UB40 Releases ‘Red, Red Wine: The Collection’ On Color Vinyl
The compilation album by the British reggae band includes an Elvis Presley cover and a collaboration with Chrissie Hynde.
UB40’s Red, Red Wine: The Collection is a compilation album by the British reggae band that features some of the group’s most popular songs, including “Red Red Wine,” “I Got You Babe” (featuring Chrissie Hynde), and “(I Can’t Help) Falling in Love With You.” Originally released in 2014, a limited edition red vinyl re-release is due out November 21.
The compilation takes its name from UB40’s 1983 rendition of “Red, Red Wine.” Originally written, performed and recorded by Neil Diamond in 1967, UB40 claimed that their version was inspired by Jamaican singer Tony Tribe. It was featured on their 1983 covers project Labour of Love and topped the UK charts. It struggled to find traction in the U.S. until the group performed the song at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Concert at Wembley Stadium. “Red, Red, Wine” became their first No. 1 hit stateside in 1988.
UB40 released their debut single, “Food for Thought,” in 1980. It appeared on that year’s Signing Off, a political reggae album, and became a hit in the UK. They quickly found more chart success via their second and third singles “My Way of Thinking” and “Don’t Let It Pass You By.”
In 1985, UB40 built upon the success of “Red, Red Wine” and collaborated with The Pretenders’s Chrissie Hynde for a cover of “I Got You Babe,” which was originally released by Sonny & Cher in 1965. It became a No. 1 hit in the UK and appeared on The Pretenders’ 1987 compilation album The Singles. The track appeared on UB40’s 1985 album Baggariddim alongside “Don’t Break My Heart.”
In 1989, UB40 released their second covers album, Labour of Love II. Its first single, a cover of Al Green’s “Here I Am (Come And Take Me),” was a hit in the U.S. The second hit single, “Kingston Town,” is a rendition of a 1970 song by Lord Creator about the capital of Jamaica.
UB40’s 10th album, 1993’s Promises and Lies, would become their biggest commercial hit, reaching No. 1 in the UK and No. 6 in the U.S. It is represented here by “Bring Me Your Cup” and a cover of Elvis Presely’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” renamed as “(I Can’t Help) Falling in Love With You.”
Both of these songs are featured on UB40’s 1995 compilation album, The Best of UB40 – Volume Two, as was “Until My Dying Day.” When it came time to put out Red, Red Wine: The Collection, the group added “I Did What I Did,” which originally appeared on UB40’s 2013 record Getting Over the Storm.
Shop for UB40’s greatest hits compilation on color vinyl now.
