The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Desert loving in your eyes all the way
If I listen to your lies, would you say
I'm a man (a man) without conviction
I'm a man (a man) who doesn't know
How to sell (to sell) a contradiction
You come and go, you come and go
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams
Red, gold, and green, red, gold, and green
Didn't hear your wicked words every day
And you used to be so sweet, I heard you say
That my love (my love) was an addiction
When we cling (we cling), our love is strong
When you go (you go), you're gone forever
You string along, you string along
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams
Red, gold, and green, red, gold, and green
Every day is like survival (survival)
You're my lover (my lover), not my rival
Every day is like survival (survival)
You're my lover (my lover), not my rival
I'm a man (a man) without conviction
I'm a man (a man) who doesn't know
How to sell (to sell) a contradiction
You come and go, you come and go
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams
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 colors were like my dreams
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 colors were like my dreams
Red, gold, and green, red, gold, and green
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
If I listen to your lies, would you say
I'm a man (a man) without conviction
I'm a man (a man) who doesn't know
How to sell (to sell) a contradiction
You come and go, you come and go
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams
Red, gold, and green, red, gold, and green
Didn't hear your wicked words every day
And you used to be so sweet, I heard you say
That my love (my love) was an addiction
When we cling (we cling), our love is strong
When you go (you go), you're gone forever
You string along, you string along
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams
Red, gold, and green, red, gold, and green
Every day is like survival (survival)
You're my lover (my lover), not my rival
Every day is like survival (survival)
You're my lover (my lover), not my rival
I'm a man (a man) without conviction
I'm a man (a man) who doesn't know
How to sell (to sell) a contradiction
You come and go, you come and go
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
You come and go, you come and go
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dreams
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 colors were like my dreams
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 colors were like my dreams
Red, gold, and green, red, gold, and green
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
Lyrics submitted by magicnudiesuit, edited by OthaFish
Karma Chameleon Lyrics as written by Jonathan Aubrey Moss George Alan O'dowd
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Notthattartagain wrote : " I think he used karma because it sounded good, but he probably meant "aura." Back in the 80s, a lot of the target audience wouldn't have known the difference anyway. " , I think that explains the title because karma chameleon makes no sense.
The 80's was the decade of dance and the left-over disco clubs of the 70's. Generally speaking, nobody really cared what they lyrics were to songs. And, at the time "karma" wa
I accidentally hit something and POOF my reply was gone...and apparently printed. "Karma" was NOT well known much less idolized by secular society as it is now. I honestly don't believe anyone thought much about the song, other than that he (singer) was always changing his hair and clothing and style and was thus quite the chameleon. it was thought to be a very simple superficial song.
No he meant Karma--the songs, just like DO YOU WANT TO HURT ME and TIME (CLOCK OF THE HART) were about his love for his drummer whom he claims to have had an affair with for years. Karma (what goes around comes around) Chameleon (he changes his colors a lot). If you look at the lyrics of all three songs he is telling the man to come out publicly about their love--and that the man appears to be telling him what he wants to hear just to have sex with him.
@Jeffery the 80's birthed THE CURE, OINGO BOING, DEPECHE MODE, TEARS FOR FEARS , PET SHOP BOYS and several other groups that turned out socially significant songs. It was a cotton candy era in many ways--but pop music has always drowned out the meatier bands in nearly all music eras. Madonna and Prince stood out because they were outlandish but Boy George's tunes were hardly fluff--As he admitted, his songs are about love and loss in regards to his affair with the band's drummer. To this day the drummer has claimed the affair never happened--if you listen to all the words of BG's songs, as well as the sorrow and pain in his voice, I'd say that drummer is lying.