You’ve heard the harmonica. You've definitely hummed that "red, gold, and green" hook while doing the dishes or stuck in traffic. It’s one of those songs that feels like it has always existed, woven into the very fabric of 1980s pop culture. But if you’re asking who sings Karma Chameleon, the answer is a lot more colorful than just a name on a record sleeve.
Culture Club sang it. Specifically, the flamboyant, soulful, and often polarizing Boy George led the charge.
Released in 1983, "Karma Chameleon" wasn't just a catchy tune; it was a global juggernaut. It stayed at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and dominated the UK charts for six. But the story of how a group of London club kids created a Diamond-certified anthem involves secret romances, backstage bickering, and a harmonica solo that almost didn't happen.
The Voice Behind the Makeup
Boy George—born George Alan O'Dowd—is the unmistakable voice of the track. While the public in the early '80s was often distracted by his androgynous style, braided hair, and heavy ribbons, his vocal ability was the real engine. He had this weirdly perfect mix of blue-eyed soul and Motown influence. It sounded nothing like the synth-heavy, robotic pop that was starting to take over the airwaves at the time.
Culture Club wasn't just George, though. The band consisted of Jon Moss on drums, Roy Hay on guitars and keyboards, and Mikey Craig on bass.
Funny enough, the band didn't even like the song at first. When George brought the idea to them, they thought it sounded like a nursery rhyme. Or worse—country music. Roy Hay famously told George that they couldn't record it because it sounded like a "commercial for something." They almost threw away the biggest hit of their careers because it felt too simple.
George pushed for it. He knew the melody was an earworm. He also knew the lyrics were deeply personal, even if the world just saw them as psychedelic gibberish.
What the Lyrics Actually Mean
Most people think "Karma Chameleon" is just about colors and lizards. It's not. George wrote the lyrics about his turbulent, secret relationship with the band's drummer, Jon Moss. At the time, the public didn't know they were a couple. In fact, most of the band's biggest hits—"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me," "Time (Clock of the Heart)"—were essentially George’s diary entries about Moss.
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The line "You come and go, you come and go" refers to the inconsistency of the relationship. George was living out loud, but Moss wasn't ready to be public about their romance. That friction created a "chameleon" effect—people changing who they are to fit in or to avoid confrontation.
George once explained in an interview that the song is about the fear of alienation. It’s about people who act one way with you and another way with the rest of the world. If you aren't true to yourself, you get "karma" back. It’s a pretty heavy concept for a song that most people play at weddings after three glasses of champagne.
That Iconic Harmonica
We have to talk about the harmonica. It defines the track.
The man playing those bluesy riffs wasn't a member of Culture Club. It was Judd Lander. He was a session musician who also played the harmonica on the Spice Girls' "Say You'll Be There" years later. Lander’s contribution gave the song a "campfire" feel that separated it from the cold, digital sounds of 1983. It made the song feel organic. It felt human.
Why Culture Club Almost Broke Up During the Recording
Recording Colour by Numbers, the album featuring "Karma Chameleon," was a nightmare. George and Jon Moss were fighting constantly. According to various biographies and VH1 Behind the Music specials, the sessions were fueled by jealousy and the pressure of sudden, massive fame.
The band was recording at Townhouse Studios in London. While the track sounds upbeat and sunny, the atmosphere in the studio was often toxic. George was demanding perfection, and the romantic tension between the lead singer and the drummer was reaching a breaking point.
Despite the chaos, the chemistry worked. The album went on to sell over 16 million copies. It’s a testament to the idea that sometimes, great art requires a little bit of misery behind the scenes.
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The Music Video and the Mississippi Myth
The video for "Karma Chameleon" is a staple of early MTV. It features the band on a riverboat called the Scarlett Belle. It looks like it was filmed on the Mississippi River in the 1800s, with everyone dressed in period-accurate (sort of) costumes and George in his signature braids.
Except it wasn't the Mississippi.
They filmed it at Desborough Island in Weybridge, England. It’s a man-made island in the River Thames. If you look closely at the background, you can almost feel the cold British air, despite everyone trying to look like they’re in the humid American South. The video leaned heavily into the "Red, Gold, and Green" lyric, which George later clarified was a nod to the colors of the Ethiopian flag and the Rastafarian movement, reflecting his interest in multiculturalism.
The Legacy of the Song
"Karma Chameleon" is one of those rare tracks that crossed every demographic. It wasn't just for the New Romantics in London. It was a hit in the U.S., South Africa, Australia, and across Europe.
It also served as a cultural bridge. In 1983, seeing a man in full makeup and dresses on Top of the Pops was still shocking to a large portion of the audience. But the song was so undeniable, so catchy, that it forced people to accept Boy George. He became a household name not just for his look, but because he sang the song that everyone's kids were singing.
Critics at the time were mixed, but history has been kind. Rolling Stone and Pitchfork have both noted the song’s impeccable production. It’s a masterclass in how to write a pop bridge. The way the backing vocals (provided by Helen Terry, whose powerhouse voice is all over that era of Culture Club) lift the chorus is pure magic.
Common Misconceptions About the Song
People get a lot of things wrong about this track. No, it isn't a reggae song, though it borrows from the vibe. No, it wasn't written for a movie. And surprisingly, it wasn't the band's first choice for a lead single.
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Another weird myth: Some people think the song was a cover. It’s not. It was an original composition by the four band members. However, they did face a minor legal hiccup. Many listeners pointed out that the chorus sounded suspiciously like the Jimmy Cliff song "I Can See Clearly Now." The band denied any intentional copying, and the "controversy" mostly faded into the background because "Karma Chameleon" was simply too big to fail.
The Impact on Boy George's Career
For George, the song became both a blessing and a curse. It made him a multimillionaire and a fashion icon. But it also locked him into a specific image. When the band eventually broke up in 1986—largely due to the implosion of the George/Moss relationship and George's burgeoning drug addiction—he struggled to find that same level of solo success.
He eventually reinvented himself as a world-class DJ and a judge on The Voice, but "Karma Chameleon" remains the first line of his biography. He still performs it today, often with a more stripped-back, soulful arrangement that highlights how well the songwriting holds up even without the '80s gloss.
How to Experience the Song Today
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of Culture Club after finding out who sings Karma Chameleon, don't just stop at the greatest hits.
- Listen to the "Colour by Numbers" Full Album: It is widely considered one of the best pop albums of the decade. Tracks like "Church of the Poison Mind" show off the Motown influence even better than the singles.
- Watch the Live Aid Performance: Culture Club played the London set in 1985. It’s a snapshot of the band at their peak, right before things started to unravel.
- Read "Take It Like a Man": This is Boy George's autobiography. It is brutally honest, funny, and gives the raw details of the relationship that inspired the song.
"Karma Chameleon" isn't just a 1983 relic. It’s a piece of pop history that proved you could be weird, you could be flamboyant, and you could be honest about your heartbreak, all while reaching number one.
To get the most out of this track's history, check out the remastered 2003 versions of their catalog, which clean up the analog hiss of the original tapes. You’ll hear layers in the percussion and the backing vocals that get lost on standard radio play. If you're a musician, try learning the bass line; Mikey Craig’s work on the track is often overlooked but provides the essential "shuffle" that makes the song danceable.
Next Steps for Music Lovers:
Explore the soul influences that Boy George admired. Listen to Smokey Robinson and the Miracles or early Gladys Knight. You will hear the DNA of "Karma Chameleon" in those 1960s records, particularly in the vocal phrasing and the "call and response" style Culture Club mastered. If you're interested in the technical side, look up Judd Lander’s session work to see how a single instrument can define a billion-dollar hit.