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.
Mistake Number 3
Culture Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A gente não pode abandonar as pessoas
É só deixá-las sozinhas e elas se despedaçam
Então a gente fica observando e elas crescem em lindos e estranhos rostos
Eu não sei
Mas ao se apagarem os vestígios de meu batom
Eu as vejo cometerem o erro número três
É estranho como tudo muda tanto
Como eles desejam saber
Quão cínicas são as pessoas
É nesse sentido que vão as crianças
Para dentro de uma conversa que eles não conseguem reter
É triste, mas isso as deixa preparadas para o modelo
Para cometerem o erro de número três)
Por que será que o meu amor parece um oceano seco?
Por que meu amor briga tanto com a vida?
Não podemos ficar indiferentes com as pessoas
É só deixá-las sozinhas e elas se despedaçam
Para cometerem o erro número três
The song "Mistake Number 3" by Culture Club speaks about the consequences of abandoning people and leaving them alone, which can lead to their downfall. The lyrics suggest that even when we observe them from afar, they can grow into beautiful and strange faces. However, the mention of "erro número três" (mistake number three) highlights that there is a recurring pattern of mistakes that people make, and it is the third mistake that ultimately leads to their downfall. The lyrics emphasize the importance of showing empathy and not being indifferent towards others' struggles, as leaving them alone can cause them to fall apart.
The lyrics also touch on the changes that can occur, and the cynicism that people may develop, leading to children engaging in conversations that they cannot fully comprehend. This prepares them to repeat the same mistakes as others before them, falling victim to the same traps. The last two lines of the song question the struggles of love and life, and suggest that we cannot afford to be indifferent towards others, as it can lead to the same mistake being repeated again and again.
Line by Line Meaning
A gente não pode abandonar as pessoas
We can't just abandon people
É só deixá-las sozinhas e elas se despedaçam
If we leave them alone, they fall apart
Então a gente fica observando e elas crescem em lindos e estranhos rostos
We watch as they grow into beautiful and strange faces
Eu não sei
I don't know
Mas ao se apagarem os vestígios de meu batom
But as my lipstick fades away
Eu as vejo cometerem o erro número três
I see them make mistake number three
(Cometerem o erro número três)
(Make mistake number three)
É estranho como tudo muda tanto
It's strange how things change so much
Como eles desejam saber
How they long to know
Quão cínicas são as pessoas
How cynical people can be
É nesse sentido que vão as crianças
In that sense, children go
Para dentro de uma conversa que eles não conseguem reter
Into a conversation that they can't hold onto
É triste, mas isso as deixa preparadas para o modelo
It's sad, but it prepares them for the pattern
Para cometerem o erro de número três)
To make mistake number three
Por que será que o meu amor parece um oceano seco?
Why does my love feel like a dry ocean?
Por que meu amor briga tanto com a vida?
Why does my love struggle so much with life?
Não podemos ficar indiferentes com as pessoas
We can't be indifferent to people
É só deixá-las sozinhas e elas se despedaçam
If we leave them alone, they fall apart
Para cometerem o erro número três
To make mistake number three
Contributed by Wyatt V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
5oclockbanana
The wonderful 80’s. There’ll never be such an amazing decade of great music like the 80’s again.
Rene Salazar
ever the 80s were magic and special they were unique👏
CJ
...70's were good too !
Arabella van Zijtveld
So true...
Michael Franklin
All controversy and fluff aside, the Culture Club gave us some of the best English blue eyed soul ever, across all decades. Good music never dies.
Jane Porter
Facts
fawite77
Indo pra escola em 1984, primeira série aos 7 anos de idade, tendo essa música como um momento especial da minha infância. Se eu pudesse, pedia a Deus para que nunca saísse dos anos 80.
Betania Rocha
Lembro dela exatamente nessa situação , ah. ... que saudades .
Margarida Ferreira
Foi a melhor década da minha existência, apesar das perdas alguns de entes queridos.
Bruno Menezes
Hoje é Pablo vita, etc etc