When Virgin Records sent Culture Club’s first single to American record labels, the records were purposely housed in generic white sleeves. A photo of Boy George & Co. didn’t seem to be the way to get a first impression. The music stood for itself, while MTV handled the job of presenting the visual component of the band to the public. The look of the lead singer was as unique as his voice. Blending elements of new wave, soul, rock, and blues, Culture Club had success on charts all over the world. When their second album Colour by Numbers was released, the label promoted the band’s look as much as the music. Fans were dressing like each new look Boy George introduced. Let’s take a look at the story behind “Karma Chameleon” by Culture Club.
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Karma-Justice
“The song is about the terrible fear of alienation that people have, the fear of standing up for one thing,” Boy George told Billboard magazine. “It’s about trying to suck up to everybody. Basically, if you aren’t true, if you don’t act like you feel, then you get Karma-justice. That’s nature’s way of paying you back.”
Desert loving in your eyes all the way
If I listen to your lies, would you say
I’m a man without conviction
I’m a man who doesn’t know
How to sell a contradiction
You come and go, you come and go
“I Knew It Was a Hit”
“I wrote it when I was in Egypt on holiday, and when I sang it to the band, they kind of laughed at me, and they just said, ‘Oh, this is awful. It’s a country song,'” Boy George told Liz Hayes last year in a 60 Minutes Australia interview. “And I had to kind of fight to get it on the record. I had to kind of—I think I might actually even had to threaten to leave the band. This is going on the record. Because I knew it was a hit.”
Guitarist/keyboardist Roy Hay said, “It wasn’t my favorite melody that George ever wrote. But, I liked it—lyrically, I think it’s great.”
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams
Red, gold, and green, red, gold, and green
Phil Pickett
Keyboardist and backup vocalist Phil Pickett helped write the song, which was also credited to all members of Culture Club. “Karma Chameleon” was awarded two Ivor Novello Awards, the highest honor for British songwriters. It took home trophies for Best Pop Song and Highest-Selling A-side. Virgin Records head Richard Branson noted in his autobiography Losing My Virginity, “‘Karma Chameleon’ became No. 1 in every country in the world that had a chart, selling 1.4 million records in the UK alone.”
Didn’t you hear your wicked words every day
And you used to be so sweet. I heard you say
That my love was an addiction
When we cling, our love is strong
When you go, you’re gone forever
You string along, you string along
Everywhere He Goes
In 2017, Boy George complained to UK TV host Piers Morgan, “It’s one of those things that wherever I go in the world, everybody thinks, like, no one else has ever done it. Someone comes up and sings ‘Karma Chameleon.’ I’ve had it at Moroccan carpet markets. I’ve had it at the Pyramids. I’ve had it up the Himalayas.”
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams
Red, gold, and green, red, gold, and green
Harmonica and Percussion
Session musician Judd Lander provided the harmonica part. He also appeared on recordings by Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, The Bay City Rollers, Tracy Ullman, Madness, The Beach Boys, Robbie Nevil, The Communards, ABC, Johnny Thunders, Prefab Sprout, and The Spice Girls.
Percussionist Graham Broad added elements as well. He also appeared on recordings by The Beach Boys, Roger Waters, Naked Eyes, Tina Turner, ABC, Wham!, Bandit, Mike Oldfield, and Bonnie Tyler.
Every day is like survival (survival)
You’re my lover, not my rival
Every day is like survival (survival)
You’re my lover, not my rival
“Handy Man”
Singer/songwriter Jimmy Jones accused Culture Club of plagiarizing his 1959 hit “Handy Man” with “Karma Chameleon.”
Boy George dismissed the claim in an interview with Rolling Stone. “I might have heard it once, but it certainly wasn’t something I sat down and said, ‘Yeah, I want to copy this,” he said.
I’m a man without conviction
I’m a man who doesn’t know
How to sell a contradiction
You come and go, you come and go
All Peoples and Minorities
Culture Club bridges many genres of music, including elements of soul, blues, rock, country, dance, and pop. Boy George told Newsweek magazine in 1983: “The aim is to be creatively fluid to make everything we do a little different. We want to be a bridge between white rock and black soul. I want Culture Club to represent all peoples and minorities.”
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams
Red, gold, and green, red, gold, and green
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams
Red, gold, and green, red, gold, and green
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams
Red, gold, and green, red, gold, and green
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams
Red, gold, and green, red, gold, and green
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Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images
