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| "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" | ||||
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| Single by Culture Club | ||||
| from the album Kissing to Be Clever | ||||
| Released | 1 September 1982 | |||
| Genre | New Wave, pop, reggae, blue-eyed soul, Lovers rock | |||
| Label | Virgin Epic (US) |
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| Writer(s) | Culture Club | |||
| Producer | Steve Levine | |||
| Culture Club singles chronology | ||||
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"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" is the breakout hit recorded by British New Wave band Culture Club, released as a single from the group's Platinum-plus debut album Kissing to Be Clever.
Contents |
History [edit]
"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" was the third single released in Europe by New Wave band Culture Club and their debut release in the USA and Canada. The song was picked up by BBC Radio 2 and became a UK number-one single for three weeks in October 1982. The song held at #2 for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in March and April 1983 (kept from the number one spot by Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean"). The single achieved sales of 900,000 US copies and hit #1 in Canada.[1] It was also number one in Australia.
This was Culture Club's first success, after their first two releases, "White Boy" and "I'm Afraid of Me" charted in the UK at #114 and #100 respectively. According to Boy George, it was their last chance to get an album deal.
The song rose rapidly in the UK charts after the group's first appearance on Top of the Pops, which resulted in George's androgynous style of dress and sexual ambiguity making newspaper headlines. The group were only asked to appear on Top of the Pops the night before the show, after Shakin' Stevens pulled out.[2]
In a retrospective review, Allmusic journalist Jose F. Promis described "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" as "a simple masterpiece, resonating with an ache that harked back to the classic torch songs of yesteryear."[3]
In 2007, Boy George said that the song was "not just about Culture Club's drummer Jon Moss, my boyfriend at the time. It was about all the guys I dated at that time in my life."[2]
The B-side was a dub version featuring Pappa Weasel in many countries and "You Know I'm Not Crazy" on the USA release. On the 12" version of the record, the track "Love Is Cold (You Were Never No Good)" was also included.
Remixes [edit]
The song was remixed by DJ's Quivver and Kinky Roland, in 1998 for a Culture Club compilation called Greatest Moments and the single "I Just Wanna Be Loved". It was also remixed and presented on Culture Club's 2002 box set along with the original demo version.
Re-released in a reggaeton remix in France, it was again a top 20 hit in the summer of 2005.
Music video [edit]
The video for the song featured lead singer Boy George on trial in a courtroom, with flashbacks to a 1936 nightclub and a 1957 health club. The jury was in blackface making jazz hands gestures. One band member, Mikey Craig, was not in the video, and was replaced by his brother Greg.
Boy George wears a shirt with the Hebrew writing "Tarbut Agudda" (תַּרְבּוּת אֲגֻדָּה), an incorrect translation of the band's name.[citation needed]
Track listings [edit]
A. "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" – 4:22
A1. "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" – 4:22 |
(Released as a remix version in France, to promote the compilation album Culture Club 2005 - Singles & Remixes, with new video) |
Charts and certifications [edit]
| Order of precedence | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by "Pass the Dutchie" by Musical Youth |
UK Singles Chart number-one single 17 October 1982 – 6 November 1982 |
Succeeded by "I Don't Wanna Dance" by Eddy Grant |
| Australian Kent Music Report number-one single 27 December 1982 – 31 January 1983 |
Succeeded by "Gloria" by Laura Branigan |
|
| Preceded by "Starmaker" by Kids from Fame |
Irish Singles Chart number-one single 31 October 1982 |
Succeeded by "Starmaker" by Kids from Fame |
| Preceded by "Words" by F. R. David |
German Singles Chart number-one single 10 December 1982 – 21 January 1983 |
Succeeded by "Major Tom (Völlig Losgelöst)" by Peter Schilling |
| Preceded by "Come on Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners and The Emerald Express |
Swiss Singles Chart number-one single (first run) 12 December 1982 – 9 January 1983 |
Succeeded by "Pass the Dutchie" by Musical Youth |
| Preceded by "Heartbreaker" by Dionne Warwick |
Swedish Singles Chart number-one single 11 January 1983 – 25 January 1983 |
Succeeded by "Our House" by Madness |
| Preceded by "Weil i di mog" by Relax |
Austrian Singles Chart number-one single 15 January 1983 – 15 February 1983 |
Succeeded by "Major Tom (völlig losgelöst)" by Peter Schilling |
| Preceded by "Pass the Dutchie" by Musical Youth |
Swiss Singles Chart number-one single (second run) 23 January 1983 |
Succeeded by "I Don't Wanna Dance" by Eddy Grant |
| Preceded by "Sexual Healing" by Marvin Gaye |
Canadian RPM number-one single 5 March 1983 – 12 March 1983 |
Succeeded by "Hungry Like the Wolf" by Duran Duran |
Blue Lagoon version [edit]
| "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" | ||||
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.jpg) |
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| Single by Blue Lagoon | ||||
| from the album Club Lagoon | ||||
| B-side | Extended version | |||
| Released | 2005 | |||
| Format | CD single CD maxi |
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| Length | 3:29 | |||
| Label | Kon$um, SME | |||
| Writer(s) | Michael Craig Roy Hay Jon Moss George O'Dowd |
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| Producer | Felix J. Gauder | |||
| Blue Lagoon singles chronology | ||||
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The song was covered in 2005 by German band Blue Lagoon on its album Club Lagoon and became a hit in Europe.
Track listings [edit]
- CD single
- "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (radio edit) — 3:29
- "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (extended version) — 4:59
Charts [edit]
| Chart (2005) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart[20] | 21 |
| Danish Singles Chart[21] | 11 |
| German Singles Chart[6] | 13 |
| Swedish Singles Chart[22] | 29 |
| Swiss Singles Chart[23] | 32 |
Cover versions [edit]
- In 1991, the Violent Femmes released a cover version of the song in their fifth studio album Why Do Birds Sing.
- In 1997, singer-songwriter Diana King covered the song for her second album Think Like a Girl.
- In 2003, singer-songwriter Melanie Safka covered the song for her album Moments from My Life.
- In 2006, singer-songwriter Thomas Anders covered the song for his album Songs Forever.
- In 2010, Amanda Lear recorded a dance version for her 2010 album Brief Encounters Reloaded.
References [edit]
- ^ "RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
- ^ a b "Flashback: October 1982". Guardian. 14 October 2007. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
- ^ Promis, Jose F. "Kissing to Be Clever - Culture Club : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
- ^ "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me", Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at (Retrieved 17 July 2008)
- ^ "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 80". SNEP (in French). Infodisc.fr. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
- ^ a b German Singles Chart Charts-surfer.de (Retrieved 17 July 2008)
- ^ Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved 17 July 2008)
- ^ "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me", Norwegian Singles Chart Norwegiancharts.com (Retrieved 17 July 2008)
- ^ "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me", Swedish Singles Chart Swedishcharts.com (Retrieved 17 July 2008)
- ^ "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me", Swiss Singles Chart Hitparade.ch (Retrieved 17 July 2008)
- ^ "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me", UK Singles Chart Chartstats.com (Retrieved 17 July 2008)
- ^ a b c d Billboard allmusic.com (Retrieved 17 July 2008)
- ^ "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me", Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart Ultratop.be (Retrieved 17 July 2008)
- ^ "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me", French Singles Chart Lescharts.com (Retrieved 17 July 2008)
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Culture Club – Do You Really Want to Hurt Me". Music Canada.
- ^ "French single certifications – Culture Club – Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (in French). InfoDisc. Select CULTURE CLUB and click OK
- ^ "Les Singles en Or :" (in French). Infodisc.fr. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
- ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Culture Club; 'Do You Really Want to Hurt Me')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
- ^ "British single certifications – Boy George & Culture Club – Karma Chameleon". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Karma Chameleon in the field Search. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Click Go
- ^ "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me", by Blue Lagoon, Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at (Retrieved 17 July 2008)
- ^ "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me", by Blue Lagoon, Danish Singles Chart Danishcharts.com (Retrieved 17 July 2008)
- ^ "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me", by Blue Lagoon, Swedish Singles Chart Swedishcharts.com (Retrieved 17 July 2008)
- ^ "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me", by Blue Lagoon, Swiss Singles Chart Hitparade.ch (Retrieved 17 July 2008)
External links [edit]
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