Colour by Numbers

by

Culture Club

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Colour by Numbers is an album by New Wave band Culture Club, released in 1983 (see 1983 in music). It featured several international hits such as "Church of the Poison Mind" and the worldwide hit "Karma Chameleon" which had sales of over one million in the United Kingdom alone. The album showcased the vocal talents of Helen Terry alongside Boy George, and chartwise improved upon the successful formula of Culture Club's début album Kissing to Be Clever.

In 1989, Colour by Numbers was ranked #96 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 greatest albums of the 1980s.

The album sold more than 16 million copies worldwide and, like its predecessor, contained several hit singles. Released worldwide "Church of the Poison Mind" went Top 10 in UK, USA, Canada, Australia and many European countries. "Karma Chameleon", however, was the signature track from the album and charted #1 almost everywhere. "Victims" was released in Europe and Oceania only but was a surprising Top 5 hit in the UK and Australia for an orchestral ballad. "Miss Me Blind" was released in Japan, Australia, plus North and South America with great success (Top 5 in Canada and USA). "It's A Miracle" was issued next almost everywhere, while "Mister Man" was released only in South Africa.

The album went gold or platinum in many countries. In Canada, Culture Club was the first band to achieve 10 x platinum success, giving the album the "diamond" status (more than a million copies sold).

In an interview in 1998, the four members of Culture Club agreed that "Colour By Numbers" was their best work.