Kissing to Be Clever
Encyclopedia
Kissing to Be Clever is the debut album by new wave
soul
band Culture Club
, released in 1982.
" became a US and UK top ten hit. This song appeared on US versions of the album but not initially on the UK version. Another single was released in North America, "I'll Tumble 4 Ya
", which went top ten in the US. This made Culture Club the first band since The Beatles
to have three top ten hits in America from a debut album.
Kissing to Be Clever was remastered and re-released in 2003 on CD. This edition contains the song "Romance Beyond the Alphabet", which is the orchestral instrumental version of "Time (Clock of the Heart), also included on Culture Club Collect – 12" Mixes Plus and its subsequent re-release Culture Club Remix Collection as "Time (Clock of the Heart) (Instrumental Mix)". It has the restoration of the original colour cover. The colour cover had been replaced by a black-and-white version (as seen here).
The album has sold approximately 2.5 million copies worldwide, which includes about 1.5 million of those in the USA, where it was certified platinum by the RIAA.
Side One
Side Two
Later releases have "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" as the opening track of Side 2 (#6), and "Time (Clock of the Heart)" as the final song (#10).
While on some Japanese editions of the album, the Japan-only single "Mystery Boy" was included, the following is the order of the tracks on the album as released by Epic Records
:
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
band Culture Club
Culture Club
Culture Club are a British rock band who were part of the 1980s New Romantic movement. The original band consisted of Boy George , Mikey Craig , Roy Hay and Jon Moss...
, released in 1982.
Overview
The album was anchored by the international hit "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me". The album's first two singles were "White Boy" (which failed to crack the US or UK top 100), and "I'm Afraid of Me" (which peaked at #100 in the UK). But with the release of "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me", the band scored a hit in over a dozen countries. Next single "Time (Clock of the Heart)Time (Clock of the Heart)
"Time " is a song by the British band Culture Club, released as stand-alone single in most of the world and as the second single from their debut album Kissing to Be Clever in North America. Following on the heels of the number-one UK hit, "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me", "Time " peaked at number...
" became a US and UK top ten hit. This song appeared on US versions of the album but not initially on the UK version. Another single was released in North America, "I'll Tumble 4 Ya
I'll Tumble 4 Ya
"I'll Tumble 4 Ya" was a single from Culture Club's debut album Kissing to Be Clever.The single was released only in North America, peaking at number nine in both the U.S. and Canada...
", which went top ten in the US. This made Culture Club the first band since The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
to have three top ten hits in America from a debut album.
Kissing to Be Clever was remastered and re-released in 2003 on CD. This edition contains the song "Romance Beyond the Alphabet", which is the orchestral instrumental version of "Time (Clock of the Heart), also included on Culture Club Collect – 12" Mixes Plus and its subsequent re-release Culture Club Remix Collection as "Time (Clock of the Heart) (Instrumental Mix)". It has the restoration of the original colour cover. The colour cover had been replaced by a black-and-white version (as seen here).
The album has sold approximately 2.5 million copies worldwide, which includes about 1.5 million of those in the USA, where it was certified platinum by the RIAA.
Reception
Reviews for Kissing to Be Clever have been generally mixed to positive. Allmusic's Lindsay Planer rated it four out of five stars. She noted that it "was embraced by not only post-disco dance music enthusiasts, but also new wave listeners and pop fans as well." She also stated that the singles "provide accurate thumbnail sketches of what Culture Club were capable of pulling off musically." She concluded by saying: "From the light and buoyant Philly soul-inspired string arrangement to the effervescent and singalongable chorus, the melody foreshadowed a similar vibe that would carry over to their sophomore long-player, Colour by Numbers." Robert Christgau rated the album a B, explaining that "for all [Culture Club's] fashionability I think their hearts are in the right place". However, he stated that "their bland Caribbean rhythms move no muscles, and their confrontations with racial issues are rarely more than a phrase deep." Lloyd Sachs rated it three-and-a-half out of five stars, explaining that the album "positively jumps, from the pleasure-seeking masochism of "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" to the fearful soul-searching of "I'm Afraid of Me" to the shady "I'll Tumble 4 Ya"". He further stated that "[Boy George's] vocal "normalcy" [plays] against the provocative content of the material." He concluded that "the beat does special service to the message – even when we don't quite know what that message is."Track listing
All songs by Culture ClubSide One
- "White Boy" [Dance Mix] – 4:40
- "You Know I'm Not Crazy" – 3:36
- "I'll Tumble 4 YaI'll Tumble 4 Ya"I'll Tumble 4 Ya" was a single from Culture Club's debut album Kissing to Be Clever.The single was released only in North America, peaking at number nine in both the U.S. and Canada...
" – 2:36 - "Take Control" – 3:09
- "Love Twist" [Featuring Captain Crucial] – 4:23
Side Two
- "Boy Boy (I'm the Boy)" – 3:50
- "I'm Afraid of Me" [Remix] – 3:16
- "White Boys Can't Control It" – 3:43
- "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" – 4:22
Later releases have "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" as the opening track of Side 2 (#6), and "Time (Clock of the Heart)" as the final song (#10).
