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Kissing to Be Clever is the album that put Culture Club on the musical map. Incorporating pop, rock, dance, new wave, soul, and Caribbean rhythms (an amalgamation of "cultures"), the result was a soulful, progressive pop outing that scored several landmark international hits and made a star out of the band's outrageous frontman, Boy George. A couple of tracks were European dance hits, but the first "official" single, "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me," was a simple masterpiece, resonating with an ache that harked back to the classic torch songs of yesteryear. Most of the other songs were quite different, with energetic beats and sometimes silly, campy themes ("Boy Boy I'm the Boy," "White Boys Can't Control It," and "White Boy"). The album scored two other major hits, the zippy and bouncy "I'll Tumble 4 Ya" and the gorgeous "Time (Clock of the Heart)." However, beware that "Time" is only on certain pressings of the album. When the album was issued on CD, and once the Epic label dissolved, the formerly colorful album cover had turned to black and white, and "Time" had been omitted, which is pretty ridiculous, considering the song was a huge number two hit, and the album was then left with only nine tracks. Still, this set is a highlight of 1980s music, and set the stage for one of the decade's most loved and oft-remembered bands.
© Jose F. Promis /TiVo
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Colin Campsie, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Phil Pickett, Keyboards, Additional Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - George O'Dowd, Composer - Roy Hay, Composer, Guitar, Keyboards, Piano, Electric Sitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jon Moss, Composer, Mixer, Drums, Percussion, Drum Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Culture Club, MainArtist - Michael Craig, Composer, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Steve Levine, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Boy George, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Denise Spooner, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Payne, Flute, Saxophone, Harmonica, AssociatedPerformer - Terry Bailey, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Emile Craig, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist, Bass (Vocal)
(C) 1982 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1982 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1982 Virgin Records Limited
Colin Campsie, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Phil Pickett, Additional Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - George O'Dowd, Composer - Roy Hay, Composer, Guitar, Keyboards, Piano, Electric Sitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jon Moss, Composer, Mixer, Drums, Percussion, Drum Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Culture Club, MainArtist - Michael Craig, Composer, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Steve Levine, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Boy George, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Steve Levine for Do Not Erase Productions, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Denise Spooner, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Payne, Flute, Saxophone, Harmonica, AssociatedPerformer - Terry Bailey, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Emile Craig, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist, Bass (Vocal)
(C) 1982 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1982 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1982 Virgin Records Limited
Colin Campsie, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Phil Pickett, Additional Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - George O'Dowd, ComposerLyricist - Roy Hay, Guitar, Keyboards, Piano, Electric Sitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jon Moss, Mixer, Drums, Percussion, Drum Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Culture Club, MainArtist - Michael Craig, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Steve Levine, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Boy George, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Denise Spooner, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Payne, Flute, Saxophone, Harmonica, AssociatedPerformer - Terry Bailey, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Emile Craig, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist, Bass (Vocal) - Roy Ernest Hay, ComposerLyricist
(C) 1982 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1982 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1982 Virgin Records Limited
Colin Campsie, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Phil Pickett, Additional Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - George O'Dowd, Composer - Roy Hay, Composer, Guitar, Keyboards, Piano, Electric Sitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jon Moss, Composer, Mixer, Drums, Percussion, Drum Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Culture Club, MainArtist - Michael Craig, Composer, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Steve Levine, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Boy George, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Steve Levine for Do Not Erase Productions, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Denise Spooner, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Payne, Flute, Saxophone, Harmonica, AssociatedPerformer - Terry Bailey, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Emile Craig, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist, Bass (Vocal)
(C) 1982 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1982 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1982 Virgin Records Limited
Colin Campsie, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Phil Pickett, Additional Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - George O'Dowd, ComposerLyricist - Roy Hay, Guitar, Keyboards, Piano, Electric Sitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jon Moss, Mixer, Drums, Percussion, Drum Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Culture Club, MainArtist - Michael Craig, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Steve Levine, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Boy George, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Levine for Do Not Erase Productions, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Denise Spooner, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Payne, Flute, Saxophone, Harmonica, AssociatedPerformer - Terry Bailey, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Captain Crucial, Vocals, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Emile Craig, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist, Bass (Vocal) - Roy Ernest Hay, ComposerLyricist
