{{Short description|1967 single by Neil Diamond}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2022}} {{Infobox song | name = Red Red Wine | cover = Red Red Wine label.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Neil Diamond | album = Just for You | B-side = Red Rubber Ball | released = {{start date|1967}} | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = * Soft rock<ref>{{Cite podcast|url=https://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/culturegabfest/2017/04/how_red_red_wine_by_ub40_became_an_unlikely_hit.html|title= The Rogue DJ Edition|website=Hit Parade {{!}} Music History and Music Trivia|publisher=Slate|last=Molanphy|first=Chris|date=April 28, 2017|access-date=June 25, 2023}}</ref> * folk rock<ref name= "RS 2004">{{cite book |chapter=Neil Diamond|last=Sheffield|first=Rob|title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |year=2004 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |page= 233-234}}</ref> | length = 2:42 | label = Bang | writer = Neil Diamond | producer = {{hlist|Jeff Barry|Ellie Greenwich}} | prev_title = New Orleans | prev_year = 1968 | next_title = Brooklyn Roads | next_year = 1968 }}

"'''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.

UB40 recorded a cover version in 1983 for their album ''Labour of Love'' that went to {{abbr|No.|Number}} 1 in the UK and was moderately successful in the United States. It was rereleased in 1988 and went to No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.

==Neil Diamond version== When Neil Diamond left the Bang Records label in 1968, the label continued to release his singles, often adding newly recorded instruments and background vocals to album tracks from his two albums for Bang, ''The Feel of Neil Diamond'' and ''Just for You'' (which included "Red Red Wine"). For the "Red Red Wine" single, Bang added a background choir without Diamond's involvement or permission. Diamond's version reached No. 62 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in 1968. ''Billboard'' described the single as a "compelling, original folk-flavored ballad."<ref name=bb>{{cite news|newspaper=Billboard|accessdate=February 23, 2021|date=March 16, 1968|page=78|title=Spotlight Singles|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/60s/1968/Billboard%201968-03-16.pdf}}</ref> ''Cash Box'' called it a "softie featuring a melancholy tale by a figure drowning his sorrow" with "dramatic vocal performance in a neatly styled arrangement."<ref>{{cite magazine |title=CashBox Record Reviews |date=March 16, 1968 |page=16 |access-date=January 12, 2022 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1968/CB-1968-03-16.pdf |magazine=Cash Box}}</ref>

A live version was released on Diamond's ''The Greatest Hits (1966–92)'', but the 1968 single version has never been issued on a vinyl album or CD. However, according to the liner notes in the booklet included in the 1996 box set ''In My Lifetime'', the version of "Red Red Wine" erroneously indicates it is “from Bang single 556” but it is really the original, non-overdubbed mono album master of the track. A review of the original 1996 release of this box set show Diamond also released a live version on his 1972 album ''Hot August Night'' (but not as a single.)

Several artists covered the song shortly after Diamond's recording was released: * In 1968, Dutch singer Peter Tetteroo (from the band Tee-Set) had a hit with a version that reached No. 6 on the Dutch Top 40 chart. * Jamaican-born singer Tony Tribe recorded a reggae version of the song in 1969 that reached No. 46 on the UK Singles Chart.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book| first= David| last= Roberts| year= 2006| title= British Hit Singles & Albums| edition= 19th| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited| location= London| isbn= 1-904994-10-5| page= 565}}</ref> It became Trojan Records' first chart hit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trojanrecords.com/the-trojan-records-story|title=History - Trojan Records |work=Trojan Records }}</ref> * Vic Dana's cover from his album ''If I Never Knew Your Name'' became his last ''Billboard'' Hot 100 hit, peaking at No. 72 in June 1970.

===Charts=== {|class="wikitable" !Chart (1968) !Peak<br />position |- |U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>{{cite book |title= Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012 |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2013 |publisher=Record Research |page=237}}</ref> |align="center"|62 |- |}

==UB40 cover version== {{Infobox song | name = Red Red Wine | cover = Red Red Wine.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = UB40 | album = Labour of Love | B-side = Sufferin' | released = 1983 | recorded = 1982 | studio = | genre = Reggae | length = {{ubl|5:20 (album version)|3:01 (short version)}} | label = {{hlist|DEP (UK)|A&M (US)|Virgin}} | writer = Neil Diamond | producer = {{hlist|Ray "Pablo" Falconer|UB40}} | prev_title = I've Got Mine | prev_year = 1983 | next_title = Please Don't Make Me Cry | next_year = 1983 }} UB40 recorded a version of "Red Red Wine" for their album of cover versions, ''Labour of Love''. According to UB40 member Astro, the group's former vocalist and trumpet player, the band was only familiar with Tony Tribe's version and did not realize that the writer and original singer was Neil Diamond. Astro told the ''Financial Times'', "Even when we saw the writing credit which said 'N Diamond,' we thought it was a Jamaican artist called Negus Diamond."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/untold-story-behind-ub40-hit-reggae-song-red-red-wine-article-1.2947470|title=The untold story behind UB40's hit reggae song 'Red Red Wine' - NY Daily News|first=Brian|last=Lisi|website=New York Daily News|date=January 16, 2017 }}</ref>

