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.
You Know I'm Not Crazy
Culture Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your heart beats rhythm
Hot and cold
Your stature has a naked bucks
When you're near
You're not like us
[Chorus:]
You know I'm not crazy
I caught on to the way you smile
Love could only last a while
I couldn't love
I couldn't touch
The situation
Was too much
[Chorus]
Your love fails me
Your love, it fails me
Your love fails me
Your love, it drives me crazy
Don't tell me that lovers always mistrust
The lies in your eyes
The death in your lust
It's more than distraction
You touch you feel
Our hearts dance apart
And you say this is real
You know I'm not crazy
Talk about the love we feel
The passion that our hearts conceal
Kiss and run
The fools we trust
Love inside a blinding lust
[Chorus]
Hold me to my every word
Forget about the things you heard
Time will conquer
Time will state
We owe every tear to fate
[Chorus]
Your love fails me
Your love, it fails me
Your love fails me
Your love, it drives me crazy
The song "You Know I'm Not Crazy" by Culture Club has an enigmatic quality to it. It can be interpreted as being about someone who is struggling with their mental health and feeling misunderstood by those around them. The first verse talks about the overload in the person's mind, their heart beating to its own rhythm, and feeling out of place among others. The chorus repeats the phrase "You know I'm not crazy," as if the person is trying to convince someone that their struggles are genuine but are not a sign of insanity.
The second verse seems to address a specific relationship where the singer feels unable to give and receive love because the situation is too intense. The bridge of the song suggests a sense of recklessness in how they approach love and relationships, as they describe a love that fails them and drives them crazy. This could suggest that their mental health struggles are affecting their ability to maintain healthy romantic relationships.
The final verse seems to offer some hope that time will heal the pain, and that the person is committed to staying true to themselves despite what others may think of them. In this way, the song can be seen as an anthem of self-acceptance and self-love, encouraging listeners to embrace their differences and not be ashamed of their struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Say your mind has an overload
Your mind is overwhelmed and chaotic
Your heart beats rhythm
You feel strongly about something, your heart is full
Hot and cold
You have mixed feelings
Your stature has a naked bucks
You feel vulnerable and exposed
When you're near
When you are in someone's presence
You're not like us
You are different from those around you
You know I'm not crazy
I am not delusional
I caught on to the way you smile
I understand how you really feel
Love could only last a while
Our love could only be temporary
I couldn't love
I wasn't capable of loving
I couldn't touch
I couldn't engage emotionally
The situation
The circumstances surrounding our relationship
Was too much
Were overwhelming
Your love fails me
Your love disappoints me
Your love, it fails me
Your love lets me down
Your love, it drives me crazy
Your love is making me feel insane
Don't tell me that lovers always mistrust
Do not try to justify a lack of trust
The lies in your eyes
Your eyes are betraying your true intentions
The death in your lust
The destructive nature of your desires
It's more than distraction
This is serious, not just a temporary diversion
You touch you feel
The physical sensation of your touch
Our hearts dance apart
Our emotions are pulling us in different directions
And you say this is real
You believe that what we have is genuine
Talk about the love we feel
Let's discuss our emotions
The passion that our hearts conceal
The intense feelings we keep hidden away
Kiss and run
Engage in fleeting, meaningless affairs
The fools we trust
The people we have faith in despite their unreliability
Love inside a blinding lust
Our intense physical attraction is clouding our judgment
Hold me to my every word
Keep me accountable for the things I say
Forget about the things you heard
Do not be influenced by what others are saying
Time will conquer
As time passes, things will work themselves out
Time will state
Eventually, it will become clear what our relationship means
We owe every tear to fate
Our emotions are subject to the whims of destiny
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MICHAEL CRAIG, ROY HAY, JON MOSS, GEORGE O'DOWD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind