Thursday Throwback is a weekly colour scheme inspired by an iconic album cover of yesteryear. This week’s throwback is the 1983 album “Labour of Love” by UB40. The colours are as follows:
| Colours (L-R) | HEX | RGB | HSB | CMYK | LAB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colour 1 | #222326 | 34, 35, 38 | 225, 11, 15 | 11, 8, 0, 85 | 14, 0, -2 |
| Colour 2 | #5176A6 | 81, 118, 166 | 214, 51, 65 | 51, 29, 0, 35 | 49, 1, -30 |
| Colour 3 | #D9A441 | 217, 164, 65 | 39, 70, 85 | 0, 24, 70, 15 | 71, 10, 57 |
| Colour 4 | #D9D7D7 | 217, 215, 215 | 0, 1, 85 | 0, 1, 1, 15 | 86, 1, 0 |
| Colour 5 | #BF4D34 | 191, 77, 52 | 11, 73, 75 | 0, 60, 73, 25 | 48, 44, 38 |
UB40’s fourth studio album, titled “Labour of Love,” is worth noting as it marked a departure from their original material. Instead, the album exclusively features cover songs. It showcases the band’s artistic versatility and willingness to explore new musical territory. The album was launched in the United Kingdom on September 12, 1983. It gained popularity mainly due to the inclusion of the hit single “Red Red Wine,” which reached number one worldwide. Additionally, it features three more top 20 hits in the UK, namely “Please Don’t Make Me Cry” and “Cherry Oh Baby”.
To complement the release of the album, a 30-minute film was created with the same title. This film was directed by Bernard Rose, known for his work on various music videos including “Relax” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood. He later gained recognition for directing the iconic horror film Candyman in 1992, starring Tony Todd. The storyline revolved around a compelling rivalry between two brothers, portrayed by Ali and Robin Campbell from the band. Their goal was to win over the affection of the same girl, played by Bernadette McNamara, who happened to be keyboard player Mickey Virtue’s real-life girlfriend at that time. The soundtrack of the film included songs from the album. Additionally, the music videos for the singles “Red Red Wine”, “Please Don’t Make Me Cry” and “Cherry Oh Baby” were taken directly from scenes in the film.
Critics in both the UK and US were generally positive about the album. In a review for Melody Maker, Colin Irwin described Labour of Love as a beautiful tribute to the songs that influenced and inspired the band during their early years. In Rolling Stone’s end-of-year round-up of 1984’s key albums, Kurt Loder stated that UB40 had the ability to put their own spin on songs while keeping them relevant in the 1980s, but retaining the lively spirit of the original era. The album’s title aptly reflects this approach, making it a truly enjoyable record.
Ever since its first release, the album “Labour of Love” has achieved remarkable success in various countries. It has been certified Gold in Germany and Platinum in the United States, Netherlands, Canada, and New Zealand. In the UK, it has even achieved Double Platinum status. These certifications are a testament to its popularity and widespread appeal among music lovers worldwide. After the success of their album “Labour of Love,” UB40 continued to release a series of cover song albums with the same title. In 1989, they released “Labour of Love II,” followed by “Labour of Love III” in 1998 and “Labour of Love IV” in 2010.
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