https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt An analysis by Isabel Mattick en-us 2019-05-21 14:01:04 UTC 2025-10-07 13:22:09 UTC hello@padlet.com https://imgglb.padletcdn.com/v13/image?t=g_auto&url=https%3A%2F%2Fpadlet.net%2Ficons%2Fpng%2F1f3ad.png 3310831 https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/362151979 The speaker of this song is the singer, Boy George. It is important to note that throughout the height of the band's career, him and the drummer, Jon Moss, had an on-again off-again relationship that influenced much of Culture Club's music. That being said, the undeniable audience of the song is said drummer. The purpose is tell him that the two-faced way in which he's acting in their relationship is similar to the way a chameleon changes the color of its skin. One minute he loves him, the next he doesn't. This relates to the subject of the song which is  one person in a relationship being only half invested while the other person is giving it one hundred percent. When analyzing the lyrics, there is no particular occasion that the song is about. It's more of a general message for another person.]]> 2019-05-21 14:13:29 UTC https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/362151979 3310831 https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/362414098 The scorned lover, Boy George, uses ethos, pathos, and logos in the lyrics and video of his song, "Karma Chameleon" to convince his boyfriend that he's acting like a chameleon in the way that he deals with their relationship. Boy George's use of appeals through imagery and symbols is effective in conveying the purpose.]]> 2019-05-22 05:31:21 UTC https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/362414098 3310831 https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/362687267 Out of all the three basic appeals, this song is most heavy in Ethos. Since the song is about how a certain person acts in a relationship, Boy George attempts to establish the credibility of both him as the receiver of this behavior and the other person as the lover acting in such a way towards him.

The first instance of ethos in the song is the four lines in the beginning that say "If I listened 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". This uses ethos to establish that Jon Moss, as a lover, isn't truthful. These lyrics are Boy George wondering if he were to actually listen and believe the lies he's being told, would Moss really consider him "a man without firm beliefs". Another example of ethos is "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". This set of lyrics gives credibility to Boy George because he's the one who has to receive this treatment so he knows better than anyone that Moss is acting like a chameleon; he is loving when they are together, but when he leaves, he makes it seem like he's never coming back. It also gives credibility to Jon Moss as this apparent two-faced lover. "Didn't hear your wicked words everyday/I heard you say/that my love was an addiction." Establishes that Moss isn't always this evil man who discredits his relationship with Boy George; sometimes, he's simply a man who acts like he's in love.]]> 2019-05-22 19:18:04 UTC https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/362687267 3310831 https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/362716919 There is barely any trace of logos in this song except for one line: "You come and go, you come and go". This is the only example of logos in the song because it is an established fact that during the course of their time together, Jon Moss frequently left the relationship only to come back later. Other than this, most of the lyrics are examples of pathos or ethos.]]> 2019-05-22 21:10:37 UTC https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/362716919 3310831 https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/362725525 When you read between the lines, this is a very emotional song. The lyrics "Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams." on a surface level already have a lot of emotion tied to it. The words "loving" and "dreams" invoke a sense of happiness within us. But the true meaning of the words are a lot deeper. Boy George has always been an icon for the LGBT community, even during times when it was harder to be. The lyrics mentioned before hold a sense of longing because he's telling Jon Moss that if he were openly gay like him, their love and relationship would be stronger. Another example of pathos in the song is "You string along, you string along". The use of this phrase is heartbreaking because many people can relate to the feeling. The singer uses it to show that his lover hurts him in more way than one. The final case of pathos is "You're my lover, not my rival." because it appeals to the heart. The drummer is supposed to be Boy George's significant other, a person that supports you, but instead, he's treating him as an enemy. ]]> 2019-05-22 22:01:28 UTC https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/362725525 3310831 https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/362747121 It's worth mentioning that the music video for "Karma Chameleon" has nothing to do with the meaning of the song. It doesn't convey the purpose and tells a completely different story.]]> 2019-05-23 00:18:05 UTC https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/362747121 3310831 https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/362747533 2019-05-23 00:20:17 UTC https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/362747533 3310831 https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/363843044 Through the use of colors, lighting, and dancing, the music video for "Karma Chameleon" conveys a feeling of happiness and joy.]]> 2019-05-27 23:17:37 UTC https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/363843044 3310831 https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/363883239 By showing several example, the music video for "Karma Chameleon" effectively displays ethos (and one example of logos) by establishing the credibility of the main character as a shifty, two-faced man.]]> 2019-05-28 03:41:40 UTC https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/363883239 3310831 https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/363892120 The lyrics in the song "Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club use many appeals to get across the message that the singer is tired of the two-faced nature in which his lover consistently acts. While the lyrics effectively get across this message, the music video tells a completely different story than the official purpose of the song. In short, the lyrics adequately explain the meaning but the video does not. Without this inconsistency, Boy George would have been able to make his purpose effective; unfortunately for him, that wasn't the case. ]]> 2019-05-28 04:56:47 UTC https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/363892120 3310831 https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/363893716 Google Search, Google, www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1GGRV_enUS813US813&ei=e8LsXOyJEbfM0PEPueC9yAg&q=karma chameleon lyrics&oq=karma chameleon &gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0l8j0i67j0.1144.1144..2530...0.0..0.156.156.0j1......0....1..gws-wiz.......0i71.AGiuuCaEcC8.

“Culture Club – Karma Chameleon.” Genius, genius.com/Culture-club-karma-chameleon-lyrics.

“Culture Club - Karma Chameleon (Official Video).” YouTube, YouTube, 28 Feb. 2009, www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmcA9LIIXWw.]]> 2019-05-28 05:11:08 UTC https://padlet.com/3310831/d7qd3qbb58wt/wish/363893716