UB40 - ♪ ♫ ♪ Red Red Wine ♪ ♫ ♪ ( Live Performance - 1983 )

UB40 Official Page: ---↓
http://www.ub40.co.uk/

♪ ♫ ♪ Red Red Wine ♪ ♫ ♪
by UB40

Released: September 1, 1983

"Red Red Wine" is a song originally written by Neil Diamond that was then covered by Tony Tribe and more famously by UB40 in later years. In the song, the singer finds drinking wine is the only way to forget a lost love.

Diamond's version reached number #62 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1968.

Tony Tribe, a Jamaican Rocksteady singer, recorded a reggae-influenced version in 1969 which reached number 46 in the UK singles chart.

UB40 made their rendition for their cover versions album "Labour of Love".
"Labour of Love" is the band's fifth studio album. It was originally released in September 1, 1983 and included the hits, "Red, Red Wine", "Cherry Oh Baby", "Many Rivers to Cross", and "Please Don't Make Me Cry".

The entire album consists of cover versions of songs originally released by the group's musical idols. The most notable track, the cover of Neil Diamond's "Red, Red Wine," reached #1 in the United Kingdom upon its release. The song was re-released in the United States in 1988, where it also topped the chart. The album and 12" version included a toasted verse by Astro, later copied by Neil Diamond in his live performances.

The album reached #1 in the UK and #8 in the United States. With the inclusion of the new version of "Red, Red Wine," the album regained popularity in 1988 and climbed to #15 in the U.S.

In 1989, it was ranked #98 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 greatest albums of the 1980s.
According to the band, they were only familiar with Tony Tribe's version, and their version featured a lighter, reggae-style flavor compared to Diamond's somber, acoustic ballad.

Diamond later performed a UB40-inspired version of the song on tour. In it, Diamond makes a slight complaint about UB40 misunderstanding the lyrics because of the happy tone to their version. This version was released on Diamond's The Greatest Hits (1966-1992).

Note:
"Red Red Wine" was never covered by Bob Marley, despite labels on P2P networks and lyric websites.

Cover hierarchy:

●Red Red Wine by Neil Diamond (September 1967)
●Red Red Wine by Tony Tribe (1969)
●Red Red Wine by UB40 (September 1, 1983)
●Red Red Wine (12" version) by UB40 (1988)