UB40 are a British dub / reggae pop music band formed in 1978 in Birmingham. The band is one of the most culturally diverse dub reggae bands with musicians of English, Scottish, Irish, Yemeni and Jamaican parentage. The band is named from the paper form issued by the UK government's Department of Health and Social Security at the time of the band's formation for claiming unemployment benefit (UB40 = Unemployment Benefit, Form 40). UB40 were influenced by the many Blues Parties they attended as teenagers in the multiracial Balsall Heath area of Birmingham, their love of ska and reggae inspired such original tracks as King, Madam Medusa, Food for Thought, Signing Off and One in Ten. Their early music style was unique, with a heavy influence of analogue synthesizers, psychedelic rock guitar, saxophone and dub producer techniques which were later perfected by the late Pablo Falconer. Ali and Robin Campbell have a musical heritage, being sons of Ian Campbell, a folk musician. The band purchased its first instruments with compensation money Ali Campbell received after a bar fight. They have had a number of hits, most commercially and to amusement of the band, "Red Red Wine", a cover version of a Neil Diamond song (in an arrangement similar to that of Tony Tribe's version). Their mos
1 | Lamb's Bread | Present Arms |
2 | The Time Has Come | Labour of Love III |
3 | Oracabessa Moonshine | Guns in the Ghetto |
4 | Don't Slow Down | Present Arms |
5 | Cherry Oh Baby | Labour Of Love |
6 | Come Back Darling | Labour of Love III |
7 | Wild Cat | Present Arms |
8 | Red Red Wine | Labour Of Love |
9 | One In Ten | The Very Best of UB40 1980-2000 |
10 | Can't Help Falling In Love | Promises And Lies |
11 | I Love It When You Smile | Guns in the Ghetto |
12 | Don't Break My Heart | The Very Best of UB40 1980-2000 |
13 | 12 Bar | Signing Off |
14 | Sardonicus | Present Arms |
15 | Many Rivers To Cross | Labour Of Love |
16 | Little By Little | Signing Off |
17 | Rat In Mi Kitchen | The Very Best of UB40 1980-2000 |
18 | Food For Thought | The Very Best of UB40 1980-2000 |
19 | King | Signing Off |
20 | Homely Girl | Labour Of Love II |