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.
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
When you out on the street,
You practice lies and deceipt
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
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
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
There's a rat in me kitchen
In UB40's song Rat In The Kitchen, the lyrics capture the frustration and anger towards someone who is acting deceitfully and causing chaos in the singer's life. The metaphor of a rat in the kitchen represents this individual who is invasive and destructive to the singer's personal space. The lyrics reveal that this person is constantly shouting and blaming others for their wrongdoings, yet when they are caught, they have no one to blame but themselves. The singer takes a firm stance against this person, indicating that they will take action to "fix" them and bring them to account for their actions.
The lyrics also highlight the impact of this person's behavior on the people around them. They scandalize the singer's name and cause others to be unjustly affected by their actions. The singer expresses the desire to be rid of this destructive individual, stating that they "invade [their] space" and make them feel "disgraced." The final line of the song, "I'd like to see you hang," emphasizes the intensity of the singer's emotion towards this person.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a rat in me kitchen what am I gonna do?
I have a big problem in my kitchen that demands immediate action!
There's a rat in me kitchen what am I gonna go?
The unwanted presence of the rat has put me in a dilemma about my next move!
I'm gonna fix that rat that's what I'm gonna do,
I am determined to rid my kitchen of the rat by any means necessary!
I'm gonna fix that rat.
I will succeed in eliminating the rat from my kitchen once and for all!
When you open your mouth you don't talk, you shout
You are unable to communicate in a calm manner; instead, you resort to yelling and screaming!
And you give every body the blame,
You are quick to put the blame on others instead of taking responsibility for your actions!
But when they catch you up,
When others finally catch up to your misdeeds,
They will shut you up
They will silence you from making excuses!
And you got no one to blame
You will have no one but yourself to blame when you face the consequences!
When you out on the street,
When you are out and about,
You practice lies and deceipt
You make a habit of lying and deceiving others!
And you scandalize my name
You also spread malicious rumors and tarnish my reputation!
But when I catch you up
But once I expose your wrongdoing,
I'm gonna pull you up
I will hold you accountable for your actions and reprimand you!
I'm gonna check-out inside your brain
I am going to thoroughly understand your thinking and motivations!
when yo deh pon the scene,
When you are present in a certain situation,
You make everyone scream
You cause chaos and uproar among the people involved!
Because they know your so unjust
They are aware of your unfair and unethical behavior!
But when they catch you up
But when you are finally discovered for your wrongdoing by others,
They will kick you up
They will undoubtedly punish or scold you!
Because you someone they cannot trust
You have lost their faith and trust due to your lack of integrity!
You invade my space
You encroach upon my personal space and boundaries!
Make me feel disgraced
You make me feel embarrassed and disrespected!
And you just don't give a damn
You don't care about how your actions impact others!
If I had my way
If I had complete control over the situation,
If I had my say
If I had the ability to speak my mind and express my emotions,
I'd like to see you hang
I would desire to see you punished severely for your negative impact on my life!
There's a rat in me kitchen
The phrase is repeated as a reminder that the problem still exists and needs to be dealt with!
There's a rat in me kitchen
The phrase is repeated as a confirmation that there is indeed a rat in the kitchen!
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALI CAMPBELL, BRIAN TRAVERS, EARL FALCONER, JIM BROWN, MICHAEL VIRTUE, NORMAN HASSAN, ROBIN CAMPBELL, TERRENCE OSWALD WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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