UB40's version features a lighter, reggae-style flavor than Diamond's somber, acoustic ballad. The UB40 version adds a toasted verse by Astro, opening: "Red Red Wine, you make me feel so fine/You keep me rocking all of the time," which was edited from the single that reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart in August 1983 and No. 34 in the US in March 1984. In the UK, it was the third best-selling single of 1983 with 550,000 sales.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-official-top-40-best-selling-songs-of-1983__32721/ |title= Official Top 40 Best Selling Singles of 1983 |website= UK Official Charts.com |publisher= The Official UK Charts Company |date= 19 March 2021 }}</ref>

In 1988, UB40 performed the song at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Concert. Soon after, program director Guy Zapoleon of Phoenix-based KZZP<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/culturegabfest/2017/04/how_red_red_wine_by_ub40_became_an_unlikely_hit.html|title=Hit Parade: The Rogue DJ Edition|last=Molanphy|first=Chris|date=April 28, 2017|work=Slate|access-date=October 20, 2019|language=en-US|issn=1091-2339}}</ref> placed the full version, including Astro's "rap", on the station's playlist, and it soon became the station's most popular song. With UB40 ready to release ''Labour of Love II'', A&M Records promotion man Charlie Minor asked UB40 to hold off on releasing the album so that the label could reissue and promote "Red Red Wine". On the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart of October 15, 1988, the song reached a new peak at No. 1.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/ub40-red-red-wine-labour-of-love-8472113/|title=35 Years After 'Red Red Wine,' UB40's 'Labour of Love' Continues|magazine=Billboard|access-date=October 20, 2019}}</ref> In September 2014, the Official Charts Company announced that sales in the UK had reached one million.<ref name="NOW million">{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/now-thats-what-i-call-a-million-tracklisting-revealed-3142/|title=Now That's What I Call A Million tracklisting revealed!|last=Moss|first=Liv|date=September 22, 2014|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=September 22, 2014}}</ref> In 2023, it was included on the Official Charts Company's list of the UK's best-selling singles of all time at number 134.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-best-selling-singles-of-all-time-on-the-official-uk-chart__21298/ |title=The best-selling singles of all time on the Official UK Chart |publisher=Official Charts Company |date=8 November 2023}}</ref>

Neil Diamond has stated that UB40's "Red Red Wine" is among his favorite covers of his songs.<ref name="Reddit AMA">{{cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2jg30w/singersongwriter_neil_diamond_here_ama/clbe93t|date=October 16, 2014|title=Singer/songwriter Neil Diamond here, AMA!|publisher=Reddit|access-date=October 17, 2014}}</ref> He frequently performs the song live using the UB40 reggae arrangement rather than that of the original version.

===Charts=== ====Weekly charts==== {|class="wikitable sortable" !Chart (1983) !Peak<br />position |- |Australia (Kent Music Report)<ref>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St. Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|edition=Illustrated|page=316|isbn=0-646-11917-6}} N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid 1983 and June 19, 1988.</ref> |align="center"|2 |- |{{single chart|Austria|5|artist=UB40|song=Red Red Wine}} |- |Canada (''The Record'')<ref>{{cite book|author=Nanda Lwin|author-link=Nanda Lwin|title=Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide|publisher=Music Data Canada|year=1999|isbn=1-896594-13-1}}</ref> |align="center"|3 |- |{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|1|artist=UB40|song=Red Red Wine|chartid=4468|access-date=January 1, 2021}} |- |Denmark (Hitlisten)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ukmix.org/showthread.php?63915-Danish-Charts-Archive|title = Danish Charts Archive?| date=November 11, 2009 }}</ref> |align="center"|2 |- |{{single chart|Ireland2|1|artist=UB40|song=Red Red Wine|access-date=January 1, 2021}} |- |Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.radio538.nl/web/show/id=44685/chartid=6395 |title=De Nederlandse Top 40, week 39, 1983 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080914215903/http://www.radio538.nl/web/show/id=44685/chartid=6395 |archive-date=September 14, 2008}}</ref> |align="center"|1 |- |{{single chart|New Zealand|1|artist=UB40|song=Red Red Wine}} |- |{{single chart|Norway|10|artist=UB40|song=Red Red Wine}} |- |South Africa (Springbok Radio/Radio Orion)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(U).html|title=South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Acts (U)|access-date=October 13, 2021}}</ref> |align="center"|1 |- |{{single chart|Sweden|14|artist=UB40|song=Red Red Wine}} |- |{{single chart|Switzerland|8|artist=UB40|song=Red Red Wine}} |- |{{single chart|UK|1|date=19830828}} |- {{single chart|Billboardhot100|34|artist=UB40|chartid=277578}} |- {{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|41|artist=UB40}} |- |{{single chart|West Germany|12|artist=UB40|song=Red Red Wine|songid=1015}} |- |Zimbabwe (ZIMA)<ref name="zimbabwe">{{cite book|first= Chris |last= Kimberley |year= 2000 |title= Zimbabwe : Zimbabwe Singles Chart Book |location= Harare}}</ref> |align="center"|1 |}

