When Neil Diamond released “Red Red Wine” in 1967, the folk ballad was hardly a chart sensation. More than 20 years later, UB40’s version became a No. 1 hit and introduced the song to a whole new audience.
At the time, Diamond was still establishing himself as a solo artist. He had already found success as a songwriter, including writing “I’m a Believer” for the Monkees, and he was eager to show audiences what he could do with his own music. “Red Red Wine” was one of the songs he hoped would help make that happen.
Diamond came up with “Red Red Wine” while working part-time in a store. He imagined it as a slower track about trying to escape heartbreak with a glass of wine. The song first appeared on his 1967 album Just for You before becoming a single the following year. It failed to make much of an impression, reaching only No. 62 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Diamond went on to score bigger hits with songs like “Sweet Caroline” in 1969 and “Cracklin’ Rosie” in 1970. For a while, “Red Red Wine” looked like it would be remembered as one of Diamond’s lesser-known records.
Then, years later, another band would give the song a completely different sound. British reggae group UB40 recorded “Red Red Wine” for its 1983 album Labour of Love, which featured covers of songs the band enjoyed. The choice was a surprising one since Diamond’s original was a folk ballad, not a reggae song.
The track ended up on UB40’s album because the band was familiar with Tony Tribe‘s 1969 reggae recording. They believed Tribe’s version was the original and didn’t realize Diamond had written the song until later.
UB40 released its version in 1983, and it quickly became a hit in the U.K. and other countries, though in the U.S. the song was still waiting for its big break.
That changed in 1988 after UB40 performed “Red Red Wine” at a tribute concert for Nelson Mandela‘s birthday at Wembley Stadium in London. Because the concert aired around the world, “Red Red Wine” reached a much wider audience and started picking up more radio play in the United States.
Five years after UB40 first released its version, “Red Red Wine” finally became the hit Diamond had once hoped it would be. In 1988, UB40’s reggae-infused rendition climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, turning Diamond’s modest 1960s charting song into an international smash.
For many listeners, UB40’s reggae version became the better-known rendition of “Red Red Wine.” Its easygoing reggae rhythm transformed the feel of Diamond’s slower original.
Diamond, however, was more than happy to see the song find a new audience. He has praised UB40’s interpretation and has even played the reggae version at his own concerts.
In an interview, Diamond said he never would have guessed the song would eventually become a reggae hit. “I never in my life would have imagined it this way,” he admitted. “If you would have told me that 20 or 25 years later it would have been a huge reggae hit, you know, it’s totally different.”
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