Red Red Wine

UB40's "Red Red Wine" is a song about seeking solace from heartbreak through alcohol. The lyrics portray a person who is trying to forget a lost love and finds that drinking red wine is the only way to temporarily erase the painful memories. The wine is personified and addressed directly as a friend and confidant, with the singer pleading for it to "stay close to me" and not let them be alone with their sorrow. The central theme is one of escapism, where the protagonist turns to substance use to cope with emotional pain that time has failed to heal. Despite the upbeat and relaxed reggae arrangement, the lyrical content is deeply melancholic, creating a poignant contrast between the sound and the sentiment. The added "toasting" verse by Astro further explores the relationship with the wine, celebrating its ability to make one feel "so fine" while also acknowledging the dependency it creates.

The song's narrative centers on a person grappling with the persistent pain of a past relationship. The protagonist directly addresses “red, red wine,” personifying it as a confidant and a remedy. They confess that the wine is the only thing that helps them forget their former lover, whom they still deeply need. The memories of this lost love are relentless and refuse to fade with the passage of time, contrary to what the singer had expected. They had believed that time would heal the wound and erase the thoughts of their ex, but they were mistaken. Now, they find that only the intoxicating effect of the wine brings any semblance of relief.

The singer pleads with the wine to stay close, viewing it as a shield against the loneliness that is consuming them and tearing their “blue, blue heart” apart. This plea highlights a dependency on the substance for emotional support. The repetition of this sentiment underscores the depth of their sorrow and their desperation for escape.

A later section, a toast delivered in a distinct style, shifts the tone slightly while expanding on the theme. It celebrates the wine for making the speaker feel “so fine” and keeping them “rocking all of the time.” The wine provides a sense of grandeur, making them feel like a millionaire. However, this high is fleeting, as the toast also acknowledges the sadness that returns when the wine's effect wanes. This part of the song delves into a more complex relationship with alcohol, acknowledging both its euphoric highs and the subsequent lows. The toast includes cryptic, patois-inflected lines that allude to a story about a monkey and smoking, adding a layer of cultural texture specific to the reggae style of the performance. The overall message remains one of finding a temporary, albeit unreliable, refuge from heartache in the bottom of a glass, clinging to the wine as a last resort to keep the painful memories at bay.

"Red Red Wine" was originally written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Neil Diamond in 1967 for his album Just for You. Diamond's version was a somber, folk-pop ballad about drinking to forget a lost love. His single release in 1968, which had a background choir added without his permission, only reached number 62 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1969, Jamaican artist Tony Tribe recorded a reggae version of the song, which became a minor hit in the UK. It was Tribe's version, not Diamond's, that inspired UB40. The members of UB40 were fans of Tribe's recording and, when compiling their 1983 album of covers, Labour of Love, they decided to include it. They were reportedly unaware that Neil Diamond was the original writer, believing the credit "N. Diamond" referred to a Jamaican artist named Negus Diamond. UB40's version, recorded in 1982-83, featured a lighter, more pop-oriented reggae feel and added a signature toasting verse from Terence "Astro" Wilson. Released in August 1983, it hit #1 in the UK. It initially stalled at #34 in the US in 1984. However, after the band performed the song at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Concert in 1988, an Arizona radio DJ began playing the full album version with Astro's toast. This sparked renewed interest, leading to a re-release of the single, which then soared to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1988.

The song primarily follows a simple verse-chorus structure (strophic form). The rhyme scheme in the verses is straightforward, often AABB, as seen in lines like "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." The lyrical rhythm is conversational and fits naturally within the musical phrasing. The song's most defining rhythmic feature is its relaxed, moderate-tempo reggae beat. The drums and bass create a classic 'one-drop' feel with a strong emphasis on the third beat of each 4/4 measure. This rhythmic foundation gives the song its characteristic laid-back, danceable quality, which ironically juxtaposes the song's sorrowful lyrical themes. Astro's toasting section introduces a more complex, syncopated vocal rhythm that plays against the steady groove of the band, a hallmark of the reggae deejay style.

UB40's version of "Red Red Wine" is defined by its transformation of a folk-pop ballad into a reggae anthem. Musically, it employs a characteristic reggae rhythm, with the guitar playing on the offbeats (beats 2 and 4) and a strong emphasis on the third beat of the bar in the drum pattern, creating a relaxed, swaying groove. The bassline is prominent and melodic, anchoring the track in classic reggae style. The tempo is moderate, around 89 BPM. A key stylistic addition is the 'toast'—a form of Jamaican deejaying or rapping over the rhythm—performed by Astro. This section, with its distinct patois and lyrical flow, roots the song firmly in reggae tradition and was a crucial element of its extended version's success. Ali Campbell's lead vocal delivery is smooth and plaintive, creating an emotional contrast with the upbeat instrumentation. The production incorporates elements that were modern for the time, such as synthesized basslines and LinnDrums, blending traditional reggae with contemporary pop production.

UB40's cover of "Red Red Wine" had a massive cultural impact, becoming one of the most successful reggae songs of all time. It reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart in 1983 and, in a rare resurgence, topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1988 after a Phoenix radio station revived the full version. The song's success played a significant role in bringing reggae and the British 'lovers rock' subgenre to a mainstream global audience. It became UB40's signature song and has sold over a million copies in the UK alone. Its history as a cover of a cover (UB40 being inspired by Tony Tribe's reggae version of Neil Diamond's original) is a well-known piece of music trivia. Neil Diamond himself has praised UB40's version as one of his favorite covers and often performs the song live using their popular reggae arrangement. The song's music video was filmed at the Eagle & Tun pub in Birmingham, which became a landmark for fans. The song has been featured in various films and media, solidifying its status as a timeless classic.

The most significant use of symbolism in the song is the personification of "red red wine." The wine is not merely a beverage but is addressed as a sentient entity, a friend, and a savior. The singer confides in the wine, pleading, "stay close to me, don't let me be alone." This transforms the act of drinking into a relationship, where the wine provides companionship and comfort in the absence of a human connection. It becomes a metaphorical shield against the pain of loneliness and a broken heart. The "blue, blue heart" that is "tearing apart" is a classic color metaphor for sadness, directly contrasting with the deep red of the wine, which symbolizes a potential, albeit artificial, source of passion and vitality that the singer desperately seeks.

The most prominent recurring motif is the lyrical phrase "Red, red wine." Its repetition throughout the song functions as a mantra, reinforcing the central theme of dependence and escapism. Each time the phrase is sung, it serves as both an invocation to the singer's only source of comfort and a reminder of their sorrow. The chorus, containing the plea "stay close to me / Don't let me be alone," is another recurring element that highlights the singer's desperation and personification of the wine. Astro's toast introduces its own recurring lines, such as "Red red wine, you make me feel so fine / You keep me rockin' all of the time," which acts as a celebratory, yet ultimately dependent, counterpoint to the melancholy of the main verses.