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.
Love Hurts
Culture Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know love hurts
Not everybody knows the way a river flows
Not everybody sees the sun up in the sky
Maybe you and I should not try to plan our lives
If only what we could see what we hold in our hands
Love hurts 'cause you need it so
Love hurts yes it hurts, but it's good for fools
Feel some pain now, still you wanna try it again
Everybody cries until the day they die
And everybody feels like they're the only one
Maybe you and I should not try to plan our lives
If only we could see what's in front of our eyes, yeah
Love hurts 'cause you can't let go
Love hurts 'cause you need it so
Love hurts yes it hurts, but it's good for fools
Love hurts every night and day
Love feelings never go away
Real love, it is here to stay with you
Feel some pain now, still you wanna try it again
You're dreaming, you got me scheming
You got me freaking, ooh love hurts
Love hurts, ooh yeah
Maybe you and I should not try to plan our lives
If only we could see what's in front of our eyes
Love hurts 'cause you can't let go
Love hurts 'cause you need it so
Love hurts yes it hurts, but it's good for fools
Love hurts every night and day
Love feelings never go away
Love hurts yes it hurts, but it's good for you
Love hurts I guess it's useless to say
Love hurts why won't this pain go away
Love hurts
Love hurts 'cause you can't let go
Love hurts 'cause you need it so
Love hurts yes it hurts, but it's good for fools
Love hurts that's true
Love hurts 'cause you can't let go
Love hurts 'cause you need it so
Love hurts yes it hurts, but it's good for fools
Love hurts every night and day
Love feelings never go away
Real love, it is here for you
The lyrics of Culture Club's song "Love Hurts" suggest that love is both painful and good for "fools." The opening lines suggest that not everyone understands the unpredictability of life ("Not everybody knows the way a river flows/ Not everybody sees the sun up in the sky"). Maybe it's better not to try to plan one's life, the song argues, because there is beauty in what is right in front of us ("If only we could see what we hold in our hands"). Despite the pain that comes with love, people keep coming back to it, evidenced by the repetition of "feel some pain now, still you wanna try it again."
The lyrics also suggest that everyone experiences heartache ("Everybody cries until the day they die/ And everybody feels like they're the only one"). Love is both painful ("Love hurts 'cause you can't let go") and inescapable ("Love feelings never go away"). The chorus repeats that love is painful, but also necessary: "Love hurts yes it hurts, but it's good for fools/ Love hurts every night and day."
Line by Line Meaning
Love hurts
The experience of love can be painful
You know love hurts
Acknowledging that love can be difficult
Not everybody knows the way a river flows
People have different perspectives and experiences
Not everybody sees the sun up in the sky
People perceive things differently
Maybe you and I should not try to plan our lives
Perhaps it's best to let things happen naturally
If only what we could see what we hold in our hands
If only we could appreciate what we have
Love hurts 'cause you can't let go
It's painful to let go of someone you love
Love hurts 'cause you need it so
Because love is so powerful, it can be painful
Love hurts yes it hurts, but it's good for fools
Love may hurt, but it's still worth pursuing
Feel some pain now, still you wanna try it again
Even though love may be painful, we still desire it
Everybody cries until the day they die
Everyone experiences pain and heartbreak
And everybody feels like they're the only one
People can feel isolated in their struggles
Love hurts every night and day
The pain of love can be constant
Love feelings never go away
Love can endure beyond time and distance
Real love, it is here to stay with you
True love will always be a part of your life
You're dreaming, you got me scheming
You're in love and it's making me think and plan
You got me freaking, ooh love hurts
Love can be intense and overwhelming
Maybe you and I should not try to plan our lives
Maybe it's better to let the future unfold naturally
If only we could see what's in front of our eyes
If only we could appreciate what's right in front of us
Love hurts yes it hurts, but it's good for fools
Love may hurt, but it's worth the risk
Love hurts I guess it's useless to say
Acknowledging the obvious fact that love is painful
Love hurts why won't this pain go away
The lingering pain of heartbreak can be overwhelming
Love hurts that's true
A simple statement acknowledging the truth that love can be painful
Love hurts every night and day
The pain of love can be constant
Love feelings never go away
True love endures beyond time and distance
Real love, it is here for you
True love is always available to you
Lyrics Ā© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management, HOUSE OF BRYANT PUBLICATIONS
Written by: Boudleaux Bryant
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind