Culture Club’s 1983 album Colour By Numbers is known as the album that birthed the band’s worldwide megahit, “Karma Chameleon,” but endless repeats of the Mississippi riverboat-set video made me like the song less. My favorite track on the album, and indeed my favorite Culture Club tune of all time, is “Victims,” which closes out the second side.

Backed by strings and throaty vocals from Culture Club associate Helen Terry, “Victims” is quite the dramatic production, no doubt why I felt such a kinship. (Who would have guessed back then that it was about Boy George’s secret relationship with drummer Jon Moss?) Though a top 5 hit in other countries, “Victims” wasn’t issued as a single in the U.S., though somehow I managed to find the import 45 at the time, with picture sleeve (as seen at right).

In 1995, when Boy George was promoting his autobiography, Take It Like A Man, I stood in line at a Barnes & Noble in Chicago, waiting for him to sign my copy. To facilitate the process, the staff had passed out Post-Its on which to put our name and what we’d like inscribed. I wrote down, “Push aside those that whisper never,” a lyric from “Victims” that’s also quoted on the single’s picture sleeve. Alas, by the time I finally neared the front of the very long line, however, Boy George was signing only names. (Pulling Take It Like A Man down from my bookcase just now, I realized the Post-It is still stuck inside.)

A little over a week ago, I was tipped off via Twitter that “Talk About It,” a recent club track by Chris Malinchak, prominently samples Culture Club’s “Victims.” I don’t know much about the New York-based producer, but hearing that piano chord progression and Helen Terry singing those notes again after all these years (28!), what more does a boy need? How about setting them to a great disco groove:

Free download of Chris Malinchak – “Talk About It” via RCRD LBL, where you can also snag a second track from Malinchak’s Renaissance EP, “The Fourth,” that samples a freestyle groove I’ve yet to put my finger on. Pick up the remaining pair of tunes via iTunes.