UB40 - RED RED WINE

RED RED WINE

UB40

SONGWRITER: NEIL DIAMOND

WHERE: LIVE AT MONTREUX 2002

COUNTRY: U. K.

ALBUM: LABOUR OF LOVE

LABEL: DEP

GENRE: REGGAE

YEAR: 1983

"Red Red Wine" is a song originally written, performed, and recorded by American singer Neil Diamond in 1967. It is included on Neil's second studio album, Just for You. The lyrics are sung from the perspective of a person who finds that drinking red wine is the only way to forget his woes.

When Neil left the Bang Records label in 1968, Bang continued to release Neil Diamond singles, often adding newly recorded instruments and background vocals to album tracks from the two Neil Diamond albums that Bang had issued. For the "Red Red Wine" single, Bang added a background choir without Neil's involvement or permission. Diamond's version reached number sixty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1968. A live version was released on Diamond's The Greatest Hits (1966–92) but the 1968 single version has never been issued on a vinyl album or CD.

UB40 recorded their rendition for their album of cover versions, Labour of Love. According to the band, they were only familiar with Tony Tribe's version (they apparently didn't realise that the writer, credited simply as "Diamond", was in fact Neil Diamond), and their version featured a lighter, reggae-style flavor compared to Diamond's somber, acoustic ballad. The UB40 version adds a toasted verse by UB40 member Astro, opening: "Red Red Wine, you make me feel so fine/You keep me rocking all of the time", which was edited from the single that reached number one on the UK Singles Chart in August 1983 and number 34 in the United States in March 1984 but not from the version that reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 a few months after being performed at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Concert in 1988. In September 2014, the Official Charts Company announced that sales in the UK had reached one million.

Songwriter Neil Diamond has stated that it is one of his favorite covers of his songs. Diamond frequently performs the song live using the UB40 reggae arrangement as opposed to the original version.

Red, red wine

Goes to my head

Makes me forget that I

Still need her so

Red, red wine

It's up to you

All I can do, I've done

But memories won't go

No, memories won't go

I'd have sworn

That with time

Thoughts of you would leave my head

I was wrong

Now I find

Just one thing makes me forget

Red, red wine

Stay close to me

Don't let me be alone

It's tearin' apart

My blue, blue heart

[Red Red Wine Toast Section]

Red red wine you make me feel so fine

You keep me rocking all of the time

Red red wine you make me feel so grand

I feel a million dollars when you're just in my hand

Red red wine you make me feel so sad

Any time I see you go it makes me feel bad

Red red wine you make me feel so fine

Monkey pack him rizla pon the sweet dep line

Red red wine you give me whole heap of zing

Whole heap of zing make me do me own thing

Red red wine you really know how fi love

Your kind of loving like a blessing from above

Red red wine I love you right from the start

Right from the start with all of my heart

Red red wine in a 80's style

Red red wine in a modern beat style, yeah

Give me little time, help me clear up my mind

Give me little time, help me clear up my mind

Give me Red wine the kind make me feel fine

Make me feel fine all of the time

Red red wine you make me feel so fine

Monkey pack him Rizal pon the sweet deep line

The line broke, the monkey get choke

Burn bad ganja pon him little rowing boat

Red red wine I'm gonna hold to you

Hold on to you cause I know your love true

Red red wine I'm gonna love you till I die

Love you till I die and that's no lie

Red red wine can't get you off my mind

Wherever you may be I'll surely find

I'll surely find

Make no fuss

Just stick with us.

Red red wine you really know how fi love

Your kind of loving like a blessing from above

Red red wine I love you right from the start

Right from the start with all of my heart

Red red wine you really know how fi love

Your kind of loving like a blessing from above

Red red wine you give me whole heap of zing

Whole heap of zing make me do me own thing

Red red wine in a 80's style

Red red wine in a modern beat style, yeah.