"Labour of Love" is the fourth studio album by British reggae band UB40, released on 12 September 1983. This album, their first of cover versions, is best known for the hit single "Red Red Wine," which topped charts worldwide. It also features three other UK top 20 hits: "Please Don't Make Me Cry," "Many Rivers to Cross," and "Cherry Oh Baby." The album achieved significant success, reaching number one in the UK, New Zealand, and the Netherlands, and the top five in Canada. Although it initially peaked at number 39 on the US Billboard 200, it re-entered the chart in 1988, reaching number 14 due to the continued success of "Red Red Wine."
Following the success of Labour of Love, UB40 released three more albums under the Labour of Love title, continuing their tradition of cover versions.
Labour of Love is an album by UB40 featuring cover versions of ten reggae songs from 1969 to 1972, chosen from a list compiled by guitarist Robin Campbell and refined through band discussions. The idea for the album emerged from the band's desire to record an album of covers due to pressure for new material and their recent acquisition of their own studio, the Abattoir. This setup allowed them to experiment with new sounds, like LinnDrums and synthesised basslines, without the pressure of creating original content.
During recording, the band was surprised to discover that "Red Red Wine," one of the album's standout tracks, was originally written by Neil Diamond and not by reggae artist Tony Tribe, as they had believed. The album's version of "Red Red Wine" included a toasted verse by Astro, which Diamond later incorporated into his live performances.
UB40 defended their choice to record a covers album, emphasizing their goal of popularizing reggae music. Robin Campbell stated that their intention was to bring reggae to a broader audience, acknowledging that their approach involved some commercial compromises to achieve radio play.
