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Do You Really Want to Hurt Me
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Do You Really Want to Hurt Me
| cover = Do You Really Want To Hurt Me.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Culture Club
| album = Kissing to Be Clever
| B-side =
| released = 6 September 1982
| recorded = 1982
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 4:22
| label =
| writer =
| producer = Steve Levine
| prev_title = Mystery Boy
| prev_year = 1982
| next_title = Time (Clock of the Heart)
| next_year = 1982
| misc =
}}
"'Do You Really Want to Hurt Me'" is a song written and performed by English new wave band Culture Club. Released as a single in September 1982 from the group's platinum-selling debut album, 'Kissing to Be Clever' (1982), it was the band's first UK No. 1 hit. In the United States, the single was released in November 1982 and also became a hit, reaching No. 2 for three weeks.
Re-released as a reggaeton remix in France, it was again a top 16 hit in the summer of 2005.
Release
"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" was the third single released in Europe by Culture Club and their debut release in the United States and Canada. The song was picked up by BBC Radio 2 and became a UK No. 1 single for three weeks in October 1982. It entered the American Pop chart the week ending 4 December 1982, hit No. 1 in 'Cash Box' magazine, and held at No. 2 for three weeks on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 chart in March and April 1983 (kept from the No. 1 spot by the massive success of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean"). The single hit No. 1 in Canada. It was also number one in Australia.
This was Culture Club's first major success, after their first two releases, "White Boy" and "I'm Afraid of Me", charted lower in the UK at No. 114 and No. 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.
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."
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."
The B-side was a dub version featuring Pappa Weasel in many countries and "You Know I'm Not Crazy" on the US release. On the 12" version of the record, the track "Love Is Cold (You Were Never No Good)" was also included.
Remixes
The song was remixed by DJs 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 as a reggaeton remix in France, it was again a top 16 hit in the summer of 2005.
Music video
The accompanying music video for the song, directed by Julien Temple, featured lead singer Boy George on trial in a courtroom (filmed in Islington Town Hall Council Chamber), with flashbacks to the Gargoyle Club, Soho in 1936 and the Dolphin Square Health Club, Pimlico in 1957 (actually filmed at the now disused Hornsey Road swimming baths in Islington). 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" ( ), a literal translation of the individual words "culture" and "association" (which is probably a mistranslation of "club") in a grammatically incorrect order.
Track listings
* '7-inch'
:A. "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" 4:22
:B. "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (Dub version) (feat. Pappa Weasel) 3:38
(Released at least in UK, Canada, Australia, France, West Germany, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Spain, Sweden)
:A. "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" 4:23
:B. "You Know I'm Not Crazy" 3:35
(Released in USA, Mexico)
* '12-inch'
:A1. "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" 4:22
:A2. "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (Dub Version) 3:38
:B1. "Love Is Cold" (non-album track) 4:23
(Released at least in UK, Canada (different cover), USA, Australia, France, West Germany, Italy, Netherlands (different cover), Spain)
* 'CD single (1992 re-issue)'
# "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" 4:22
# "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (Dub Version) 3:38
# "Bow Down Mister" (Sitari Bizarri Mix) 6:24 (Released in Germany in 1992, to promote the compilation album 'Spin Dazzle')
* 'CD single (2005 remix)'
# "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (DJ LBR 2005 remix) 3:59
# "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" 4:25
(Released as a remix version in France, to promote the compilation album 'Culture Club 2005 Singles & Remixes', with new video)
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Sales and certifications
Blue Lagoon version
The song was covered in 2005 by German band Blue Lagoon on its album 'Club Lagoon' and became a hit in Europe.
Track listings
'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
References
Category:1982 songs
Category:1982 singles
Category:1991 singles
Category:2005 singles
Category:Culture Club songs
Category:Songs written by Boy George
Category:Songs written by Roy Hay (musician)
Category:Songs written by Mikey Craig
Category:Songs written by Jon Moss
Category:Song recordings produced by Steve Levine
Category:Blue Lagoon (band) songs
Category:Cashbox number-one singles
Category:European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles
Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:Number-one singles in Australia
Category:Number-one singles in Austria
Category:Number-one singles in Germany
Category:Number-one singles in Sweden
Category:Number-one singles in Switzerland
Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles
Category:UK Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:LGBT-related songs
Category:Virgin Records singles
Category:Epic Records singles
Category:Sony Music singles
Category:Music videos directed by Julien Temple
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