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.
Suffragette City
Culture Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey man, oh Henry, get off the phone, I gotta
Hey man, I gotta straighten my face
This mellow thighed chick just put my spine out of place
Hey man, my schooldays insane
Hey man, my work's down the drain
Hey man, well she's a total blam-blam
She said she had to squeeze it but she... then she...
Oh don't lean on me man, cause you can't afford the ticket
I'm back on Suffragette City
Oh don't lean on me man
'Cause you ain't got time to check it
You know my Suffragette City
Is outta sight...she's all right
Hey man, Henry, don't be unkind, go away
Hey man, I can't take you this time, no way
Hey man, droogie don't crash here
There's only room for one and here she comes, here she comes
Oh don't lean on me man, cause you can't afford the ticket
I'm back on Suffragette City
Oh don't lean on me man
'Cause you ain't got time to check it
You know my Suffragette City
Is outta sight...she's all right
Oh hit me!
Oh don't lean on me man, cause you can't afford the ticket
I'm back on Suffragette City
Oh don't lean on me man
'Cause you ain't got time to check it
You know my Suffragette City
Is outta sight...she's all right
A Suffragette City, a Suffragette City
I'm back on Suffragette City, I'm back on Suffragette City
Ooo, Sufraggete city, ooo, Suffragette City
Oooh-how, Sufragette City, oooh-how, Sufragette City, oooh-how
Sufragette
Ohhh, Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am!
A Suffragette City, a Suffragette City
Quite all right
A Suffragette City
Too fine
A Suffragette City, ooh, a Sufragette City
Oh, my Sufragette City, oh my Suffragette City
Oh, Suffragette
Suffragette!
The song Suffragette City by Culture Club is a cover of the original song by David Bowie, released in 1972. The song has a fast-paced, upbeat rock sound, which matches the lyrics about a wild and crazy city. The lyrics, however, are somewhat cryptic and do not have a clear narrative. The song begins with the singer asking someone to leave him alone, and then goes on to describe a woman who has put his spine out of place. The next verse talks about the singer's crazy schooldays and his job being a waste of time. The chorus declares that the Suffragette City is "outta sight" and "all right." The bridge echoes the chorus, with the singer telling someone not to lean on him because they can't afford the ticket to Suffragette City.
This song can be interpreted in different ways, but one possible interpretation is that Suffragette City is a metaphor for a city that is wild, crazy, and full of energy. The woman in the song may represent the city itself, or a personification of the city's character. The singer seems to enjoy the excitement of the city, but also recognizes that it can be overwhelming and exhausting. The mention of suffragettes in the title may be a nod to the women's suffrage movement, which fought for women's right to vote and other equal rights. The suffragettes were known for their activism and their refusal to be silenced, perhaps echoing the wild and rebellious character of the city in the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey man, oh leave me alone you know
Leave me alone, I want to be by myself
Hey man, oh Henry, get off the phone, I gotta
Henry, get off the phone, I need to do something
Hey man, I gotta straighten my face
I need to fix my expression
This mellow thighed chick just put my spine out of place
This attractive girl made me feel weak in the knees
Hey man, my schooldays insane
My school days were crazy
Hey man, my work's down the drain
My work is going nowhere
Hey man, well she's a total blam-blam
She's wild and intense
She said she had to squeeze it but she... then she...
She said she needed to do something, but then didn't
Oh don't lean on me man, cause you can't afford the ticket
Don't rely on me, you can't handle it
I'm back on Suffragette City
I'm back in the city where women's rights movements took place
Oh don't lean on me man
I can't support you right now
'Cause you ain't got time to check it
You don't have time to verify my story
You know my Suffragette City
You know where I'm from
Is outta sight...she's all right
It's amazing, it's great
Henry, don't be unkind, go away
Henry, please leave me alone
I can't take you this time, no way
I can't deal with you right now
Droogie don't crash here
Don't come over to my place
There's only room for one and here she comes, here she comes
Only one person is welcomed here, and that person is arriving
A Suffragette City, a Suffragette City
The city where women fought for their rights
Ooo, Sufraggete city, ooo, Suffragette City
Oh, the city of the suffragettes
Oooh-how, Sufragette City, oooh-how, Sufragette City, oooh-how
Oh, the city where women fought for change
Sufragette
Suffragette
Ohhh, Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am!
It was a quick and easy process
Quite all right
Everything is good
Too fine
Very good
Oh, my Sufragette City, oh my Suffragette City
Oh, my city where women fought for their rights
Suffragette!
Suffragette!
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Bowie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind