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.
Rat In Mi Kitchen
UB40 Lyrics
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There's a rat in me kitchen what am I gonna go?
I'm gonna fix that rat that's what I'm gonna do,
I'm gonna fix that rat
When you open your mouth you don't talk, you shout
And you give every body the blame,
But when they catch you up,
And you got no one to blame
There's a rat in me kitchen what am I gonna do?
There's a rat in me kitchen what am I gonna go?
I'm gonna fix that rat that's what I'm gonna do,
I'm gonna fix that rat
There's a rat in me kitchen
When you out on the street,
You practice lies and deceit
And you scandalize my name
But when I catch you up
I'm gonna pull you up
I'm gonna check-out inside your brain
There's a rat in me kitchen what am I gonna do?
There's a rat in me kitchen what am I gonna go?
I'm gonna fix that rat that's what I'm gonna do,
I'm gonna fix that rat
When yo deh pon the scene,
You make everyone scream
Because they know your so unjust
But when they catch you up
They will kick you up
Because you someone they cannot trust
There's a rat in me kitchen what am I gonna do?
There's a rat in me kitchen what am I gonna go?
I'm gonna fix that rat that's what I'm gonna do,
I'm gonna fix that rat
You invade my space
Make me feel disgraced
And you just don't give a damn
If I had my way
If I had my say
I'd like to see you hang
There's a rat in me kitchen what am I gonna do?
There's a rat in me kitchen what am I gonna go?
I'm gonna fix that rat that's what I'm gonna do,
I'm gonna fix that rat
The lyrics of "Rat In Mi Kitchen" by UB40 speak of a rat causing chaos and mischief in the kitchen, and the singer’s determination to rid himself of the rat. The rat represents someone who is causing trouble, and the singer is comparing them to the rat by saying they are invading their space and making them feel disgraced. The song speaks of how this person practices lies and deceit and scandalizes the singer's name, yet when they are caught, they blame others.
The lyrics also call out the person's unjust behavior and the fact that they cannot be trusted. The singer speaks of wanting to fix the problem and pull them up, check inside their brain and make them accountable for their actions. The lyrics are a call to action and they suggest that the situation needs to be resolved to make things right.
The repetition of the line "There's a rat in me kitchen what am I gonna do?" emphasizes the frustration and annoyance of the situation, while the line "I'm gonna fix that rat" shows determination to solve the problem. Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of wanting to stand up against injustice and hold those who seek to cause trouble accountable for their actions.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a rat in me kitchen what am I gonna do?
There's a problem in my life, what am I going to do to solve it?
There's a rat in me kitchen what am I gonna go?
There's a problem in my life, where am I going to go to solve it?
I'm gonna fix that rat that's what I'm gonna do,
I'm going to take action to solve the problem in my life.
When you open your mouth you don't talk, you shout
When you speak, you do so in an aggressive and confrontational manner.
And you give every body the blame,
You always try to shift the blame onto others, rather than taking responsibility yourself.
But when they catch you up,
When others catch you doing something wrong or dishonest...
They will shut you up
They will silence you and prevent you from continuing to deceive others.
And you got no one to blame
You cannot claim that others are at fault when you are caught in the act.
When you out on the street,
When you're out in public...
You practice lies and deceit
You habitually lie and deceive those around you.
And you scandalize my name
You spread malicious rumors or negative information about me to others.
But when I catch you up
When I discover evidence of your lies or deception...
I'm gonna pull you up
I will confront you and expose your dishonesty to others.
I'm gonna check-out inside your brain
I will try to understand what motivates you to behave in such a deceitful manner.
When yo deh pon the scene,
When you are present in a social setting...
You make everyone scream
Your behavior is so unpleasant or unjust that it causes others to react negatively.
Because they know your so unjust
Others recognize that you treat people unfairly or engage in unethical behavior.
But when they catch you up
When they discover evidence of your wrongdoing...
They will kick you up
They will respond with force or punishment to ensure that you can no longer cause harm to others.
Because you someone they cannot trust
Your behavior has destroyed any sense of trust or respect others may have had for you.
You invade my space
You violate my personal boundaries or make me feel uncomfortable in my own home.
Make me feel disgraced
Your actions cause me to feel ashamed or embarrassed.
And you just don't give a damn
You are indifferent to the negative effects your actions have on others and show no remorse.
If I had my way
If I were in control of the situation...
If I had my say
If I were given the opportunity to express my opinion...
I'd like to see you hang
I would like to see you suffer the consequences of your actions, perhaps even metaphorically 'hanging' as punishment.
Lyrics © 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
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