Reviews of the 2015 deluxe edition remained positive, but lamented that Labour of Love didn't have the intensity of the band's earlier, more political, records. Labour of Love is UB40’s 4th studio album, containing covers (a form they would follow with additional Labour of Love albums down the road). Taylor’s Version) [From The Vault] Now That We Don’t Talk (Taylor’s Version) [From The Vault] “Slut! Following the record's success, UB40 have since released three further albums of cover versions under the Labour of Love title.

UB40 - Labour of Love Lyrics and Tracklist | Genius

The blunt anti-colonialist message of Burden of Shame – “I’m a British subject, not proud of it” – was too strong even for Ian Campbell, who questioned why they were ashamed of their nationality. King, written a decade after the assassination of Martin Luther King, lamented that the black leader’s people were still “chained and pacified”.For those who remember UB40 primarily for lilting lite-reggae covers of Red Red Wine and (I Can’t Help) Falling in Love With You, the fact that they were considered a grave threat to national security might seem absurd. Wear You To The Ball (Video)" is not the video released in 1990, but recorded as some kind of live performance with studio track. Guitarist Robin Campbell drew up a list of possible tracks which were then whittled down to a final choice of ten following discussion among the band members. The group were apparently unaware during recording that the most famous track on the record had not originally been a reggae song. It peaked at number 2 on the UK Albums Chart, making it the highest-charting UB40 album since Promises and Lies, which reached number-one in 1993.

Labour of Love II - Wikipedia

What may appear to be a simple form of escapism has in fact galvanised this band, snatching them out of their increasingly confined introversion and seemingly opened their eyes to bold new horizons. In contrast to the longstanding and bitter rift that divides the two factions, more of which later, the Brummie eight-piece once presented a united, staunchly uncompromising front.

We all demonstrated against the National Front and supported Rock Against Racism and the Anti-Nazi League. Gotta like the source material of course, but this just became a textbook example of why we trawl the bargain bins for old vinyl treasure.

UB40 - DISCOGRAPHY: (Reggae Band) - Blogger Reggaediscography: UB40 - DISCOGRAPHY: (Reggae Band) - Blogger

Nonetheless, the initial Labour of Love, released in 1983, is the point at which UB40 surrendered their anti-establishment kudos. Richard Cook of NME was more reserved, feeling that UB40's versions didn't always have the impact of the originals: "I think the Campbells' memories might be deceiving them. The album reached number one in the UK, New Zealand and the Netherlands and the top five in Canada, but only reached number 39 in the US on its original release, [3] before re-entering the Billboard 200 in 1988 and peaking at number 14 as a result of "Red Red Wine"'s delayed success in the US. Released in the UK on 12 September 1983, [2] the album is best known for containing the song " Red Red Wine", a worldwide number-one single, but it also includes three further UK top 20 hits, " Please Don't Make Me Cry", " Many Rivers to Cross" and "Cherry Oh Baby". He said of his brother Duncan's singing, "I sat back for five years and watched my brother Duncan murdering my songs.The film featured songs from the album as its soundtrack, and the music videos for the singles "Red Red Wine", "Please Don't Make Me Cry" and "Cherry Oh Baby" were lifted directly from the film. The story followed a fictional version of the lives of the band members, their relationships with family and girlfriends, and their jobs in a junkyard, with all roles in the film played by the band and their friends. The album consists of cover versions of ten of the group's favourite songs by reggae artists from the period 1969 to 1972. It provided the rhythmic backdrop to their teenage years, a unifying sound in the youth clubs, cafes, blues parties and shebeens. For Ali, the song is proof “that you don’t change anything by singing about it, that’s for fucking sure.

UB40 – Labour Of Love II (1989, CD) - Discogs UB40 – Labour Of Love II (1989, CD) - Discogs

UB40 release their new album, Bigga Baggariddim, on 25 June, and tour the UK in November and December. UB40 featuring Ali and Astro perform Signing Off in full in an online concert available to view from 16 June.

We jammed in a basement underneath where [bass player] Earl [Falconer] and [saxophonist] Brian [Travers] lived.