The second wave of British rock music was very different from the 1960s, but no less captivating. While the 1980s didn't feature the Rolling Stones or the Beatles, music fans were treated to Duran Duran and Culture Club, among many others. Good music is good music.
As for Boy George and Culture Club, the United States wasn't quite ready for them. Long before the term "transgender" was widely used or even accepted (if it's even accepted by the majority), Boy George openly declared himself who he was and proud of it.
Well done! He not only strived to achieve his personal best outside of music, but also showed the world the greatness of his sound. His band's songs remain iconic, as does his image.
Boy George and Culture Club have re-released one of their best songs.
However, one of Culture Club's best tracks was never released in America. Instead, "Victims" was replaced by "Miss Me Blind." The latter is a true gem, worthy of repeated listens, but it pales in comparison to the brilliance and unadulterated beauty of "Victims.".
As part of the band's recent international effort to introduce their catalog to a global audience, the original version of "Victims" was released on YouTube. If you haven't heard it yet (and longtime fans certainly have), get ready.
This composition is pure glamour and balladry, songs like this still wouldn't find acceptance on modern radio, not because it's not epic (it certainly is), but because it didn't, and doesn't, conform to notions of political correctness. It's too glitzy and overly focused on Boy George's relationship with Culture Club drummer Jon Moss at the time. Shocking for the '80s, only in America.
As for the song, which rightfully earned a top-five spot in the US, as well as in the UK, Ireland, and Australia, it's a piano-driven drama featuring Boy George's impeccable vocals. His voice has always been one of pop music's finest and most underrated instruments.
Even if there were no piano and only Boy George singing, the song would still have a powerful impact. The listener would be swept up in a wave of emotion—a talent possessed only by the greatest vocalists.
It's also significant that the drums kick in mid-song, and the backing vocals reach a level that enhances all the track's merits. But make no mistake: this song is Boy George's, and it's magnificent.
This article originally appeared on www.audiophix.com under the title "Culture Club Brings Back a Song America Never Really Discovered.".