(C) 1982 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1982 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1982 Virgin Records Limited
Colin Campsie, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Phil Pickett, Additional Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - George O'Dowd, ComposerLyricist - Roy Hay, Guitar, Keyboards, Piano, Electric Sitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jon Moss, Mixer, Drums, Percussion, Drum Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Culture Club, MainArtist - Michael Craig, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Steve Levine, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Boy George, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Levine for Do Not Erase Productions, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Denise Spooner, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Payne, Flute, Saxophone, Harmonica, AssociatedPerformer - Terry Bailey, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Emile Craig, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist, Bass (Vocal) - Roy Ernest Hay, ComposerLyricist
(C) 1982 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1982 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1982 Virgin Records Limited
Colin Campsie, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Phil Pickett, Additional Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - George O'Dowd, ComposerLyricist - Roy Hay, Guitar, Keyboards, Piano, Electric Sitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jon Moss, Mixer, Drums, Percussion, Drum Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Culture Club, MainArtist - Michael Craig, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Steve Levine, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Boy George, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Levine for Do Not Erase Productions, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Denise Spooner, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Payne, Flute, Saxophone, Harmonica, AssociatedPerformer - Terry Bailey, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Emile Craig, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist, Bass (Vocal) - Roy Ernest Hay, ComposerLyricist
(C) 1982 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1982 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1982 Virgin Records Limited
Colin Campsie, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Phil Pickett, Additional Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - George O'Dowd, ComposerLyricist - Roy Hay, Guitar, Keyboards, Piano, Electric Sitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jon Moss, Mixer, Drums, Percussion, Drum Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Culture Club, MainArtist - Michael Craig, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Steve Levine, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Boy George, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Levine for Do Not Erase Productions, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Denise Spooner, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Payne, Flute, Saxophone, Harmonica, AssociatedPerformer - Terry Bailey, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Emile Craig, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist, Bass (Vocal) - Roy Ernest Hay, ComposerLyricist
(C) 1982 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1982 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1982 Virgin Records Limited
Colin Campsie, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Phil Pickett, Additional Keyboards, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - George O'Dowd, ComposerLyricist - Roy Hay, Guitar, Keyboards, Piano, Electric Sitar, AssociatedPerformer - Helen Terry, ComposerLyricist - Jon Moss, Mixer, Drums, Percussion, Drum Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Culture Club, MainArtist - Michael Craig, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Levine, Producer, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Boy George, Vocals, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Denise Spooner, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Payne, Flute, Saxophone, Harmonica, AssociatedPerformer - Terry Bailey, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Emile Craig, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist, Bass (Vocal) - Roy Ernest Hay, ComposerLyricist - Jonathan Aubrey Moss, ComposerLyricist
(C) 1982 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1982 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1983 Virgin Records Limited
Album review
Kissing to Be Clever is the album that put Culture Club on the musical map. Incorporating pop, rock, dance, new wave, soul, and Caribbean rhythms (an amalgamation of "cultures"), the result was a soulful, progressive pop outing that scored several landmark international hits and made a star out of the band's outrageous frontman, Boy George. A couple of tracks were European dance hits, but the first "official" single, "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me," was a simple masterpiece, resonating with an ache that harked back to the classic torch songs of yesteryear. Most of the other songs were quite different, with energetic beats and sometimes silly, campy themes ("Boy Boy I'm the Boy," "White Boys Can't Control It," and "White Boy"). The album scored two other major hits, the zippy and bouncy "I'll Tumble 4 Ya" and the gorgeous "Time (Clock of the Heart)." However, beware that "Time" is only on certain pressings of the album. When the album was issued on CD, and once the Epic label dissolved, the formerly colorful album cover had turned to black and white, and "Time" had been omitted, which is pretty ridiculous, considering the song was a huge number two hit, and the album was then left with only nine tracks. Still, this set is a highlight of 1980s music, and set the stage for one of the decade's most loved and oft-remembered bands.
© Jose F. Promis /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 9 track(s)
- Total length: 00:33:35
- Main artists: Culture Club
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Virgin Catalogue
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 1982 Virgin Records Limited ℗ 1982 Virgin Records Limited
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