News

Another ’80s reissue from EMI – who’d have thought? This time, it’s an expansion of Signing Off, the seminal debut LP from British reggae band UB40.

Though UB40 are best known in America for their reggae-infused covers of standards like Neil Diamond’s “Red Red Wine” and Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” their musical roots involve fusing that reggae sound to socially conscious lyrics about poverty, famine and race relations. (The band’s name in fact comes from one of the forms issued by the U.K.’s Department of Health and Social Security.) Signing Off was an example of that mentality, and while such a combination only can go so far in the States, the album reached No. 2 in the U.K. and stayed on the charts for over a year.

The band itself will tour their homeland to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the record, and EMI have given it the deluxe treatment. The three-disc set includes the original LP, a bonus disc of extras (including the bonus EP included with the original album, four non-LP 12″ single sides and live BBC sessions) and a DVD of promo videos as well as the band’s live performance as captured on the fan favorite BBC program Rock Goes to College.

Signing Off will be made available once more on October 25. Pre-order it here and check the track list after the jump.

UB40, Signing Off: Deluxe Edition (Virgin/EMI 50999 906870 2 0, 2010)

Disc 1: Original LP (released as Graduate GRADLP 2, 1980)

1. Tyler
2. King
3. 12 Bar
4. Burden of Shame
5. Adella
6. I Think It’s Going to Rain Today
7. 25%
8. Food for Thought
9. Little by Little
10. Signing Off

Disc 2: Bonus material

1. Madam Medusa
2. Strange Fruit
3. Reefer Madness
4. My Way of Thinking (12″ Version)
5. I Think It’s Going to Rain Today (12″ Version)
6. The Earth Dies Screaming (12″ Version)
7. Dream a Lie (12″ Version)
8. Food for Thought (BBC Radio One John Peel Session – 12/12/1979)
9. 25% (BBC Radio One John Peel Session – 12/12/1979)
10. King (BBC Radio One John Peel Session – 12/12/1979)
11. I Think It’s Going to Rain Today (BBC Radio One Kid Jensen Session – 2/11/1980)
12. My Way of Thinking (BBC Radio One Kid Jensen Session – 2/11/1980)

Disc 2, Tracks 1-3 from bonus 45 RPM EP packaged with original LP, 1980
Disc 2, Tracks 4-5 released as Graduate 12″ single 12 GRAD 8, 1980
Disc 2, Tracks 6-7 released as Graduate 12″ single 12 GRAD 10, 1980
Disc 2, Tracks 8-12 previously unreleased

Disc 3: DVD

1. Food for Thought (video)
2. My Way of Thinking (video)
3. The Earth Dies Screaming (video)
4. Dream a Lie (video)
5. I Think It’s Going to Rain Today (video)
6. Food for Thought (Live on Top of the Pops – 3/20/1980)
7. King (Live @ Keele University, Rock Goes to College – 1/12/1981)
8. Strange Fruit (Live @ Keele University, Rock Goes to College – 1/12/1981)
9. The Earth Dies Screaming (Live @ Keele University, Rock Goes to College – 1/12/1981)
10. Little by Little (Live @ Keele University, Rock Goes to College – 1/12/1981)
11. I Think It’s Going to Rain Today (Live @ Keele University, Rock Goes to College – 1/12/1981)
12. Food for Thought (Live @ Keele University, Rock Goes to College – 1/12/1981)
13. Tyler (Live @ Keele University, Rock Goes to College – 1/12/1981)
14. Signing Off (Live @ Keele University, Rock Goes to College – 1/12/1981)
15. Madam Medusa (video)