A man of many talents, Boy George turned 52 today. He’s looking better than ever, thanks to impressive dedication to a healthy eating plan. He’s also taken to sporting a beard recently.

It’s quite the change of look for the Culture Club frontman, whose outré, gender-bending image was cemented in the ’80s. Accepting the band’s Grammy for Best New Artist in 1984, George famously remarked, “Thanks, America. You’ve got style, you’ve got taste, and you know a good drag queen when you see one.”

The good people who salute the stars and stripes can also be counted upon to celebrate good pop music when it comes around. Thirty years ago this week, Culture Club’s “Time (Clock Of The Heart)” peaked at #2 at the Billboard Hot 100. (The song also reached #34 on the R&B chart.)

One of my absolute favorite Culture Club songs, “Time” was the follow-up to “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?” (which also peaked at #2 on the Hot 100) and the second single from the band’s debut album, Kissing To Be Clever — in the U.S., anyway. Across the pond, “Time” was a standalone single.

Besides fantastic backing vocals from the inimitable Helen Terry, “Time (Clock Of The Heart)” sports some truly gorgeous strings and a great sax break — I love the squeak at 2:38. The 45’s flipside offered a chance to experience the production’s lushness sans vocals via the instrumental, “Romance Beyond The Alphabet.”

If you’re curious as to what three-quarters of Culture Club looks like today, check out this snap, courtesy Boy George’s Instagram. Where in the world is Jon Moss?

While still occasionally teasing plans for a new album, Boy George does have a new single on the way soon, “Coming Home.”

Purchase Culture Club – “Time (Clock Of The Heart)” via iTunes, Amazon MP3.