“Karma Chameleon” Lyrics & Meaning (Culture Club)

We all know what a chameleon is.

But what does it have to do with karma?

Or are we talking about a specific type of chameleon that is called the “Karma Chameleon”?

Not quite. The Karma Chameleon lyrics meaning has nothing to do with an actual chameleon.

But it has a lot to do with karma.

Keep reading to learn all about the meaning of this monster hit, and what Boy George had in mind when he wrote the lyrics.

 

Karma Chameleon Lyrics And Meaning

Karma Chameleon is a song from Culture Club’s second album, Colour by Numbers. It was released in 1983. It is an iconic song from the 1980s thanks to its unique style, catchy tune, and deep themes

Karma Chameleon was a major hit and reached number one in many countries. Even to this day, the song is a firm favorite when it comes to parties and events.

The song performed incredibly well on the charts. It became Culture Club’s second number one in the U.K. after their hit, Do You Really Want to Hurt Me. Karma Chameleon stayed in the number one spot for six weeks and became the U.K.’s biggest selling song of 1983.

The song was written by Culture Club members Boy George, Jon Moss, Mikey Craig, Roy Hay, and Phil Pickett. Boy George revealed he wrote the song while on holiday in Egypt, but members of the band weren’t huge fans of the song at first. They felt it sounded like a country and western song.

The music video for Karma Chameleon is set in Mississippi in the 1870s and reflects a carnival-like atmosphere. It has a riverboat setting where a thief is caught cheating at poker and is then forced to walk the plank.

The visual elements of the video have themes of identity, fluidity, and consequences. Boy George is also shown in his standard colorful clothing and wearing fingerless gloves, long braids in his hair, and a black bowler hat.

 

Karma Chameleon Lyrics

 

Verse 1

Desert loving in your eyes all the way
If I listen to your lies, would you say?

I’m a man without conviction
I’m a man who doesn’t know
How to sell a contradiction
You come and go, you come and go

Chorus

Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colours were like my dream
Red, gold and green, red, gold and green

Verse 2

Didn’t hear your wicked words every day
And you used to be so sweet, I heard you say

That my love was an addiction
When we cling, our love is strong
When you go, you’re gone forever
You string along, you string along

Chorus

Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colours were like my dream
Red, gold and green, red, gold and green

Bridge

Every day is like survival (Survival)
You’re my lover, not my rival
Every day is like survival (Survival)
You’re my lover, not my rival

I’m a man without conviction
I’m a man who doesn’t know
How to sell a contradiction
You come and go, you come and go

Chorus

Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colours were like my dream
Red, gold and green, red, gold and green
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colours were like my dream
Red gold and green, red gold and green
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colours were like my dream
Red, gold and green, red, gold and green
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colours were like my dream
Red, gold and green, red, gold and green

 

Karma Chameleon Meaning

The lyrics of this song explore themes of love, deception, and consequences. The song focuses on people’s emotions surrounding relationships and touches on elements of karma as a universal idea for cause and effect.

According to Boy George, the song addresses fears of alienation and how important it is to be true to yourself. He suggested that those who aren’t genuine will face “karma justice,” which is a form of retribution by nature.

The Karma Chameleon lyrics center around a man struggling with inconsistency and unpredictability in a relationship. This is especially evident in the chorus of the song, which emphasizes the cyclic nature of karma and reveals that all actions have consequences.

There are lines such as “I’m a man without conviction” that hint at self-doubt and the challenges of maintaining stability when relationships are changing.

The song has a catchy chorus, an upbeat melody, and perfect storytelling, which has caused it to resonate with many and reinforce the possibility that all actions can be followed with karma.

When Boy George was specifically asked what the song was about in an interview, he stated, “The song is about the terrible fear of alienation that people have, the fear of standing up for one thing.”

He then went on to say the song is about trying to suck up to everyone and if you aren’t true, then karma will come and find you.

Many of the lyrics in this song were actually inspired by the relationship that Boy George had with his Culture Club bandmate, drummer Jon Moss. This is referenced in the song with the line, “You’re my lover, not my rival.”

It was a difficult relationship for Boy George, as he struggled to balance a professional and romantic relationship. The relationship was hidden from the public, too, so Boy George saw songwriting as his outlet for writing out his feelings about it.

 

Karma Chameleon Lyrics Meaning: Final Thoughts

The idea that some larger-than-life force like karma will come for those who deserve it and deliver retribution gives many who have been wronged comfort. In the Karma Chameleon lyrics meaning, it will come for those who are not true to themselves.

That is where the chameleon comes in. this lizard can famously change its colors whenever it wants to (ok, I’m actually not sure if that’s how it works, but whatever) and as such, is the perfect metaphor for someone who is not true to themselves.