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.
It's A Long Long Way
UB40 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't you worry yourself my dear
It's a long long way from here
Drought and famine in tv land
Read the Sunday papers credit card ina your hand
Sing your song of freedom just to ease your troubled mind
And save your guilty pennies for the ones you leave behind
The burden that you carry from the cradle to the grave
Is like a badge of honour that you wear upon your sleeve
You make your contribution and you shed a little tear
And stage your celebration just to show how much you care
You obscure your stolen power with hypocrisy and lies
Your talk of understanding is a wafer thin disguise
You glorify my image but deny me flesh and blood
You radiate with goodness when you here me beg for food
Those rivers of blood will flow again
Someone changed the lyrics but the song remains the same
You can build a wall of protocol to keep the wolves at bay
But history dictates that someone has to pay
It's a long long way from here
Don't you worry yourself my dear
It's a long long way from here
UB40's song It's A Long Long Way is a politically charged piece that speaks of the hypocrisy and injustices of society. The first verse speaks to the distance between the singer and their loved one, assuring them that despite the distance, they need not worry. However, this sentiment is quickly contrasted with the next verse, which mentions the drought and famine in television land, highlighting the issues of poverty and inequality that exist in society. The following lines point to the superficiality and self-centeredness prevalent in society, as people focus their attention on credit cards and personal freedom, while leaving others behind.
The chorus returns to the message of reassurance, but the following verses once again highlight the injustices that exist in society. The third verse draws attention to the burden people carry with them from birth to death, which is seen as a badge of honor but causes emotional pain along the way. The fourth verse continues to criticize society, as people stage celebrations and donate to charity to show how much they care, but this is often just a hollow display of virtue signaling.
The fifth verse is particularly scathing, as it speaks to the hypocrisy of those in power who talk of understanding and radiate goodness but do not take action to help those in need. The final verse speaks of how history repeats itself, and though we may try to deny and distance ourselves from the negative aspects of our past, we cannot escape the consequences of our actions.
Overall, the lyrics of It's A Long Long Way are a social critique of the injustices and hypocrisy prevalent in society. They call for people to take action and make a genuine effort to help those in need, rather than just tokenistic displays of compassion.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a long long way from here
The distance between the current situation and a better one is quite vast.
Don't you worry yourself my dear
Despite the length of the journey ahead, there is no need for concern.
Drought and famine in tv land
People are suffering from hunger and thirst all around the world, and yet those on TV seem to live in luxury.
Read the Sunday papers credit card ina your hand
Many people who read the news on a weekend have access to credit while others struggle to feed themselves.
Sing your song of freedom just to ease your troubled mind
People engage in symbolic gestures in order to feel good about themselves, rather than truly helping those in need.
And save your guilty pennies for the ones you leave behind
People feel bad about the wealth they possess, yet they do little to help others, instead hoarding their wealth and leaving it behind when they die.
The burden that you carry from the cradle to the grave
The weight of existence is overwhelming and affects everyone from birth until death.
Is like a badge of honour that you wear upon your sleeve
Many people carry their burdens like a badge of honor, believing that their difficult lives make them stronger and better than others.
You make your contribution and you shed a little tear
Many people feel they have done their part simply by donating a small amount of money, while crying over the suffering of others.
And stage your celebration just to show how much you care
People often engage in public displays of support, such as celebratory events, in order to demonstrate to others how much they care, rather than simply helping those in need.
You obscure your stolen power with hypocrisy and lies
People in power often maintain their status by hiding their true intentions behind lies and hypocrisy.
Your talk of understanding is a wafer thin disguise
It is easy to talk about understanding and empathy, yet it is much harder to truly comprehend and sympathize with those who suffer.
You glorify my image but deny me flesh and blood
People often celebrate figures who represent good causes, yet they do little to help those who are truly suffering in reality.
You radiate with goodness when you here me beg for food
Those in power often appear benevolent in public, yet when faced with the actual suffering of others, they do little to alleviate it.
Those rivers of blood will flow again
Tragedies and atrocities are bound to occur again in the future, as mankind seems unable to learn from past mistakes.
Someone changed the lyrics but the song remains the same
The world may change in superficial ways, but the underlying problems and issues remain the same.
You can build a wall of protocol to keep the wolves at bay
People in power may try to erect artificial barriers to prevent the suffering of others from affecting them, but in reality, these efforts do little to help.
But history dictates that someone has to pay
The history of mankind has been marked by violence, suffering, and injustice, and someone always seems to have to pay the price for it.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BROWN, CAMPBELL, FALCONER, HASSAN, TRAVERS, VI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gianfranco Valencia
Recuerdo cuando mi papa tenia el cassette de ub40 y precisamente era este el album promises and lies . Y escuchaba todas estas canciones gran recuerdo de estos ingleses
GoodBrotherMusic
RIP to a true legend. Astro will never be forgotten as long as his music lives on.
Galaxy
Es una canción sexy! Pegajosa 😎😎😍 y cálida
Andrew Flood
IT'S A LONG LONG WAY GREAT SONG STILL BY UB40 IN 2019 BE CAME OUT IN 1993 !!!
Adam Evans
fantastic classic ub40
A. E. T. Gaming
I wish this had an instrumental version
Kerry Adams
Big up ASTRO RIP never forgotten with his music still carrying on
adrian rodriguez
esta canción de ub40 es una de mis favoritas por eso me encanta esta canción la recomiendo es buena para los amantes de el reggae
Richard graft
adrian rodriguez ii
P Taco
Ayyyyyy...2020 still slap...GO NINERS!!!415