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.
Smile For Me
UB40 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You have the general going wild
Degree love it when you smile
Smile for me, you fill my heart with pleasure
Can't you see, you make me feel a whole lot better
Just smile for me. just keep that smile forever
Baby girl the two of we, we have to get together
Can't you see, you make me feel a whole lot better
Just smile for me. just keep that smile forever
Baby girl the two of we, we have to get together
Show me your smile and make me see your pretty dimple
Them bright like the stars them when twinkle
It make me body full of goosepimple
No take it simple cause it's dem thing that me into
Another thing woman tell me if you are single
And if you are single well hear this ya tingle
If me and you should ever get the chance fe mingle
A dis me what you do to make my body tingle
Smile for me, you fill my heart with pleasure
Can't you see, you make me feel a whole lot better
Just smile for me. just keep that smile forever
Baby girl the two of we, we have to get together
Woman when you smile ever cute you ever twist
Your smile a drive me wild, woman I am tempted to kiss
Me say honey me say sugar, all over your lips
Could a give me diabetes, me still not resist!
Come dem a smile me a record for you, a compact disc (I tell you)
Well already fixed like a digital mix, woman you are bad with it
You no need no practice, and the verse, and start the corus like this
Smile for me, you fill my heart with pleasure
Can't you see, you make me feel a whole lot better
Just smile for me. just keep that smile forever
Baby girl the two of we, we have to get together
Smile for me, you fill my heart with pleasure
Can't you see, you make me feel a whole lot better
Just smile for me. just keep that smile forever
Baby girl the two of we, we have to get together
Girl a you have the right serial
And you produce the smiling material
From a past end place someone ? your ?
But for your smile a fe dem all good and equal
A smile a there for me is so essential
A what it do me you have to keep it confidential
So just smile a while and don't crap me style
No ever do that to the general
Smile for me, you fill my heart with pleasure
Can't you see, you make me feel a whole lot better
Just smile for me. just keep that smile forever
Baby girl the two of we have to get together
Smile for me, you fill my heart with pleasure
Can't you see, you make me feel a whole lot better
Just smile for me. just keep that smile forever
Baby girl the two of we have to get together
The song "Smile For Me" by UB40 is a love song about a man who is mesmerized by a woman's smile. The lyrics talk about how the woman's smile fills his heart with pleasure and makes him feel a whole lot better. He asks her to smile for him and keep that smile forever. The man is so captivated by her smile that he even wants to kiss her just by looking at it. The song also suggests that the man and the woman should get together as they are meant to be.
The lyrics use a lot of Jamaican Patois, which is a dialect of English spoken in Jamaica. The dialect adds a unique flavor to the song and makes it sound more authentic. It also gives the lyrics a more poetic feel as they are written in the form of a poem. The song has a catchy melody that complements the lyrics and makes it easy to sing along.
Overall, "Smile For Me" is a romantic song that celebrates the beauty of a smile and how it can bring joy to one's life. The song encourages the listener to appreciate the simple things in life and not take them for granted.
Line by Line Meaning
Girl I don't want to waiste time, me just love the profile
I don't want to waste any time, I just love everything about you
You have the general going wild
Your beauty is so captivating it's making me go wild
Degree love it when you smile
Even the degree of temperature rises when you smile
Smile for me, you fill my heart with pleasure
Your smile is so beautiful that it fills my heart with pleasure
Can't you see, you make me feel a whole lot better
Just seeing your smile makes me feel so much better
Just smile for me. just keep that smile forever
Please continue to smile at me, forever
Baby girl the two of we, we have to get together
We should be together, baby girl
Show me your smile and make me see your pretty dimple
Let me see your lovely smile and charming dimples
Them bright like the stars them when twinkle
Your dimples shine like twinkling stars in the sky
It make me body full of goosepimple
Your smile makes my body tingle with excitement
No take it simple cause it's dem thing that me into
Don't take it lightly, your smile is what I'm into
Another thing woman tell me if you are single
Also, please tell me if you are single
And if you are single well hear this ya tingle
And if you are single, then you should know that I'm interested
If me and you should ever get the chance fe mingle
If we ever get the chance to be together
A dis me what you do to make my body tingle
It's you and your smile that make my body tingle
Woman when you smile ever cute you ever twist
When you smile, it's the cutest and most charming thing ever
Your smile a drive me wild, woman I am tempted to kiss
Your smile drives me crazy, I can't resist the urge to kiss you
Me say honey me say sugar, all over your lips
I say honey and sugar, all over your lips
Could a give me diabetes, me still not resist!
It could give me diabetes, but I still can't resist you
Come dem a smile me a record for you, a compact disc (I tell you)
Every time you smile, it's like a recording that I want to keep forever
Well already fixed like a digital mix, woman you are bad with it
It's already stuck in my head like a well-made music mix, you're so good at it
You no need no practice, and the verse, and start the corus like this
You don't need any practice, you're a natural, just start the chorus like this
Girl a you have the right serial
You have the perfect combination of qualities
And you produce the smiling material
And your smile is the most precious thing you can produce
From a past end place someone ? your ?
Despite any past relationships or experiences, you're the one for me
But for your smile a fe dem all good and equal
Your smile is what makes everything good and equal between us
A smile a there for me is so essential
Your smile is essential to me
A what it do me you have to keep it confidential
It's a secret what your smile does to me
So just smile a while and don't crap me style
So just smile for a while and don't change the way you are
No ever do that to the general
Never do that to me, the general
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JIM BROWN, ALI CAMPBELL, ROBIN CAMPBELL, EARL FALCONER, NORMAN HASSAN, BRIAN TRAVERS, MICHAEL VIRTUE, TERRENCE OSWALD WILSON, CARDIFF SAMUEL BUTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jolanda Klok
[Chorus]
I love it when you smile
When you're with me honey
It happens all the while
How it kills me when you cry
And you know my heart
That's no word of a lie
Everyday you show me something new about you
Honestly I could never live without you
Look at me here's a soul who'll never doubt you
And I will be forever by your side
[Chorus]
Probably the greatest feeling I have ever known
Actually is when you wrap yourself around me
Promise me you'll stay now that I've found you
And I will be forever by your side
[Chorus]
And you could say you've heard it all before
And I know that any day you may walk out the door
When I say no one will love you more believe me
And I will be forever by your side
[Chorus]
Jolanda Klok
[Chorus]
I love it when you smile
When you're with me honey
It happens all the while
How it kills me when you cry
And you know my heart
That's no word of a lie
Everyday you show me something new about you
Honestly I could never live without you
Look at me here's a soul who'll never doubt you
And I will be forever by your side
[Chorus]
Probably the greatest feeling I have ever known
Actually is when you wrap yourself around me
Promise me you'll stay now that I've found you
And I will be forever by your side
[Chorus]
And you could say you've heard it all before
And I know that any day you may walk out the door
When I say no one will love you more believe me
And I will be forever by your side
[Chorus]
Kanakafarian Raider
Love it Yo🤙
Kat Sullivan
I love this, it kept playing in my head today so I ended up actually singing it out loud in the street!! Didn't care who was looking lol 😀💞🎷
John Doughty
My wife walked into our wedding to this track... Perfect memories
Tilly…
Wicked way to start your wedding!we got married in jamaica our song was she's still loving !memories!
Dean Brown
Absolutely awesome big up ub4o what a tune respect
Anuka Soza
Amazing music! I have been listening to these guys from the time they started ...... still am they are the best🇱🇰
Tramae George
Love this song much!!
Nathan Dyer
Amazing song by the best reggae band on the planet.
Dean Brown
Love it can't stop playing it HELP