UB40

Released: July 11, 1988

Songwriter: UB40

Producer: UB40

I thought I knew you well, your right and wrong
Thought I could steal your secrets and put them in a song
I thought that you'd be waiting patiently for me
That only I could see

You build me up and tell me lies
You hold my hand, say close your eyes

(chorus)
You're always pulling me down
You make me lower my expectations
You're always pulling me down
Why do you complicate situations

You're always pulling me down

I don't know what else to do
I'm still in love with you

I wish that I could see things through your eyes
I want to lift the veil and penetrate your lies
I want to take your truth and hold it in my hand
Maybe then I'll understand

You contradict in a thousand ways
You call the tune and guess who pays

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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