Their first album, 1982's Kissing to Be Clever, became a major international hit, spawning the hit singles "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (which went 'all the way' in the BBC-Charts in late 1982), "Time (Clock of the Heart)", and "I'll Tumble 4 Ya". Unique in his eccentric manner of dress and androgynous look, Boy George became a worldwide celebrity.
Their second album, 1983's Colour By Numbers also did extremely well, giving the band its second number one hit in the UK with "Karma Chameleon." Karma Chameleon reached No.1 in many countries and they even starred in UK's Top of the Pops in September 1983. However, trouble was brewing within the Culture Club camp. Unknown to the public, George was having an affair with drummer Jon Moss. The affair (which lasted over four years) was often problematic and the pressure to hide the relationship started to take its toll.
The band also started to lose its place musically. Their next album, 1984's Waking Up With the House on Fire was a major disappointment. Though the band gained a small comeback with 1986's From Luxury to Heartache (thanks to the hit "Move Away"), both George's and Jon's fights created much tension, eventually leading to the breakup of the band. Around this time, George also became addicted to heroin, which created a frenzy with the tabloids. Eventually, George would let go of the habit and begin his solo career. A minor hit from the "Hiding Out" soundtrack called "Live My Life" peaked at U.S. #40. While George scored several hits in Europe and finally hit the U.S. top 20 with 1992's "The Crying Game", he was never able to reach the success he achieved with Culture Club.
In 1998, the band put their problems aside and decided to do a reunion tour. Kicked off with a performance on VH1 Storytellers, the tour was a major success. Shortly after, Culture Club recorded a new album titled Don't Mind If I Do. Though never released in the U.S., the first single, "I Just Wanna Be Loved" (UK #4), was featured on a compilation based around the Storytellers performance.
The band went on to tour for a few more years. Recently, however, Culture Club has been inactive, largely due to Boy George's concentration on his successful career as a DJ. In late 2006, Culture Club announced a reunion - albeit, without Boy George as lead singer.
Everything I Own
Culture Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kept me warm, kept me warm
You gave my life to me,
Set me free, set me free
The finest years I ever knew,
Were all the years I had with you
[Chorus]
Give up my life, my heart, my home
I would give anything I own,
Just to have you back again
You taught me how to laugh,
What it solved, what it solved
You never said too much,
But still you showed the way
And I knew from watching you
Nobody else could ever know,
The part of me that can't let go
[Chorus]
Is there someone you know,
You're loving them so
But taking them all for granted
You may lose them one day,
Someone takes them away
And they don't hear the words you long to say
[Chorus]
Just to touch you once again
The lyrics of Culture Club's song Everything I Own are a tribute to a loved one who has passed away. The song speaks about the gratitude towards this person who gave the singer more than just material possessions but also provided emotional support and love. It begins by acknowledging the protection and care that the person had offered to the singer, keeping them away from harm and providing warmth. The singer acknowledges that the best years of their life were those spent with the person, who had set them free and given the singer the opportunity to truly live.
The chorus expresses the intense feelings of loss that the singer experiences and makes a declaration that they would give up everything they own - including their life, heart, and home - just to have the loved one back with them. The second verse is an appreciation of the lessons the loved one had taught them, including humor and guidance without being forceful. The lyrics reveal that the singer has had a hard time letting go of the memories and the bond they shared with the person. The final verse is a warning to anyone who may not realize the value of the people they have in their lives, reminding them that they could lose them without ever having the chance to express their love.
Overall, Everything I Own is a touching and emotional song that evokes the feelings of both love and loss. Culture Club's lead-singer, Boy George, wrote the song as a tribute to his friend and ex-lover, Kirk Brandon, who was the lead singer of 'Spear of Destiny' - another band that emerged in the punk era.
Line by Line Meaning
You sheltered me from harm,
You protected me from harm and danger,
Kept me warm, kept me warm
You made me feel warm and loved, emotionally and physically.
You gave my life to me,
You bestowed meaning, purpose, and excitement into my existence.
Set me free, set me free
You liberated me from my restraints, and I feel free and alive now.
The finest years I ever knew,
The most beautiful years of my life were the ones that I have shared with you
Were all the years I had with you
Those years were the ones that I will always cherish and look back on with fondness
I would give anything I own,
I am willing to part with anything I have, no matter how valuable, for you.
Give up my life, my heart, my home
I am willing to sacrifice everything - even my life, my heart or my house - for you
Just to have you back again
I would do anything just to have you back in my life and feel complete once more
You taught me how to laugh,
You showed me how to find happiness in life and to enjoy the good moments
What it solved, what it solved
It helped me alleviate any stress or anger that I was feeling
You never said too much,
You expressed your love and support not only through your words, but your actions as well
But still you showed the way
You provided guidance and direction in my life, even if you never explicitly stated anything
And I knew from watching you
I learned by observing your behavior, and the lessons that you taught me have stuck with me.
Nobody else could ever know,
No one else could understand the special bond that we share.
The part of me that can't let go
There is a part of me that cannot move on from our relationship, no matter how hard I try.
Is there someone you know,
Do you know someone who is just like me?
You're loving them so
Do you have someone in your life who you care about more than anything?
But taking them all for granted
But do you take them for granted, and not appreciate their true worth?
You may lose them one day,
But be aware that one day, you may lose them forever.
Someone takes them away
They may be taken away by an external force or circumstance beyond your control
And they don't hear the words you long to say
And you may never get the chance to express all the things you have always wanted to say to them.
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Gates
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
DianaS
Beautiful performance! ๐
Katia Thereza de Freitas
I Love this song very much! I love reggae! I love BG and Culture Club always! ๐ถ๐ถ๐ถ๐๐โค
Louis De Valois
O, Boy George! I've been with you since you started and I'll be with you forever! โค๐
Diana ๐ฏ
Beautiful love it great performance ๐ญ Love my Sweet George โฅ๏ธ๐ซโจ๐น
Krzysztof Jaskulski
super nutka ๐๐๐
Rita Cassia
Adoro suas mรบsicas!!! Sou sua fรฃ desde que vocรช comeรงou a cantar....
Que alegria poder te ouvir!!!Desejo tudo de bom pra vocรช!!!!โคโคโคโค
Dyana Jean
It was so amazing hearing you in concert! I haven't been to many concerts in general in my life but I"m so happy I went to yours in Philadelphia! Thank you for a wonderful evening! And thank you for your music!!!
MrOriginal
This song is on repeat!!! Love you George!!! ๐๐๐๐โค
Mery Popescu
Great song ,lyrics,voice of Boy George ,Back vocals,great interpretation of CC!Thank you ! Forever love and admiration from ROMANIA,BUCHAREST!๐๐๐๐๐๐ค๐ถ๐๐ฉโโโ๐๐๐๐ท๐ดโคโคโค๐ฌ๐ง
Marylyn T.
I have been a fan of his since the very beginning and I love everything Boy George and Culture Club have they ever released but I swear he and the band keep getting better with age!