red red wine

Red, red wine, it's up to you

All I can do, I've done, but mem'ries won't go

Diamond's version reached number sixty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1968. That same year, Jimmy James and The Vagabonds released a cover version for the UK market. It charted at number thirty-six.

Tony Tribe, a Jamaican Rocksteady singer, recorded a reggae-influenced version in 1969 which reached number forty-six in the UK singles chart. In 1970, a remake by Vic Dana became a minor Billboard Hot 100 hit.

UB40 made their rendition for their cover versions album Labour of Love. According to the band, they were only familiar with Tony Tribe's version, and their version featured a lighter, reggae-style flavor compared to Diamond's somber, acoustic ballad. This version reached number one in the UK charts in September 1983, and number thirty-four in the U.S. in March 1984. A U.S. re-release in 1988 of the UB40 cover would then reach number one after heavy rotation by an Arizona DJ, and this second version of the song adds a toasted verse by Astro, opening "Red Red Wine, you make me feel so fine, you keep me rocking all of the time".

Diamond later performed a UB40-inspired version of the song on tour. In it, Diamond makes a slight complaint about UB40 misunderstanding the lyrics because of the happy tone to their version. This version was released on Diamond's The Greatest Hits (1966-1992).

"Red Red Wine" was never covered by Bob Marley, despite labels on P2P networks and lyric websites.

References

• The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits
• Lyrics

Video clip

• "UB 40 - Red Red Wine" at google_video