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.
End Of War
UB40 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or war will end mankind
Ask just who you are fighting for
And who's the mastermind
Question what we're doing here
How long can we sustain
The guilt that feeds upon our fear
We pass the buck but not the blame
It's easy to be bold and brave
From a thousand miles away
It's easy to pontificate
Live to fight another day
It's easy when the bullets are
An echo of a ricochet
But the quickest way to end a war
Is drop your guns and walk away
And once again we find ourselves
Upon the fields of war
It seems like all our yesterdays
Are on repeat but furthermore,
It would appear we didn't learn
The lessons from/of our past
The war we fought to end all wars
Secured a peace that didn't last
It's easy to be bold and brave
From a thousand miles away
It's easy to pontificate
Live to fight another day
It's easy when the bullets are
An echo of a ricochet
But the quickest way to end a war
Is drop your guns and walk away
War within mankind
The lyrics to UB40's "End of War" are a powerful message insisting that mankind must end war, or in turn war will end mankind. The song is a plea for people to question why they are fighting, and who is behind it. The lyrics suggest that we must learn from the past so as not to repeat it. The message of the song is that the guilt we feel for participating in war feeds upon our fear, and if not addressed, it will never go away. We need to stop passing the buck and take responsibility for our actions.
The song acknowledges that it is easy to be brave and bold when one is far from the action. It is easy to pontificate and to fight another day when you have not seen the horrors of war. However, the quickest way to end war is to drop your guns and walk away. The song suggests that we must learn to coexist and work together towards peace. War only leads to destruction and loss.
In summary, UB40's "End of War" is a powerful plea for humanity to put an end to war. It calls for us to question our motives and those behind the violence. The song is a poignant reminder of the guilt and fear that accompanies those who engage in war. It is a plea to coexist and work together towards a peaceful future.
Line by Line Meaning
Mankind must put an end to war
Humans must stop fighting wars in order to prevent the end of humanity
Or war will end mankind
If we don't stop waging wars, eventually they will be our downfall
Ask just who you are fighting for
Reflect on the reasons for going to war and consider if it's worth the cost
And who's the mastermind
Question the motives and intentions of those in power who make decisions on behalf of others
Question what we're doing here
Reflect on the purpose of the conflict and whether it aligns with our values and beliefs
How long can we sustain
Consider the long-term consequences of fighting a war and whether it's worth it
The guilt that feeds upon our fear
The feeling of guilt that results from acting out of fear can drive us to make poor decisions
We pass the buck but not the blame
We often shirk responsibility for our actions, blaming others instead of taking ownership and making amends
It's easy to be bold and brave
It's easier to talk tough and act brave when we're not the ones in the thick of the conflict
From a thousand miles away
The distance from the conflict makes it easier to view it from a detached and idealistic perspective
It's easy to pontificate
We often indulge in lofty speeches and theoretical discussions about conflict, but are slow to take real action to end it
Live to fight another day
In war, it's often about the long game and not giving in to an enemy in the short term
It's easy when the bullets are
It's easier to justify continuing a war when you haven't been directly affected by the violence and destruction
An echo of a ricochet
The sound of bullets hitting targets can be distant and disconnected from the reality of the harm being caused
But the quickest way to end a war
The most effective way to stop fighting and violence is to drop weapons and disengage from the conflict completely
Is drop your guns and walk away
By refusing to use violence and leaving the area of conflict, you can help initiate a peaceful resolution
And once again we find ourselves
Humanity is prone to repeating past mistakes and getting stuck in destructive patterns
Upon the fields of war
In areas where fighting is happening and the violent consequences of conflicts are evident
It seems like all our yesterdays
Past experiences of war and violence still linger in our memories and impact our current actions
Are on repeat but furthermore,
Not only are we experiencing similar events to the past, but they are being amplified and worsened by new factors
It would appear we didn't learn
Despite past lessons and experiences, humanity continues to engage in war and violence
The lessons from/of our past
The knowledge and wisdom gained from previous conflicts and mistakes
The war we fought to end all wars
World War I was called the 'war to end all wars,' but it ultimately failed to prevent future conflicts
Secured a peace that didn't last
The peace achieved after World War I was short-lived and eventually gave way to yet another global conflict
Contributed by Anthony J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Andrew Flood
END OF WAR WHAT GREAT SONG BY UB40 !!!!
Good Life
For some reason I was drawn to this song today. It's classic UB40, in the spirit of what they did in their early days. Brilliant.
Shaheen McCallum
Was drawn to this song today
WAYNE BROTHERWAYNE
This is really a great album!
Feel free again!
Keith Mcloughlin
ÜB40 Great band a shame they split up over management robben them .
Maslam Z
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UB40 - End of War
Mankind must put an end to war
Or war will end mankind
Ask just who your fighting for
And who's the mastermind
Question what we're doing here
How long can we sustain
The guilt that feeds upon our fear
We've only got ourselves to blame
It easy to be bold and brave
From a thousand miles away
It's easy to pontificate
And live to fight another day
It's easy when the bullets
Are an echo of a ricochet
But the quickest way to end a war
Is drop your guns and walk away
And once again we find ourselves
Upon the field of War
It seems like all our yesterdays
Are on repeat but furthermore
It would appear we didn't learn
The lessons of our past
The war we fought to end all wars
Secured a Peace that didn't last
It easy to be bold and brave
From a thousand miles away
It's easy to pontificate
And live to fight another day
It's easy when the bullets
Are an echo of a ricochet
But the quickest way to end a war
Is drop your guns and walk away
(..)
It easy to be bold and brave
From a thousand miles away
It's easy to pontificate
And live to fight another day
It's easy when the bullets
Are an echo of a ricochet
But the quickest way to end a war
Is drop your guns and walk away
Mankind must put an end to war
Or war will end mankind
Ask just who your fighting for
And who's the mastermind
Question what we're doing here
How long can we sustain
The guilt that feeds upon our fear
We've only got ourselves to blame
It easy to be bold and brave
From a thousand miles away
It's easy to pontificate
And live to fight another day
It's easy when the bullets
Are an echo of a ricochet
But the quickest way to end a war
Is drop your guns and walk away
Atem Empire
nice song , nice band i like them :)
richard green
listen to this drop your guns and walk away xx
Teresa Cullen
💜🦉💛
Puisano Radebe
Who is here now 2022 with all that is happening between Russia and Ukraine