Do You Really Want To Hurt Me

"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. "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" was the third single released in Europe by Culture Club and their debut release in the U.S. 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 entered the charts in the US at #80 on 4 December 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. 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.

[Verse 1] Give me time to realise my crime Let me love and steal I have danced inside your eyes How can I be real? [Chorus] Do you really want to hurt me? Do you really want to make me cry? Precious kisses, words that burn me Lovers never ask you why [Verse 2] In my heart the fire's burning Choose my colour, find a star Precious people always tell me That's a step, a step too far [Chorus] Do you really want to hurt me? Do you really want to make me cry? Do you really want to hurt me? Do you really want to make me cry? [Verse 3] Words are few I have spoken I could waste a thousand years Wrapped in sorrow, words are token Come inside and catch my tears You've been talking but believe me If it's true you do not know This boy loves without a reason I'm prepared to let you go [Bridge] If it's love you want from me Then take it away Everything's not what you see It's over again [Chorus] Do you really want to hurt me? Do you really want to make me cry? Do you really want to hurt me? Do you really want to make me cry? Do you really want to hurt me? Do you really want to make me cry? Do you really want to hurt me? Do you really want to make me cry? Do you really want to hurt me? Do you really want to make me cry?