Singer Boy George honors Oct 7 victims with pro-Israel song We Will Dance Again

British 1980s pop icon George Alan O'Dowd, better known as Boy George, released the song "We Will Dance Again" on Monday, honoring the victims of Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in Israel.

The song includes Hebrew lyrics, expresses support for the Jewish people, and was shared across the singer's social media accounts with the hashtag "Shalom."

Released amid heightened global debate over the war in Gaza and a surge in antisemitism following Hamas' attack, the song directly references the massacre, rejects accusations of genocide against Israel, and condemns what Boy George describes as selective outrage over the conflict.

The phrase "We Will Dance Again" has become a symbol of Israeli resilience following the massacre of 1,200 people, the deadliest single-day killing of Jews since the Holocaust. Among those killed were about 364 people attending the Nova Music Festival near the Gaza border, where Hamas terrorists carried out one of the attack's deadliest assaults.

The song features a reggae beat and directly addresses accusations of "genocide" leveled against Israel.

"You say genocide, I say war/When you're attacked, it's what the army is for/Does it get ugly?/You bet it does/When you want to kill every last one of us," the lyrics state, referring to Hamas' stated goal of destroying Israel.

The song also expresses support for the Jewish people.

"If you're ever confused, I stand with the Jews."

Boy George adds that he does not view speaking out as an act of courage.

"I don't feel brave, I just need to behave like a human," the lyrics state.

The song also addresses what Boy George describes as widespread denial of the Oct. 7 massacre.

"You never mention October 7/Young girls raped against trees/Murdered brutally for the crime of dancing," the lyrics state, referring to victims of the Nova Music Festival attack.

It also criticizes what the singer portrays as selective international condemnation of Israel while overlooking Hamas' actions.

"You condemn the Jews with selective memory/Musicians holding flags mouthing like sheep/Propaganda fueled by the internet/Feels so weak."

The song concludes with another declaration of support.

"But if you are ever confused, I stand with the truth."

It ends by repeating its opening lines in Hebrew.

The song drew sharply divided reactions online. Many social media users criticized Boy George for its pro-Israel message, with one user on 𝕏 writing, "F*** off genocide apologist." Others, particularly Israeli and Jewish supporters, praised the singer for speaking out.

"You are a ray of light in great darkness," Instagram user "tlvboy82" wrote.

Boy George has long expressed support for the Jewish people and Israel. In the music video for Culture Club's classic hit "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?," he wears a shirt bearing the Hebrew words "Tarbut Aguda," meaning "culture association."

The singer has also said he has faced online abuse for supporting his Jewish friends in the United Kingdom and Israel. In interviews, he has said he grew up with close Jewish friends and refuses to distance himself from the Jewish community for ideological or career reasons.

In 2024, Boy George was among roughly 400 artists and celebrities who signed an open letter supporting Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Four years earlier, he collaborated with Israeli musician Asaf Goren on the bilingual song "Rainbow in the Dark," which features both English and Hebrew lyrics.

Boy George has also performed in Israel several times, and survivors of the Nova Music Festival have expressed hope that he will return to perform in the country.