The band is one of the most culturally diverse dub Ska bands with musicians of English, Scottish, Irish, Yemeni and Jamaican parentage. The band is named from the paper form issued by the UK government's Department of Health and Social Security at the time of the band's formation for claiming unemployment benefit (UB40 = Unemployment Benefit, Form 40).
UB40 were influenced by the many Blues Parties they attended as teenagers in the multiracial Balsall Heath area of Birmingham, their love of ska and reggae inspired such original tracks as King, Madam Medusa, Food for Thought, Signing Off and One in Ten.
Their early music style was unique, with a heavy influence of analogue synthesizers, psychedelic rock guitar, saxophone and dub producer techniques which were later perfected by the late Pablo Falconer.
Ali and Robin Campbell have a musical heritage, being sons of Ian Campbell, a folk musician.
The band purchased its first instruments with compensation money Ali Campbell received after a bar fight. They have had a number of hits, most commercially and to amusement of the band, "Red Red Wine", a cover version of a Neil Diamond song (in an arrangement similar to that of Tony Tribe's version). Their most successful single release is the cover of the Elvis Presley ballad Can't Help Falling In Love which was intended to be the main title to the 1992 Sharon Stone movie Sliver and was a Number One hit across Europe and in the U.S.
Many of UB40's recordings were inspired by 1960s ska and early lovers rock songs that would have otherwise been forgotten in the public eye. Their new injection of life into so many old Jamaican hits has resulted in many musicians' and producers' renewed popularity and income.
UB40's early music often tackled social issues such as racism and unemployment.
Other artists that UB40 have collaborated with include: Pato Banton, Madness, Bitty McLean, Chrissie Hynde, Robert Palmer, Hunterz, Japanese artist Mikidozan, French artist Nuttea, Lady Saw and Afrika Bambaataa.
Dont Let It Pass You By
UB40 Lyrics
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There's nowhere you can go where you feel no pain.
Take the blinkers off you eye's,
The power is in your hand.
Stop waiting for your ticket to the promised land.
There ain't no heaven and there ain't no hell.
Except the one we're in, and you know to well
There's no-one waiting on,
Don't let the only world you're ever gonna live in pass you by.
Burn two spliff play ital riddem
Rub two dub burn ital collie
Because the rhythm a the marshall
And the rhythm a no partial go deh
Seh the rhythm a the marshall
And the rhythm a no partial
Rub two dub burn ital collie
Burn two spliff play ital riddem
Because you jamming with you brethren
Jam it 'till a morning
Forget about the warning
Have to jam it 'till a mornin'
Burn two spliff play ital riddem
Burn two spliff play ital riddem
Seh you playing in a concrete style
You playing in a resident style
And then you jam it all the while
Don't let it pass you by,
You gonna wake up and wonder why
Gone in the blues
Go check on the news
Go listen to political views
Rub two dub burn ital collie
Rub two dub burn ital collie
New Cross was no gate-crash bomb...
Rightful justice must be done!
Burn two spliff and rock to the riddem
Burn two spliff and rock to the riddem
We don't deal with Isim Scisim
We don't deal with Isim Scisim
Deal with folly-dolly
We don't deal with folly-dolly
Burn two spliff play ital riddem
Rub two dub burn ital collie
'cause you jammin' with your brethren
Jam it 'till the morning
Playin' in a concrete style
Jam it all the while
Don't let it pass you by,
You gonna wake up and wonder why
Burn two spliff play ital riddem
Burn two spliff play ital riddem
The lyrics of UB40's song Don't Let It Pass You By urge the listener to not waste their life waiting for something that may never come, such as a promised land or a heaven or hell. The first two lines of the song suggest that there is no escape from pain, and that waiting for someone or something to come and take you away from it is fruitless.
The next part of the song encourages the listener to take control of their own life and not wait for someone else to lead them. The power is in their own hands, represented by the imagery of removing blinkers from their eyes. The final lines remind the listener that they have only one life, and they should not let it pass them by.
