Cover Connection: Red Red Wine

Most people are familiar with UB40's version of "Red Red Wine." The band's infectious, reggae tinged cover topped the US charts on this day in 1988, although it took five years to get there. The song was a reissue of UB40's first version, with the addition of a "toast" by the band's resident rapper Astro. Both versions trace their influence to a 1969 ska flavored version recorded by Jamaican artist Tony Tribe.
But the original song, written and recorded by Neil Diamond in 1968, was a slower mournful number--a drunk's lament over lost love.

Red, red wine
Go to my head
Make me forget that I
Still need her so

Red, red wine
It's up to you
All I can do, Ive done
But memories wont go
No, memories wont go

I'd have sworn
That with time
Thoughts of you
Would leave my head
I was wrong
And I find
Just one thing
Makes me forget

Red, red wine
Stay close to me
Dont let me be alone
It's tearing apart
My blue, blue heart

Lyrically, it's a great song (as are many Diamond songs) that lends itself to a variety of styles. For example, a full-blown country-style version (with background singers and strings) was also released in 1968 by Jimmy James and the Vagabonds. However, none of these versions tracked very high on the charts. The success of UB40's version of "Red Red Wine" has to be attributed to the dance clubs of the late 1980s where it was one of the most requested songs--and, importantly, featured a solid beat that made it easy to mix. From that point on "Red Red Wine" went mainstream with heavy airplay.
A few years later, "Red Red Wine" went full circle, with a new version again by Neil Diamond, but this time with a nod to UB40's reggae stylings.

Listen to:
Red Red Wine, original version by Neil Diamond--1968

Red Red Wine, country version by Jimmy James and The Vagabonds--1968

Red Red Wine, ska version by Tony Tribe--1969

Red Red Wine, reggae version by UB40 1983