{|class="wikitable sortable" !Chart (1988) !Peak<br />position |- {{single chart|Billboardhot100|1|artist=UB40|chartid=277578}} |- {{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|13|artist=UB40}} |}

====Year-end charts==== {| class="wikitable" |- !Chart (1983) !Position |- |Australia (Kent Music Report)<ref name="aus83">{{cite web |url=https://i.imgur.com/860ttad.jpg |title=Kent Music Report – National Top 100 Singles for 1983 |publisher=Kent Music Report |via=Imgur.com |access-date=January 22, 2023}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|32 |- !Chart (1988) !Position |- |United States (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine |date=December 24, 1988 |title=1988 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles |page=Y-20 |magazine=Billboard |volume=100 |issue=52 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://longboredsurfer.com/charts/1988|title=Billboard Top 100 – 1988|access-date=October 3, 2016}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|39 |}

===Certifications=== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry |region=Canada |type=single |artist=UB40 |title=Red Red Wine |relyear=1983 |certyear=1984 |award=Gold}} {{Certification Table Entry |region=Denmark |type=single |artist=UB40 |title=Red Red Wine |relyear=1983 |certyear=2022 |award=Gold |id=11312 |access-date=May 23, 2022}} {{Certification Table Entry |region=Netherlands |type=single |artist=UB 40 |title=Red Red Wine |relyear=1983 |certyear=1983 |award=Gold |access-date=May 4, 2024}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=UB40|title=Red Red Wine|award=Platinum|number=7|type=single|relyear=1983|certyear=2025|source=radioscope|access-date=August 6, 2025}} {{Certification Table Entry |region=Spain |type=single |artist=UB40 |title=Red Red Wine |relyear=1983 |certyear=2024 |award=Gold |access-date=May 4, 2024}} {{Certification Table Entry |region=United Kingdom |type=single |artist=UB40 |title=Red Red Wine |relyear=1983 |certyear=2022 |award=Platinum |number=2 |salesamount=1,245,324 |salesref=<ref>{{cite web |first=Rob |last=Copsey |title=The UK's Official Chart 'millionaires' revealed |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-uks-official-chart-millionaires-revealed__20459/ |publisher=Official Charts Company |date=September 19, 2017}}</ref> |id=15285-264-1 |access-date=June 7, 2022}} {{Certification Table Entry |region=United States |type=single |artist=UB-40 |title=Red Red Wine |relyear=1988 |certyear=1989 |award=Gold}} {{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true}}

==Other cover versions== * Jimmy James and the Vagabonds released a 1968 cover version for the UK market from their album ''Open Up Your Soul''. It charted at No. 36.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/13404/jimmy-james-and-the-vagabonds/|title = JIMMY JAMES & THE VAGABONDS &#124; full Official Chart History &#124; Official Charts Company|website = OfficialCharts.com}}</ref> * Tony Tribe covered the song in 1969, reaching No. 46 on the UK chart.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/13721/tony-tribe/|title=TONY TRIBE &#124; full Official Chart History &#124; Official Charts Company|website=OfficialCharts.com}}</ref> * A 1970 remake by Vic Dana became a minor ''Billboard'' Hot 100 hit, peaking at No. 72, and reached No. 30 on the Adult Contemporary chart.<ref>{{cite book |title= Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2002 |publisher=Record Research |page=70}}</ref> * In early 1972, singer Roy Drusky reached No. 17 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles chart<ref>{{cite book |title= The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=110}}</ref> and No. 16 on the ''RPM'' Country Tracks chart with a version from his album ''I Must Be Doin' Something Right''.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}} * In 2000, the song was interpolated in a rap by British-American documentary filmmaker Louis Theroux. The rap was later remixed in 2022 by Duke & Jones in the single, "Jiggle Jiggle".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Duke & Jones & Louis Theroux Capitalize On A Viral Trend With New Song "Jiggle Jiggle" |url=https://genius.com/a/duke-jones-louis-theroux-capitalize-on-a-viral-trend-with-new-song-jiggle-jiggle |access-date=May 18, 2022 |website=Genius |language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

{{Neil Diamond singles}} {{UB40}} {{Authority control}}

Category:1967 songs Category:1968 singles Category:1983 singles Category:1988 singles Category:A&M Records singles Category:Bang Records singles Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles Category:Cashbox number-one singles Category:Dutch Top 40 number-one singles Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles Category:Neil Diamond songs Category:Number-one singles in New Zealand Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles Category:UK singles chart number-one singles Category:Songs about alcohol Category:Songs written by Neil Diamond Category:UB40 songs Category:Trojan Records singles Category:Virgin Records singles Category:Black-and-white music videos Category:Song recordings produced by Jeff Barry Category:Song recordings produced by Ellie Greenwich