October 14, 1988
Red Red Wine had the UK interracial reggae band UB40 feelin’ so fine at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
But it was a brief “glass of wine” stop at the top for the eight-man group, “aging” there for just seven days. For that lone week it replaced Love Bites, a record that became the biggest chart hit by the UK hard-rock group Def Leppard, before giving way to another Brit, Phil Collins, with his cover version of the song Groovy Kind Of Love (the 1966 original was by yet another UK band, The Mindbenders).
UB40
UB40 is the name of the official form filled out by the unemployed in the UK to collect their insurance, but no need for the Birmingham group to file one after this hit – it eventually sold a million copies in their country alone.
🎵🎵🎵
[Note] Some audio song files may not play on smartphones, tablets or connected devices. A laptop, desktop PC or Mac may be required for optimal enjoyment.
•
RED RED WINE
UB40
(Re-Issued Single Version)
[1988]
It was the second time A&M Records had released this song in America. Four years earlier, a shorter single version had charted which edited out the solo rap sections by vocalist Terence “Astro” Wilson (See Deep Trax below).
This is the re-issued longer single version which sat at #1 on this date; it already had been #1 in the UK upon it’s original release in August of 1983 from their album Labour of Love.
Despite the single week at the top of the Hot 100, RRW enjoyed a six-week stay inside the Top 10.
•
Here’s the initial US-issued single on A&M of ‘Red Red Wine’ by UB40 – edited to remove “Astro’s” rap segments. It peaked at #34 on Billboard on March 31, 1984.
RED RED WINE
UB40
(Edited Single Version)
[1984]
•
DEEP TRAX!
RED RED WINE
Tony Tribe
[1969]
Many music lovers who go back a few years – especially to the 60’s – believe the UB40 record was a direct cover of the original version – a mellow and reflective song compared to UB40’s – written and recorded in 1967 by Neil Diamond and released on his first label, Bang Records (See more Deep Trax below).
Beginning in 1968, ‘Red Red Wine’ was covered by many artists, from easy listening, to country and pop.
However, the first recorded version heard by UB40 was by a Jamaican singer named Tony Tribe, who’d done a reggae-flavored take of the song in 1969. In fact, UB40 was completely unaware it was a Neil Diamond song, because the label of the Tony Tribe single simply listed the composer as “Diamond” – leading them to think it may have been another Jamaican singer named Negus Diamond.
Tony Tribe’s version of ‘Red Red Wine’ reached #46 on the UK Singles Chart but didn’t chart in America.
•
This is 1967’s original recording on Bang from Diamond’s first album of songs all written by Neil, and his last LP for the label before moving to Uni, called Just For You.
Diamond would later copy the rap parts of UB40’s version in his live performances.
•
DEEP(est) TRAK!!
A second version by Diamond was released as a single in 1968 by Bang – after Neil had left the label to join Uni Records – which included backing vocals by a choir. That re-mixed version was released without Diamond’s involvement or permission, and it’s now very difficult to find – EXTREMELY rare in digital form – but House of the Hits has it buried deep in our vault.
RED RED WINE
Neil Diamond
(Re-mixed Single Version)
[1968]
•
Songs Source: The Music Vault of HouseoftheHits, Inc.
Billboard® Chart Data: Joel Whitburn’s Record Research (eBook Editions)
Record Sleeve & Label Graphics: Courtesy of 45cat
