UB40

Released: November 3, 2003

Songwriter: UB40

Producer: UB40

I knew you before you knew
Who you wanted to be
Now I see the new you
She's a perfect stranger to me

Loves unkind, for I find
If only saw, the best of you
But my mind, not so blind
Showed my heart the rest of you

Scheming lies and alibis
That butter wouldn't melt disguise
With happy ever after eyes
That made a fool of me

I knew you before you knew
Who you wanted to be
Now I see the new you
She's a perfect stranger to me
She's a perfect stranger to me

Love is cruel It makes a fool
Of one who thought we had it all
All bridges burned, the lesson learned
You never really loved at all

Now you're gone, I'm on my own
Don't come around, don't even phone
Please leave a happy man alone
And we can both be free

I knew you before you knew
Who you wanted to be
Now I see the new you
She's a perfect stranger to me
She's a perfect stranger to me

UB40 are an English reggae and pop band, formed in December 1978 in Birmingham. The band has had more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart. 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. UB40 have sold over 70 million records. The ethnic make-up of the band’s original line-up was diverse, with musicians of English, Irish, Jamaican, Scottish and Yemeni parentage.

Their hit singles include their debut “Food for Thought”, “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”. Their two most successful albums, Labour of Love (1983) and Promises and Lies (1993), reached number one on the UK Albums Chart.

On January 24, 2008, it was announced that Ali Campbell would be leaving the group after 30 years. It was reported by some Birmingham newspapers on 13 March 2008, that Maxi Priest would be the new lead singer of UB40 and had recorded a cover of Bob Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff” with the band.

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