Do You Really Want to Hurt Me

"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me"
Single by Culture Club
from the album Kissing to Be Clever
Released	6 September 1982 / November, 1982 (US)
Genre	New wave, blue-eyed soul, reggae
Length	4:22
Label	Virgin Epic (US)
Writer(s)	Culture Club
Producer(s)	Steve Levine
Culture Club singles chronology
"Mystery Boy" (Japan) (1982) "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (1982) "Time (Clock of the Heart)" (1982)

"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" is a song written and recorded by the British new wave band Culture Club. Released as a single in September 1982 from the group's platinum-selling debut album Kissing to Be Clever, it was the band's first UK #1 hit. In the United States, the single was released in November 1982 and also became a huge hit, reaching #2 for three weeks, behind "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson.

History

"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 #1 single for three weeks in October 1982. The song entered the American Pop chart the week ending December 4, 1982. It hit #1 in Cash Box magazine and held at #2 for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 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 also hit #1 in Canada. 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.

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 20 hit in the summer of 2005.

Music video

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.

Track listings

7"

A. "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" – 4:22
B. "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (Dub Version) – 3:38
(Released at least in UK, Canada, Australia, France, 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"

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, Germany, Italy, Netherlands (different cover), Spain)

CD single (1992 re-issue)

1. "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" – 4:22
2. "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (Dub Version) – 3:38
3. "Bow Down Mister" (Sitari Bizarri Mix) – 6:24 (Released in Germany in 1992, to promote the compilation album Spin Dazzle)

CD single (2005 remix)

1. "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (DJ LBR 2005 remix) – 3:59
2. "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 and certifications

Chart positions

Chart (1982-1983)	Peak position
Australian Singles Chart	1
Austrian Singles Chart	1
Canadian Hot 100	1
Danish Singles Chart	2
European Hot 100 Singles	1
French Singles Chart	1
German Singles Chart	1
Irish Singles Chart	1
Italian Singles Chart	2
Japan Singles Chart	23
New Zealand Singles Chart	2
Norwegian Singles Chart	2
Swedish Singles Chart	1
Swiss Singles Chart	1
UK Singles Chart	1
US Hot Black Singles	39
US Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks	8
US Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks	21
US Billboard Hot 100	2
Chart (2005)	Peak position
Belgian Singles Chart (Wallonia)	24
French Singles Chart	16

Sales and certifications

Region	Certification	Sales/shipments
Canada (Music Canada)	Platinum	150,000
France (SNEP)	Gold	1,040,000
Germany (BVMI)	Gold	250,000
United Kingdom (BPI)	Gold	500,000
Total available sales:		1,940,000
*sales figures based on certification alone ^shipments figures based on certification alone xunspecified figures based on certification alone

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

"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me"
Single by Blue Lagoon
from the album Club Lagoon
B-side	Extended version
Released	February 13, 2005
Format	CD single CD maxi
Length	3:29
Label	Kon$um, SME
Writer(s)	Michael Craig Roy Hay Jon Moss George O'Dowd
Producer(s)	Felix J. Gauder
Blue Lagoon singles chronology
"Break My Stride" (2004) "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (2005) "Heartbreaker" (2005)

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

1. "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (radio edit) — 3:29
2. "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (extended version) — 4:59

Charts

Chart (2005)	Peak position
Austrian Singles Chart	21
Danish Singles Chart	11
German Singles Chart	13
Swedish Singles Chart	29
Swiss Singles Chart	32

Other cover versions

• In 2014, singer-songwriter Rachael Yamagata released a cover version of the song on the multi-artist compilation album Here Comes The Reign Again: The Second British Invasion.
• In 1987, the reggae group the Heptones released a cover version on their album Changing Times
• 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 2007 Kate Ceberano recorded a version for her Nine Lime Avenue album.
• In 2008, Karen Souza covered the song for the album Jazz and the 80s.
• In 2010, Amanda Lear recorded a dance version for her 2010 album Brief Encounters Reloaded.
• In 1997, Shortcut recorded a dance-reggae version that appeared in the albums, Super Mario Hits and Total Thrill. Both contain various artists songs.

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics