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.
Less Than Perfect
Culture Club Lyrics
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I'll sing it hard, I'll sing it sweet, to let you know that it's real
If I change my attitude, maybe I can conquer you completely
All the things I say and do, everything I learn from you defeats me
And I let you down
I let you down
I let you down
I know it's wrong to blame the past for everything that I do
I fool the world most of the time but there's no fooling you
If I change my attitude, maybe I can conquer you completely
Everything I say and do, all I learn from you defeat me
And I let you down
I let you down
I let you down
I let you down
I let you down
Let you down
What you see ain't always what you get
No matter how clear it seems
One minute lovers, then the next
Oh oh no
Oh no
I let you down, yeah yeah
I let you down [Repeat: x5]
Let you down
Let you down
In the song "Less Than Perfect" by Culture Club, the singer is expressing remorse for not being able to convey their emotions and feelings effectively through words or actions. The lyrics also reveal that the singer blames their past for their mistakes and that they feel like they are failing in their relationship with the person they are singing to. The chorus repeats the phrase "I let you down," indicating a sense of disappointment and regret.
The first verse speaks to the limitations of language and how difficult it can be to adequately express oneself. The singer uses the act of singing itself as an attempt to communicate their true feelings. The second verse acknowledges that the singer is not fooling the person they are addressing, suggesting that there is an existing tension or strain in their relationship. The repetition of the phrase "I let you down" in the chorus emphasizes the sense of guilt and apology that the singer is attempting to convey.
The bridge of the song serves as a reminder that things are not always as they seem and that relationships are constantly changing. The repeated line of "oh no" suggests a sense of frustration or disappointment with this reality.
Overall, "Less Than Perfect" is a song about trying to communicate emotions and apologize for past mistakes, but ultimately feeling like those efforts are falling short.
Line by Line Meaning
I know a song ain't good enough to let you know how I feel
I understand that a song may not be sufficient to express my emotions
I'll sing it hard, I'll sing it sweet, to let you know that it's real
However, I will sing it with intensity and passion to convey the genuine nature of my feelings
If I change my attitude, maybe I can conquer you completely
Perhaps if I alter my behavior, I can win you over entirely
All the things I say and do, everything I learn from you defeats me
But everything I say and do or learn from you typically backfires, ultimately causing me to lose your affection
And I let you down
I disappointed you
I know it's wrong to blame the past for everything that I do
I recognize that it's incorrect to attribute all my actions to past experiences
I fool the world most of the time but there's no fooling you
Even though I can deceive most people, I can't deceive you
Everything I say and do, all I learn from you defeat me
Everything I say, do, or learn from you backfires, causing me to lose your affection
What you see ain't always what you get
Appearances can be deceiving
No matter how clear it seems
Regardless of how obvious or transparent it appears to be
One minute lovers, then the next
We can go from being intimate partners to distant strangers quickly
Oh oh no
Expressing disappointment or frustration
I let you down, yeah yeah
I failed to meet your expectations
Let you down [Repeat: x5]
Continually emphasizing the fact that I disappointed you
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GEORGE ALAN O'DOWD, JOHN THEMIS, JONATHAN AUBREY MOSS, MICHAEL E. CRAIG, ROY ERNEST HAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind