UB40

Released: July 27, 1993

Songwriter: UB40

Producer: UB40

I said we friendship come first, the band did come second
And that's why I decided to put it in a song
So listen crowd of people and throw up unnu hands
If you love dem their style and you love dem pattern

Reggae music can't refuse it
So give us what we want and mek we gwan

I said yes crowd of people we come back again
I man Thriller E. And all me best best friends
I know most of dem from age eleven
And some of dem even before then
We travel the whole world, think it could never end
But don't get me wrong it a no big problem
'Cause reggae what we love and that's what we defend
And that there love that could a never end

Reggae music can't refuse it
So give us what we want and mek we gwan

So let me get back to the subject of me friends
'Cause me respect and love love the whole of them
And that there love that could a never end
And now it is time to hail the whole of them
Me love me Mickey V. Him in a category
Robin on guitar him just a nice up every bar
Me love me Astro because him deh pon de go
Me love me Norman 'cos him a don gorgon
Me love me Ali C. with his golden voicee
Him nice up every dance nice up every party
Me love me Brian T. Pon the saxophonee
Buttons pon the bone, Patrick him a hit the high c
Them bad pon their own or in a section of three
And that only leaves me and Jimmy
Jimmy a the drummer me a the Bassee
And that is the whole of UB40

Reggae music can't refuse it
So give us what we want and mek we gwan

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.

more tracks from the album

Promises and Lies

From the album

Promises and Lies (1993)

UB40 popular songs

Reggae MusicUB40

UB40

Promises and Lies