New version of classic UB40 hit set to hit airwaves
One of the country's biggest bands has released a new version of the song that broke them into the big time.
UB40 have given one of their classic songs revamp in honour of their beloved Birmingham City Football Club, with Forever True becoming the brand-new BCFC anthem, with new lyrics set to the beat of Food For Thought.
The new single carries the beat and sounds of Food For Thought, a song which has a permanent home at Birmingham City Football Club, with fans chanting the saxophone melody after goals.
Robin Campbell said: “We’re life-long supporters of Birmingham City, so it was a no-brainer for us to celebrate our home team and town by re-recording the song that fans know and love.
"It fills us with so much pride to, in our own way, be a part of the club’s story. It’s humbling and never gets old hearing fans chant the song every time a goal is scored.
"We hope that they’ll love this new version, Forever True, as much as we do.”
It comes ahead of a special concert on April 1 at Birmingham City’s ground, St Andrew’s, held to mark the release of UB40’s forthcoming album, UB45, out on April 19.
After the Birmingham City v Preston North End match on Monday, UB40 will take to the stage with a free, one-hour concert for match-goers that will be packed full of hits, fan favourites and songs from the new album.
Over the course of their career, UB40 have garnered over 100 million album sales, 50 UK Top 40 singles and 10 UK Top 10 albums. Food For Thought was UB40’s breakthrough single, taken from the critically acclaimed debut album, Signing Off (1980).
It reached No.4 on the UK singles charts and became the first single in history to reach the UK Top 10 without the backing of a major record label.
UB45 celebrates a huge 45-year milestone for the band, honouring more than four decades of touring the world together and recording music shot through with an unbreakable bond, fostered by the band’s long-standing friendships and shared Birmingham roots.
It features seven brand new songs plus seven fresh recordings of some of the band’s best loved hits.
New tracks include singles Gimme Some Kinda Sign and Home, plus a beautiful rendition of Bill Withers’ Hope She’ll Be Happier, Trouble, Say Nothing, Fool Me Once, and 2022 Commonwealth Games anthem Champion.
Alongside that, Food For Thought, King, Tyler, Red Red Wine, Cherry Oh Baby, Sing Our Own Song and Kingston Town have all been given a new recorded treatment while retaining the spirit, timbre and melodies that fans know and love.
The 45-year celebrations will continue well into 2024, when UB40 head out on the road for a headline UK arena tour with special guests Soul II Soul, with a homecoming show on November 9 at Birmingham Resorts World Arena.
To find out more about the new song, UB45 and the tour, go to ub40.global.
