Description
Producers: Bob Lamb, UB40, Ray Pablo Falconer.
Although UB40's later records were much more conventionally pop-oriented, even the group's 1980 debut, SIGNING OFF, doesn't fit neatly in the roots-reggae tradition. The album does feature the expected bass-heavy rhythms and socially conscious lyrics of songs like "Food for Thought" (which condemns the Ethiopian famine a full four years before Band Aid brought it to attention) and the gospel-tinged "King." However, lead singer Ali Campbell also essays a left-field cover of the early Randy Newman chestnut "I Think It's Going to Rain Today," a mopey ballad more closely associated with the likes of Dusty Springfield than Bob Marley. Like many classic-era reggae albums, SIGNING OFF also includes deep, heavy dub mixes--in this case, the fiery "Tyler" (which becomes "25%") and "Adella" (which is turned into "12 Bar"). The CD edition also includes all of the tracks from a limited-edition 21-minute EP that was packaged with early vinyl copies of SIGNING OFF.
Although UB40's later records were much more conventionally pop-oriented, even the group's 1980 debut, SIGNING OFF, doesn't fit neatly in the roots-reggae tradition. The album does feature the expected bass-heavy rhythms and socially conscious lyrics of songs like "Food for Thought" (which condemns the Ethiopian famine a full four years before Band Aid brought it to attention) and the gospel-tinged "King." However, lead singer Ali Campbell also essays a left-field cover of the early Randy Newman chestnut "I Think It's Going to Rain Today," a mopey ballad more closely associated with the likes of Dusty Springfield than Bob Marley. Like many classic-era reggae albums, SIGNING OFF also includes deep, heavy dub mixes--in this case, the fiery "Tyler" (which becomes "25%") and "Adella" (which is turned into "12 Bar"). The CD edition also includes all of the tracks from a limited-edition 21-minute EP that was packaged with early vinyl copies of SIGNING OFF.
Product Details
- Artist
- UB40
- Year of release
- 1993
- Label / Studio
- VIRGIN RECORDS (USA)
- Media Content Format
- Album
- WOW HD Sales Rank
- #1203
- Media Format
- Audio CD
- Recording Environment
- Studio
- Number of Discs
- 1
- Run Time (minutes)
- 66
- Original year of release
- 1980
- CD 30days Sales Rank
- #1019
- Cast & Crew
- UB40 (Music Performer)
Press Reviews
4 Stars - Excellent - "...SIGNING OFF surfed along the 2-Tone wave with slowed down beats, anti-Thatcher rants, inspired cover versions and the vocal interplay of Robin and Ali Campbell. It sounds better than anything [UB40's] recorded since... Q (12/93, p.145)
Ranked #83 in Q's "100 Greatest British Albums Q (6/00, p.62)
Tracklisting
Disc 1:
-
Tyler
-
King
-
12 Bar
-
Burden of Shame
-
Adella
-
I Think Its Going to Rain Today
-
25%
-
Food for Thought
-
Little By Little
-
Signing Off
-
Madam Medusa
-
Strange Fruit
-
Reefer Madness
