Culture Club’s hit “Karma Chameleon” is an ’80s new wave song about not being true to yourself and the toll that takes on a relationship. Boy George has said many of the songs he wrote at this time, including this one, were about his secret relationship with Culture Club drummer Jon Moss.
Below is a section-by-section interpretation of the lyrics in “Karma Chameleon.”
- Song: Karma Chameleon
- Artist: Culture Club
- Songwriters: Boy George, Jon Moss, Mikey Craig, Roy Hay, Phil Pickett
- Released: 1983
- Album: Colour by Numbers
- Genre: New wave, Soul, R&B
What is “Karma Chameleon” About?
Verse 1 + Pre-Chorus 1: A Partner Who Won’t Fully Commit
Desert loving in your eyes all the way
He’s looking into his partner’s eyes and seeing emptiness rather than love.
If I listen to your lies, would you say
I’m a man without conviction
He’s asking whether going along with his partner’s dishonesty would make him look weak or unprincipled.
He seems to be in a situation where he’s put in a lot of effort and might be willing to lie to himself to keep the relationship going. In other words, denial.
I’m a man who doesn’t know
How to sell a contradiction
This is a fitting struggle for someone in the ’80s keeping a gay relationship hidden while performing as a different version of himself in public, as Boy George was.
You come and go, you come and go
This sums up his partner’s behavior. He’s never fully present and never fully gone, just cycling back and forth without fully committing.
Chorus: Wishing for Loyalty
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
He calls his partner a “karma chameleon,” someone who changes who they are depending on the company. Of course, Boy George could also be talking about himself in this situation since he was hiding his relationship at the time.
George explained the song is about the fear people have of standing up for what they believe, and how trying to please everyone eventually catches up with you the way karma does.
Loving would be easy if your colours were like my dream
Red, gold and green, red, gold and green
He’s saying it would be easier to love his partner if they were consistent.
The meaning behind the colors has never been verified, but they are three of the colors chameleons can turn.
Verse 2 + Pre-Chorus 2: Struggling to Hold On
Didn’t hear your wicked words every day
His partner wasn’t cruel all the time.
The hurtful moments came and went, which made the good stretches feel more confusing in retrospect.
And you used to be so sweet, I heard you say
That my love was an addiction
His partner used to tell him that he wanted to be around him all the time.
All of those nice moments are why they’re still in this relationship.
When we cling, our love is strong
When you go, you’re gone forever
The relationship swings between two extremes with nothing steady in between.
In their good moments, it’s a perfect relationship. When his partner physically leaves or has moments when he’s not feeling it, he can seem to be detached forever.
You string along, you string along
His partner keeps him hanging on without ever fully committing.
Bridge: Naming What They Should Be
Every day is like survival
You’re my lover, not my rival
This relationship is exhausting. For Boy George, this was probably one of the only people with whom he could be fully honest, so he wants it to work regardless of the issues.
By saying his partner isn’t his “rival,” he’s reminding him that they’re supposed to be on the same side, even when it feels like they’re working against each other.
“Karma Chameleon” Song Meaning: Not Being True to Yourself
“Karma Chameleon” is about loving someone who keeps shifting to match whoever’s around them rather than just being themselves. Boy George has said it’s about people who try to please everyone instead of standing for something, eventually facing “karma” for it.
Underneath the nice, danceable sound, the song is really about exhaustion and frustration. Loving someone who won’t fully commit, whether that’s about loyalty or identity, takes its toll.
Songs Like “Karma Chameleon”
Here are some songs with similar themes:
1. “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper
Using the same idea of colors representing someone’s real self, Lauper’s 1986 hit is about loving a person enough to see past the mask they show the world and encouraging them to stop hiding who they are.
Related: Best Songs About Friendship
2. “Smalltown Boy” by Bronski Beat
Written from the perspective of a gay teenager leaving home, “Smalltown Boy” is about facing rejection for being different and the difficult choice to walk away from a place that won’t accept you.
3. “Karma Police” by Radiohead
“Karma Police” leans into the same idea of karma catching up with people, calling out those who treat others poorly and imagining some form of justice finally getting them.
Final Thoughts
I must have listened to “Karma Chameleon” about 100 times before I really paid attention to the lyrics, mostly because I was too busy rocking out to it in my car. I don’t necessarily rate it higher now than I did before I paid attention (since I already loved it), but it does make me think of all the people out there who have a tough time (or fear) being their true selves every time I hear it.
Check out more 1980s Song Meanings!
