:53 (3 years ago) Permalink

Karma

― Mark, Tuesday, 30 June 2009 04:09 (3 years ago) Permalink

I prefer to think of him as a pop singer with soul inflections.

― My name is Kenny! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 30 June 2009 14:00 (3 years ago) Permalink

"Do You Really Want to POLL Me" would have been a better thread title

― Then in walked Barbara Castle with the Lady Eleanor (Tom D.), Tuesday, 30 June 2009 14:02 (3 years ago) Permalink

Church of the POLLson mind.

― My name is Kenny! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 30 June 2009 14:02 (3 years ago) Permalink

Do You Really Want To Hurt Me

― kornrulez6969, Tuesday, 30 June 2009 14:08 (3 years ago) Permalink

Rereading Dave Rimmer's Like Punk Never Happened makes for good timing here (as does, sadly, Michael Jackson's death, since in iconic terms 1983 was as much the Boy's year as MJ's).

Hard to pick out an exact single, though, all the really big ones were so entertaining and sharp. I really have always had a soft spot for "Mistake No. 3" as well.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 30 June 2009 14:13 (3 years ago) Permalink

Has the sheer weirdness of "The War Song" ever been adequately discussed?

― My name is Kenny! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 30 June 2009 14:15 (3 years ago) Permalink

Listening to "Karma Chamelon" this morning, I noted how the sadness in the middle eight ("Every day is like survival...") is perfectly pitched.

― My name is Kenny! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 30 June 2009 14:16 (3 years ago) Permalink

Has the sheer weirdness of "The War Song" ever been adequately discussed?

It's one of the dinkiest opening melodies ever.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 30 June 2009 14:20 (3 years ago) Permalink

Culture Club meets the press in 1984 re: "War Song":

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 30 June 2009 14:21 (3 years ago) Permalink

oh crap this song will now be in my head

― iro with the brown bag (Hunt3r), Tuesday, 30 June 2009 15:09 (3 years ago) Permalink

i'm not sure he has to register as a 'real soul singer.'

Agree with this btw; I didn't mean to imply that he did. I still like most of the singles from their first couple albums, and love "Karma Chameleon." Just love "Time" more, is all.

And now, the best Culture Club-inspired single ever:

― xhuxk, Tuesday, 30 June 2009 16:19 (3 years ago) Permalink

"Time"

― Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 30 June 2009 16:53 (3 years ago) Permalink

I now rank the debut higher than the followup, but picking singles, this is still "Karma Chameleon", which was indeed a fantastic pop song.

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 1 July 2009 01:01 (3 years ago) Permalink

Regarding "The War Song", I would think it is probably one of the weakest excuses for a song ever to make the UK Top 3, and one might wonder how much it'd sold had it not been for the fact that it was the first signs of life after the massive success of "Colour By Numbers".

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 1 July 2009 01:03 (3 years ago) Permalink

i remember war song as the exact moment people stopped giving a shit about culture club. it was almost universally panned

― velko, Wednesday, 1 July 2009 01:07 (3 years ago) Permalink

It wasn't that single only though. More or less the entire "Waking Up With The House On Fire" album was a disaster.

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 1 July 2009 01:10 (3 years ago) Permalink

"From Luxury To Heartache" was actually a bit better, and not as bad as people claim it is, but by then, people had already stopped paying attention to whatever they'd come up with.

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 1 July 2009 01:11 (3 years ago) Permalink

"Move Away" is more interesting if you think of it as CC's take on Blow Monkeys-Level-42 sophistipop. Anyway, that keyboard solo/swirl before the final set of choruses works.

― My name is Kenny! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 1 July 2009 01:13 (3 years ago) Permalink

― My name is Kenny! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 1 July 2009 01:24 (3 years ago) Permalink

Gracie Fields on t'moneh

― Pimp My Hearse (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 1 July 2009 01:26 (3 years ago) Permalink

War war is stupid
And people are stupid
And love means nothing
In some strange quarters

this sounded a lot stupider to me when i was 15 than it does now, tbh.

― us_odd_bunny_lady (tipsy mothra), Wednesday, 1 July 2009 05:47 (3 years ago) Permalink

The problem with that verse is that you hear it and think the "some strange quarters" line applies to the whole thing, but really it is just supposed to apply to the "love means nothing" line. It never made sense to me until I saw it written out JUST NOW.

― Maltodextrin, Wednesday, 1 July 2009 06:29 (3 years ago) Permalink

x-post

It's known as a stupid lyric for all time etc. but I never had a problem with it putting the issue right front. Considering the Wars that the U.S. and U.K. started that decade, and the Wars that had ended in the prior decade, "War is stupid and people are stupid" always seemed like a sensible thing to say.

Watching the video right now, I wonder if some of the backlash could have to do with Boy George going from a regular girl to a glamour girl, rather than the profoundness of his lyrics, (vs. Frankie, Sting, and Bruce(Starr) of the era)

I still voted "Karma Chameleon" and like "Do You Really". The thread make me want to youtube "Time" because I only have a vague memory of the chorus at this point.

― james k polk, Wednesday, 1 July 2009 06:35 (3 years ago) Permalink

Do You Really... is far and away my favourite song of theirs. I love the 12" version, too. Ahh... all those titles are so evocative of the time.

Boy George bought my dad a cup of tea on a train going from London to Manchester in 1983.

― Daniel Giraffe, Wednesday, 1 July 2009 09:52 (3 years ago) Permalink

ooh you're such a bitch

― which was a bit synth-cheese-tastic for my tastes (Bimble), Sunday, 5 July 2009 05:27 (3 years ago) Permalink

Boy George bought my dad a cup of tea on a train going from London to Manchester in 1983.

Much better than sex, you know :)

― Geir Hongro, Sunday, 5 July 2009 17:16 (3 years ago) Permalink

Very easily "Time (Clock of the Heart)," the most gut-wrenching musical evocation of what it feels like for a gay man to be in love with a straight/"bisexual"/closeted/questioning man. Tears my fucking heart out.

Second best is "The War Song" where punk happens again, sort of.

― Kevin John Bozelka, Sunday, 5 July 2009 18:18 (3 years ago) Permalink

So many great catchy singles.
Time > Church of the Poison Mind > Miss Me Blind > It's a Miracle > Do You Really Want to Hurt Me > Karma Chameleon > I'll Tumble 4 Ya > Victims > the rest

― LeRooLeRoo, Monday, 6 July 2009 17:51 (3 years ago) Permalink

― velko, Monday, 6 July 2009 17:53 (3 years ago) Permalink

Wasn't their first single technically "I'm Afraid Of Me" b/w "Murder Rap Trap"? (Still have an Oct 1982 New York Rocker issue in which it's reviewed.)

― xhuxk, Tuesday, 30 June 2009 03:37 (6 days ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

No, it was "White Boy".

I've no idea how it goes.

― Mark G, Monday, 6 July 2009 17:56 (3 years ago) Permalink

― Eazy, Monday, 6 July 2009 17:57 (3 years ago) Permalink

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

― System, Tuesday, 7 July 2009 23:01 (3 years ago) Permalink

No one's voting for "The War Song" are they?

― Alex in NYC, Tuesday, 7 July 2009 23:39 (3 years ago) Permalink

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

― System, Wednesday, 8 July 2009 23:01 (3 years ago) Permalink

Alex voted for "The War Song"!

― My name is Kenny! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 8 July 2009 23:04 (3 years ago) Permalink