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.
Mister Man
Culture Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They're preaching violence
Mr man it's in your head
On the street
The midnight cowboy
Needs no gun
To shoot you dead
Ain't it obvious
I'm just a man like you
Mr man full of love
Mr man full of hate
Got his heart on the trigger
But he pulled it too late
Mr man is a pilot
Mr man is a fake
Mr man's feeling hungry
And he's lying in wait
On the street
The lights are fighting
Searching for someone like you
Better find a good messiah
To help the sad and lonely through
Why do I live the way I do
Ain't it obvious
I'm much more black than blue
On the street (they're preaching violence)
Mr man it's in your head
On the street
The midnight cowboy
Needs no gun
To shoot you dead
In "Mister Man" by Culture Club, the band members reflect on life on the street and people's propensity for violence. The lyrics specifically call out "Mr. Man," who represents the duality of human nature: full of love and hate, capable of great things but also destruction. The song points out that violence is pervasive on the street, with people preaching it and the "midnight cowboy" needing no weapon to take someone out.
The chorus of the song questions why people live the way they do, and the answer may be that we are all just human, both capable of great things and flawed. The lyrics suggest that Mr. Man represents this conflict within us all - on one hand, he is full of love, but on the other hand, he has his "heart on the trigger" and can cause destruction.
The song uses powerful imagery to evoke the danger and violence on the streets, with lights fighting and messiahs being needed to help people through. Ultimately, "Mister Man" is a reflection on the complexity of humanity and the need to acknowledge both the good and the bad within ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
On the street
The world outside is not always safe
They're preaching violence
There are people out there who promote aggression and hatred
Mr man it's in your head
You don't need to listen to or participate in that violent rhetoric
On the street
The danger can come from unexpected sources
The midnight cowboy
Not all threats are obvious or easily identifiable
Needs no gun
A person doesn't need an obvious weapon to be dangerous
To shoot you dead
This threat can yield fatal consequences
Why do I live the way I do
Questioning the choices made about how to survive in this world
Ain't it obvious
It's clear that there is no one straightforward answer
I'm just a man like you
We all share the same humanity, despite any differences in our experiences
Mr man full of love
Some people are motivated by compassion and empathy
Mr man full of hate
Others are driven by anger and malice
Got his heart on the trigger
Their emotions are always on the brink of boiling over
But he pulled it too late
Their actions can sometimes have irreversible consequences
Mr man is a pilot
People can come from all different walks of life
Mr man is a fake
Some individuals may put on a persona to mask their true selves
Mr man's feeling hungry
Their motivations may come from deep-seated needs or desires
And he's lying in wait
They may be biding their time, waiting for the right moment to strike
On the street
The dangers of this world are omnipresent
The lights are fighting
Struggles and conflicts may be happening all around us
Searching for someone like you
You may be a target, whether you realize it or not
Better find a good messiah
You may need someone to help guide you and show you the way
To help the sad and lonely through
Others may be struggling just like you, and we all need compassion and support
I'm much more black than blue
Our struggles can leave us feeling bruised and beaten, but we must keep going
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GEORGE O'DOWD, JON MOSS, MICHAEL CRAIG, ROY HAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind