Culture Club Album: “Colour by Numbers”

Put aside all those stories about Boy George and drummer Jon Moss and Boy George's drug collapse and just listen to this album. It is nearly perfect and is one of the best albums to come out of the 1980s. Considering that their smash debut album had three songs in a row with the word "Boy" in the title, Colour By Numbers is a surprisingly mature-sounding album. "Victims" (a single in the UK) is an interesting and beautiful ballad. The rest are amazing pop tracks. So many of these songs were released as singles ("Karma Chameleon," "It's A Miracle," "Church of the Poison Mind," "Miss Me Blind," "Victims," and even "Black Money" was considered for release off the "This Time" hits set) it can almost be considered a greatest hits package in and of itself. All it needs is "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me," Culture Club's best song "Time (Clock of the Heart)" and maybe "I'll Tumble 4 Ya" and there you go. In fact, the weakest track here is probably the most famous one: "Karma Chameleon." In his autobiography, Boy George writes how guitarist Roy Hay hated this track and, due to a bet, married his girlfriend when the single reached #1. Things went downhill for the band after this album but Colour By Numbers made Culture Club one of the most important bands of the 1980s. P.S. The bonus tracks are also quality material. The title track is pleasant and Helen Terry really kicks some major fanny on "Man Shake."

Though they had scored nicely with the preceeding

album, 1982's "Kissing To Be Clever" containing

"Do You Really Want To Hurt Me",

"Time (Clock Of The Heart)" and "I'll Tumble For Ya",

it was this album which will go down as their "Sgt. Pepper"

in terms of what they were about and capable of!

Every song on here is bangin'!

Along with CC doing their thing and Boy George handling the

lead vocals in his "Smokey Robinson meets Sylvester" way,

there was the excellent and soulful wailings of Helen Terry

throughout (why she never got offered a deal is beyond me!)

and the late Jermaine Stewart in the background!

As I said, all of this album is still the bomb,

but one in particular, "Victims", still melts my heart

to this day!

We can't get albums better than this. From the breakdance hit "It's A Miracle", to the flashy "Karma Chameleon", and jumping to the tamala- motown sound of "Church of the Poison Mind," we all can have a party on the street. We also can't forget the soul of the album, such as "Black Money", "Changing Everyday", and "That's the Way (I'm only trying to help you)." These are the soul songs , despite "This Time-- The First Four Years" in 1987, that are missing from the group's U.S. greatest hits albums . We can never get bored of the voices of George and Helen Terry together. Let's not forget other fun tunes like "Mister Man", "Stormkeeper", and "Miss Me Blind". And we'll never forget the dark, but wonderful ballad, "Victims." This beats Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and Prince's "Purple Rain." These were popular at the time as well, but those albums don't come to the mark of "Colour by Numbers." Those albums take time to warm up to, while all the songs aren't that hot. "Colours" is so flashy you get right into the music, danceable pop or soul. That's another reason this album is the best of the 1980's, and possibly the best of all time. Not many groups make albums with pop and soul where every song should get a prize. The 1980's would have been nothing without Culture Club. That is why they were the greatest and still are. Music will never be as great as this.

This album never hit number 1 in the US because of Michael Jackson's Thriller. But anyone who had this album knew it was a hundred times better. It has both rock, pop, and soul, which no other group has had today. Boy George and Helen Terry are on top of the world with "That's The Way" (I'm Only Trying to Help You), and in "Church of the Poison Mind". The classic "Karma Chameleon" came from this album, but evey song is just as powerful, or you might say even more powerful. "Mister Man" is irresitable, while "Victims" was the deepest ballad of the decade, never even released as a single in the US. "It's A Miracle" is the ultimate dance classic. "Black Money", "Changing Everyday", and "Stormkeeper" are more incredible soul songs on the album. The number 5 US hit "Miss Me Blind" is also included. I was giving this album on my birthday when I was six years old on LP, and I never have seen anything better. It is a powerhouse of an album. Try your best to get it, and I hope you do. Thanks for reading.

When I first listened to this CD,I was so shocked by the pop sensitivity of the BOY GEORGE.The catchyness and the beautiful melody caught my ears.Since then I have been a CULTURE CLUB fan for more than ten years.Danceable beat and commercial hook is the key to this album.So many SOUL POP albums and musicians appeared during the 80s.But this band had the specific vision and ability to combine SOUL MUSIC and DANCE POP.BUY THIS CD, and back to the 80s ,durable melodies await for you.