The switch to a Jamaican patois in the second half of the song adds an element of rebellion and urgency to the lyrics. The lyrics call for unity among the listener's peers and disregard for societal norms such as political views and mainstream music. The repetition of the phrase "burn two spliff play ital riddem" encourages the listener to relax, enjoy music and company, and live in the moment.
Overall, the song calls for the listener to take ownership of their life, enjoy the moment, and reject societal norms.
Line by Line Meaning
There's no-one coming with that freedom train.
No one is going to come and save you or solve all your problems for you. You have to take responsibility for your life and make changes yourself.
There's nowhere you can go where you feel no pain.
Life is full of challenges and difficulties, and there is no escape from them. You have to learn to deal with pain and adversity.
Take the blinkers off your eye's,
Stop being blind to the realities of the world and open your eyes to what is really going on around you.
The power is in your hand.
You have the ability to control your own life and make changes for the better if you choose to do so.
Stop waiting for your ticket to the promised land.
Stop expecting someone else to solve your problems or make your life better. You have to take action yourself to achieve your goals.
There ain't no heaven and there ain't no hell.
There is no afterlife or reward/punishment system waiting for us. This life is all we have, so we should live it to the fullest.
Except the one we're in, and you know to well
The only reality that exists is the one we are currently experiencing, and we need to accept it and make the best of it.
There's no-one waiting on, waiting on a higher high.
There is no one out there who is going to make your life better or give you a better experience than you can create for yourself.
Don't let the only world you're ever gonna live in pass you by.
Don't waste your life or miss out on opportunities, because this is the only chance you have to experience the world.
Burn two spliff play ital riddem
Relax and enjoy life by smoking marijuana and listening to reggae music.
Rub two dub burn ital collie
Continue to relax and enjoy life by smoking marijuana and listening to reggae music.
Because the rhythm a the marshall
The beat of the music is strong and powerful.
And the rhythm a no partial go deh
The beat of the music is fair and equal to everyone.
Seh the rhythm a the marshall
The beat of the music is the leader and everyone follows it.
And the rhythm a no partial
The beat of the music is impartial and does not discriminate.
Because you jamming with you brethren
You are enjoying life with your friends and loved ones.
Jam it 'till a morning
Keep enjoying life until the sun comes up.
Forget about the warning
Don't worry about the consequences or risks, just enjoy the moment.
Have to jam it 'till a mornin'
Need to keep enjoying life until the sun comes up.
Burn two spliff play ital riddem
Relax and enjoy life by smoking marijuana and listening to reggae music.
Seh you playing in a concrete style
You are living your life in a rigid and inflexible way.
You playing in a resident style
You are living your life in a small and limited way.
And then you jam it all the while
But you can still enjoy life by relaxing and being with friends.
You gonna wake up and wonder why
If you don't take action and enjoy life, you will regret it later.
Gone in the blues
Feeling sad and depressed.
Go check on the news
Looking for information or distraction from the world's problems.
Go listen to political views
Trying to find answers or solutions to the world's problems through politics.
New Cross was no gate-crash bomb...
Referring to a real life tragedy where 13 young people died in a fire in New Cross, London, in 1981. The cause of the fire is still unknown and many believe it was due to racism or neglect by the authorities.
Rightful justice must be done!
Justice must be served for those who were wronged in the tragedy.
We don't deal with Isim Scisim
We don't deal with prejudice or discrimination.
Deal with folly-dolly
Deal with trivial or unimportant matters.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JIM BROWN, ALI CAMPBELL, ROBIN CAMPBELL, EARL FALCONER, NORMAN HASSAN, BRIAN TRAVERS, MICHAEL VIRTUE, TERRENCE OSWALD WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Paul M
on reckless
Does anyone know who the singer on the mic is with the hat? Also the two that come in with Bam? Thanks
Ian Fulton
on My Way of Thinking
Best band in the stratosphere
Rosie Contreras
on Red Red Wine
Awesome song