UB40 are an English reggae and pop band, formed in December 1978 in Birmingham, England. The band has had more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. They have been nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album four times, and in 1984 were nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Group. UB40 have sold over 70 million records worldwide. The ethnic make-up of the band's original line-up was diverse, with musicians of English, Welsh, Irish, Jamaican, Scottish, and Yemeni parentage.
"Super Freak" is a 1981 single produced and performed by American singer Rick James. The song, co-written by James and Alonzo Miller, was first released on James' album Street Songs and became one of James' signature songs. "Freak" is a slang term for the sexually adventurous, as described in the song's lyrics, "She's a very kinky girl / The kind you don't take home to mother". Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song number 477 in its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song was nominated for the Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the 1982 Grammys. MC Hammer's 1990 hit "U Can't Touch This" samples "Super Freak".
"Can't Help Falling in Love" is a song recorded by American singer Elvis Presley for the album Blue Hawaii (1961). It was written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss and published by Gladys Music, Inc. The melody is based on "Plaisir d'amour", a popular French love song composed in 1784 by Jean-Paul-Égide Martini. The song was initially written from the perspective of a woman as "Can't Help Falling in Love with Him", which explains the first and third line ending on "in" and "sin" rather than words rhyming with "you".
The UK Singles Chart was first compiled in 1969. However the records and statistics listed here date back to 1952 because the Official Charts Company counts a selected period of the New Musical Express chart and the Record Retailer chart from 1960 to 1969 as predecessors for the period prior to 11 February 1969, where multiples of competing charts coexisted side by side. For example, the BBC compiled its own chart based on an average of the music papers of the time; many songs announced as having reached number one on BBC Radio and Top of the Pops prior to 1969 may not be listed here as chart-toppers since they do not meet the legacy criteria of the Charts Company.
"Don't You Want Me" is a single by British synthpop group the Human League. It was released on 27 November 1981 as the fourth single from their third studio album Dare (1981). The band's best known and most commercially successful song, it was the biggest selling UK single of 1981, that year's Christmas number one, and has since sold over 1,560,000 copies in the UK, making it the 23rd-most successful single in UK Singles Chart history. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 in the US on 3 July 1982, where it stayed for three weeks.
"Red Red Wine" is a song originally written, performed and recorded by American singer Neil Diamond in 1967 that appears on his second studio album, Just for You. The lyrics are written from the perspective of a person who finds that drinking red wine is the only way to forget his woes.
"1999" is a song by American musician Prince, the title track from his 1982 album of the same name. Originally peaking at number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100, a December 1982 rerelease later peaked at number 12 in the US, while a January 1985 rerelease, a double A-side with "Little Red Corvette", later peaked at number 2 in the UK.
"Start Me Up" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones from their 1981 album Tattoo You. Released as the album's lead single, it reached number one on Australian Kent Music Report, number two in Canada, number two on the Billboard Hot 100, number seven on the UK Singles Chart, and the top ten in a handful of European countries north of the Alps.
"Don't Stop Believin'" is a song by American rock band Journey, originally released as the second single from their seventh album, Escape (1981). It became a number nine hit on the Billboard Hot 100 on its original release after entering the chart at position 56 on October 31, 1981. In the United Kingdom, the song was not a top 40 hit on its original release, but it reached number six in 2010 following the popularity of a cover version by the cast of the American comedy-drama Glee.
Rat in the Kitchen is the seventh album by UB40, released in July 1986. This album contained two UK hits, "Sing Our Own Song" and "Rat in Mi Kitchen". The album itself reached 8 in the UK album charts in 1986 staying in the charts for twenty weeks. The album provoked a positive reception from critics.
Present Arms is the second album by UB40 and was released in 1981. It spent 38 weeks on the UK album charts, reaching number 2. An album of original songs, it spawned two top 20 hits in "One in Ten" and "Don't Let It Pass You By/Don't Slow Down" (16).
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" is a song written by English singer Elton John and his lyricist Bernie Taupin. It was originally recorded in 1974 by Elton John for his studio album Caribou and was released as a single that peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached number 16 on the UK Singles Chart. The song found further success in 1991 in a live cover version recorded as a duet between John and George Michael – who performed the song together for the first time at Live Aid in Wembley Stadium in July 1985 – which reached number one in the UK and US.
"Can't Stand Losing You" is a song by English rock band The Police, released from their debut album Outlandos d'Amour, both in 1978. The song also was released as the follow-up single to "Roxanne", reaching number 2 in the UK Singles Chart on a re-release in 1979. It was written by the band's lead singer and bassist Sting as a song about suicide.
"One in Ten" is a single by UB40, released in 1981 on their second album Present Arms. It reached number 7 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Rat in Mi Kitchen" is a song and single written and performed by British group, UB40. It features Herb Alpert on trumpet and was the sixth track on their album Rat in the Kitchen. Released in 1986, it reached Number 12 on the UK charts in 1987, staying for seven weeks.
"My Baby Left Me" is a rhythm and blues song written by blues singer Arthur Crudup.
"Don't Save Me" is a song by American rock band Haim. The song was released in the United Kingdom on November 8, 2012. It was featured on their debut studio album, Days Are Gone, released in 2013. On December 23, 2012, the song entered the UK Singles Chart at number 74. On January 6, 2013, the song re-entered the UK Singles Chart at number 51, climbing to number 32 the following week. The song premiered on BBC Radio 1 as Zane Lowe's 'Hottest Record' on October 16, 2012. A music video to accompany the release of "Don't Save Me" was first released onto YouTube on November 26, 2012, at a total length of three minutes and fifty-six seconds. On November 23, 2013, the band performed the song on Saturday Night Live. The song impacted radio on October 14, 2014.
"If It Happens Again" is a song and single written and performed by British group, UB40. It was featured on their album Geffery Morgan and was released in 1984 reaching 9, on the UK charts, staying for eight weeks. It also made 9 on the Irish charts and 8 on the Dutch charts.
"Sing Our Own Song" is a song and single written and performed by British group UB40. It featured backing singers Jaki Graham, Mo Birch and Ruby Turner and was the ninth and final track on their album Rat in the Kitchen. Released in 1986 it reached 5, on the UK charts, staying for nine weeks. It made 1 on the Dutch charts in 1986.
