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.
Friendly Fire
UB40 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Spending our days, serving our time
In the usual way
We went behind the lines
To even the score
I won the battle but you won the war
I used to be a gun for hire
Then I was killed by friendly fire
Then I was killed by friendly fire
A shot rang out
And knocked me flat
Ain't no coming back from a lick like that
I never saw it coming, it came out of the blue
I never did believe my assassin would be you
I got the message down the wire
That I was killed by friendly fire
I used to be a gun for hire
Then I was killed by friendly fire
We were partners in crime
Spending our days, serving our time
In the usual way
We went behind the lines
To even the score
I won the battle but you won the war
I used to be a gun for hire
Then I was killed by friendly fire
I used to be a real high flier
Then I was shot by friendly fire
A shot rang out
And knocked me flat
Ain't no coming back from a lick like that
I never saw it coming, it came out of the blue
I never did believe my assassin would be you
I got the message down the wire
That I was killed by friendly fire
I used to be a gun for hire
Then I was killed by friendly fire
The song "Friendly Fire" by UB40 is a lamentation of a person who has been killed by a friend while doing some nefarious activities, specifically criminal acts. The lyrics seem to convey the theme of misunderstanding and treachery among friends. The person narrating the story was a gun for hire in the past, involved in criminal actions with a friend as his partner in crime. They were serving their time together and went behind the lines to even the score. However, in the end, he was killed by friendly fire. Although he did not see it coming, he got the message down the wire that his assassin was his friend.
The song's central theme examines the dangerous world of illegal activities that can place friends in harm's way. Despite the shared experiences of the singer and his partner in crime (the typical spending of days serving their time and going behind the lines to even the score), one momentary slip-up ended in a tragic event. The phrase 'killed by friendly fire' is a military term used to explain accidental deaths or injuries caused by one's associates. In this context, the phrase highlights a course of action by a friend, which leads to the singer's demise.
Line by Line Meaning
We were partners in crime
We were close and involved in illicit activities together
Spending our days, serving our time
We were committing crimes and being punished for them during the day
In the usual way
As per routine
We went behind the lines
We were covertly operating in enemy territory
To even the score
We were seeking revenge to settle a score
I won the battle but you won the war
I may have won a small fight but you ultimately emerged victorious in our conflict
I used to be a gun for hire
I used to be a hired hitman or soldier
Then I was killed by friendly fire
I was accidentally shot and killed by someone fighting on my side
I used to be a real high flier
I used to be very successful
A shot rang out
A gunshot was heard
And knocked me flat
I was hit and fell down
Ain't no coming back from a lick like that
It's impossible to recover from a hit like that
I never saw it coming, it came out of the blue
I was caught unawares and the attack was unexpected
I never did believe my assassin would be you
I didn't think that the person who killed me would be someone I knew and trusted
I got the message down the wire
I received news about my own death through a communication channel
That I was killed by friendly fire
I learned that I died as a result of accidental fire from my own side
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: TERRENCE OSWALD WILSON, MICHAEL VIRTUE, NORMAN HASSAN, BRIAN TRAVERS, EARL FALCONER, ROBIN CAMPBELL, JIM BROWN, ALI CAMPBELL
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