UB40 - Red Red Wine

Interprète: UB40

Titre: Red Red Wine

Année: 1984

Billboard: #41

UB40 est un groupe britannique de reggae fondé en 1978 à Birmingham (Angleterre). Leur musique est pétrie de nombreuses influences très diverses : irlandaises, galloises, écossaises, yéménites, africaines et bien évidemment jamaïcaines. Le nom du groupe, UB40 fait référence à un formulaire britannique de demande des droits au chômage (Unemployment Benefits).

Parmi leurs succès on trouve le très célèbre Kingston Town (reprise de Lord Creator), la reprise de I'll be your Baby tonight de Bob Dylan ou encore Red Red Wine écrit par Neil Diamond en 1968.

UB40 are a British reggae/pop band formed in 1978 in Birmingham, England. The band has had more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. They have been nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album four times, and in 1984 were nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Group. One of the world's best-selling music artists, UB40 have sold over 70 million records.

Their hit singles include their debut "Food for Thought" and two U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number ones with "Red Red Wine" and "Can't Help Falling in Love". Both of these also topped the UK Singles Chart, as did the band's version of "I Got You Babe".

The ethnic makeup of the band's original lineup was diverse, with musicians of English, Scottish, Irish, Yemeni and Jamaican parentage. Lead singer and founding member, Ali Campbell left the band after 30 years in 2008, performing with another founding member, Mickey Virtue, who left UB40 soon after Campbell. Astro remained with the original band until November 2013, when he left to team up again with Campbell and Virtue in a new version of UB40. In 2014 legal advice was sought by original band members and the group containing Campbell, Virtue and Astro over usage of the band name, UB40 which was being used by both parties.