Bonus tracks on the reissue
- "Love Is Cold (You Were Never No Good)" –
- "Murder Rap Trap" –
- "Time (Clock of the Heart)" –
- "Romance Beyond the Alphabet" –
While on some Japanese editions of the album, the Japan-only single "Mystery Boy" was included, the following is the order of the tracks on the album as released by Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
:
- "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" is a song recorded by Culture Club and was released as a single from the album Kissing to Be Clever.-History:...
" – 4:22 - "I'm Afraid of Me" [Remix] – 3:16
- "You Know I'm Not Crazy" – 3:36
- "I'll Tumble 4 YaI'll Tumble 4 Ya"I'll Tumble 4 Ya" was a single from Culture Club's debut album Kissing to Be Clever.The single was released only in North America, peaking at number nine in both the U.S. and Canada...
" – 2:36 - "Love Twist" [Featuring Captain Crucial] – 4:23
- "Time (Clock of the Heart)" – 3:41
- "White Boy" [Dance Mix] – 4:40
- "Boy Boy (I'm the Boy)" – 3:50
- "White Boys Can't Control It" – 3:43
- "Take Control" – 3:09
Personnel
- Boy GeorgeBoy GeorgeBoy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
– vocals - Michael CraigMikey CraigMikey Craig is a former DJ who became the bassist with Culture Club, one of the most popular bands of the 1980s.-Personal life:...
– bass - Roy Hay – guitar, piano, keyboards, sitarSitarThe 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
, electric sitarElectric sitarAn electric sitar is a kind of electric guitar designed to mimic the sound of the traditional Indian instrument, the sitar. Depending on the manufacturer and model, these instruments bear varying degrees of resemblance to the traditional sitar... - Jon MossJon MossJon Moss is an English drummer best known as a member of the 1980s pop group Culture Club. He has also played with other bands, including London, The Nips and The Damned.-Early life:...
– percussion, drums
Additional musicians
- Keith Miller – synclavierSynclavierThe Synclavier System was an early digital synthesizer, polyphonic digital sampling system, and music workstation, manufactured by New England Digital Corporation, Norwich, VT. The original design and development of the Synclavier prototype occurred at Dartmouth College with the collaboration of...
- Terry Bailey – trumpet
- Colin Campsie – background vocals
- Nicky Payne – fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846... - Denise Spooner – background vocals
- Helen TerryHelen TerryHelen Terry is a British singer, known for her backing vocal work with Culture Club. As a solo performer, she scored a Top 40 hit single in 1984 with "Love Lies Lost", and released one album in 1986, Blue Notes....
– backing vocals - Phil Pickett – keyboards, background vocals
Production
- Producer: Steve Levine
- Engineer: Steve Levine
- Assistant engineer: Gordon Milne
- Mixing: Steve Levine, Jon Moss
- Synclavier programming: Keith Miller
- Drum programming: Jon Moss
- Cover Design: Jik Graham
- Photography: Mark Lebon
- Artwork: Jackie Ball
- Logo: Jik Graham, Nick Egan
- Typography: Jik Graham
- Make-Up: Boy GeorgeBoy GeorgeBoy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
Album
| Chart (1982–1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
5 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
14 |
| U.S. Top R&B Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
24 |
Singles
| Chart (1982–1983) | Single | Peak position |
|---|---|---|
| "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" | UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
1 |
| "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
2 |
| "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" | U.S. R&B Singles Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
39 |
| "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" | U.S. Adult Contemporary | 8 |
| "Time (Clock of the Heart) Time (Clock of the Heart) "Time " is a song by the British band Culture Club, released as stand-alone single in most of the world and as the second single from their debut album Kissing to Be Clever in North America. Following on the heels of the number-one UK hit, "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me", "Time " peaked at number... " |
UK Singles Chart | 3 |
| "Time (Clock of the Heart)" | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 2 |
| "I'll Tumble 4 Ya I'll Tumble 4 Ya "I'll Tumble 4 Ya" was a single from Culture Club's debut album Kissing to Be Clever.The single was released only in North America, peaking at number nine in both the U.S. and Canada... " |
U.S. Adult Contemporary | 33 |
| "I'll Tumble 4 Ya" | U.S. Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
14 |
| "I'll Tumble 4 Ya" | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 9 |
| "I'm Afraid of Me" / "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" | U.S. Hot Dance Club Play | 34 |
Release details
| Country | Date | Label | Format | Catalog |
| UK | 1982 | Virgin Virgin Records Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny... |
LP | V2232 |
| 1983 | Virgin Virgin Records Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny... |
CD | 91390 | |
| LP | 38398 | |||
| 1990 | CD | V2-86179 | ||
| 2003 | CD | 92404 |