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.
Is There Cream in This Soup
Culture Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I look in the mirror, I know I'm not good enough to eat
I'll tell you something, my hunger has nothing to do with greed
This is junkie love when you've got no sugar
You behave like a wretch when you could be the Buddha
You say it's you but I know it's me
Is there cream in this soup, is there truth in this lie?
A promise that was made in the strangest eye
Would you kill for love, can you go the mile?
Baby don't lie
Take the needle off the record, it's been playin' such a long time
Take the needle off the record, I'm so tired of hearin' that line
Same old line
I look in the mirror, I know I'm not good enough to eat
I'll tell you something, my hunger has nothin' to do with greed
So feed me
This is junkie love when you've got no sugar
You live like a wretch when you should be the Buddha
You say it's you but I know it's me
Is there cream in this soup, is there truth in this lie?
A promise that was made in the strangest eye
Would you kill for love, would you do or die?
Baby don't lie
Take the needle off the record, it's been playing such a long time
Take the needle off the record, I'm so tired of hearing that line
Take the needle off the record, it's been playing such a long time
Take the needle off the record, I'm so tired of hearing that line
Lie, lie, lie
Lie, lie, lie
Lie, lie, lie
I never meant to hurt you, I don't know why
You come with your lawyers and your alibi
How can you look me straight in the eye
When you know your truth is a lie, lie, lie
Lie, lie
Lie, lie
Lie, lie, ohh
Take the needle off the record, it's been playing such a long time
Take the needle off the record, I'm so tired of hearing that line
Take the needle off the record, it's been playing such a long time
Take the needle off the record,
I'm so tired of hearing that line, line, line
Spill now, scream now
Take the needle off the record, come on
Take the needle off the record
Take the needle off the record
The lyrics to Culture Club's song "Is There Cream in This Soup?" may seem puzzling at first glance, but they are actually quite profound. The song explores the theme of addiction and how it can make someone feel unworthy, hungry, and helpless. The singer looks at himself in the mirror but feels like he is not good enough to eat, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for feeling ashamed and worthless due to addiction. He also acknowledges that his hunger has nothing to do with greed, indicating that addiction is a disease and not a choice.
The term "junkie love" is used in the lyrics, which refers to a destructive love that often accompanies addiction. The singer feels like a wretch but recognizes that he should be the Buddha, highlighting the struggle between self-loathing and the desire for peace. The chorus asks the question "Is There Cream in This Soup?" which could be interpreted as a metaphor for searching for something good in a bad situation. The repetition of the line "Take the needle off the record" emphasizes the idea of breaking free from destructive patterns and moving forward.
Overall, the song is a poignant exploration of addiction and the struggles that come with it, wrapped up in catchy and upbeat pop sounds.
Line by Line Meaning
Is there cream in this soup?
The singer is questioning the contents of their meal, asking if there is cream in their soup.
I look in the mirror, I know I'm not good enough to eat
The singer feels unwanted or undesirable.
I'll tell you something, my hunger has nothing to do with greed
So I bleed
The singer is hungry, but not necessarily for food. They may be struggling with addiction or emotional pain.
This is junkie love when you've got no sugar
You behave like a wretch when you could be the Buddha
You say it's you but I know it's me
The artist is reflecting on a destructive relationship, where one person is the addict and the other is an enabler. The enabler could be living a fulfilling life instead of enabling the addict, but instead they blame the addict for their problems.
Is there cream in this soup, is there truth in this lie?
A promise that was made in the strangest eye
Would you kill for love, can you go the mile?
Baby don't lie
The artist is questioning the truth and sincerity of their partner's commitments. They also question if their partner is willing to go the extra mile for love.
Take the needle off the record, it's been playin' such a long time
Take the needle off the record, I'm so tired of hearin' that line
Same old line
The singer is tired of hearing the same lies and excuses from their partner.
I look in the mirror, I know I'm not good enough to eat
I'll tell you something, my hunger has nothin' to do with greed
So feed me
The singer is still feeling unwanted and unfulfilled. They are asking for help or support from their partner.
This is junkie love when you've got no sugar
You live like a wretch when you should be the Buddha
You say it's you but I know it's me
The artist is repeating their earlier reflection on the destructive relationship.
I never meant to hurt you, I don't know why
You come with your lawyers and your alibi
How can you look me straight in the eye
When you know your truth is a lie, lie, lie
The artist is being accused of wrongdoing by their partner. They are confused and hurt by the accusations, feeling like their partner is lying about the situation.
Take the needle off the record, it's been playing such a long time
Take the needle off the record, I'm so tired of hearing that line
Take the needle off the record, it's been playing such a long time
Take the needle off the record,
I'm so tired of hearing that line, line, line
The artist continues to demand honesty and transparency from their partner. They want the negativity and lies to end.
Spill now, scream now
Take the needle off the record, come on
Take the needle off the record
Take the needle off the record
The singer wants their partner to be honest and upfront with them, and they want the cycle of lies and negativity to stop.
Lie, lie, lie
Lie, lie, lie
Lie, lie, lie
The artist is emphasizing the theme of dishonesty and lies throughout the song.
Lyrics Β© BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: GEORGE ALAN O'DOWD, RICHARD STEVENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind