My Gen X Playlist: Red Red Wine – UB40

I don’t know how my mom did it. Every night she cooked for four kids, of which three were growing boys. Yet every night, there was a hot meal on the table. When you are a kid, you just expect this without having an appreciation for the time and effort put in on a nightly basis. Home cooked meals. Thanks, mom.

After putting in a long day, it’s easy to either go out or pick up dinner. We don’t have children, so this made it an even easier decision. It didn’t help that we used to live in the city, walking distances to a variety of restaurants. One of the impacts of COVID was eating at home more often. At the time, there wasn’t any other option. Are we good cooks? Certainly not, but we came into the habit of preparing healthier meals for dinner. They say it takes 66 days before a new behavior becomes automatic. Well, COVID certainly tipped the scales on that one. We still occasionally go out or pick up, but the first option is always to consider cooking. We have to celebrate the silver linings, no matter how small. I wouldn’t say we have a specialty, but our go to is either baked chicken or broiled salmon with steamed broccoli or cauliflower on the side. Easy and healthy.

Pairing music with food adds a positive effect to the meal. When I was in my twenties, the song choice ranged in style and volume. Loud certainly was not out of the question. But as I get older, the volume has come down quite a bit.

Ultimately, mellow music is the best choice for meals. It’s been shown to increase satisfaction in what you’re eating and is even associated with consuming less food.

– the daily meal

Why not also add a glass of wine? You can’t go wrong with UB40’s Red Red Wine. This is a reggae cover of Neil Diamonds 1967 hit.

UB40’s version features a lighter, reggae-style flavor compared to that of Diamond’s somber, acoustic ballad.

Neil Diamond has stated that UB40’s “Red Red Wine” is among his favorite covers of his songs. He frequently performs the song live using the UB40 reggae arrangement rather than that of the original version.

– Wikipedia

It says a lot when Neil Diamond prefers UB40’s version to his original. Press play and grab a glass with dinner. Bon appetit.

–

For a complete playlist, please click here.

Red red wine
Goes to my head
Makes me forget that I...
Still need her so

Red red wine
It's up to you
All I can do, I've done
Memories won't go
Memories won't go

I'd have sworn that with time
Thoughts of you would leave my head
I was wrong, now I find
Just one thing makes me forget

Red red wine
Stay close to me
Don't let me be alone
It's tearing apart
My blue heart

I'd have sworn that with time
Thoughts of you would leave my head
I was wrong, now I find
Just one thing makes me forget

Red red wine
Stay close to me
Don't let me be alone
It's tearing apart
My blue, blue heart 

Red red wine you make me feel so fine
You keep me rocking all of the time
Red red wine, you make me feel so grand
I feel a million dollars when you're just in my hand
Red red wine, you make me feel so sad
Any time I see you go, it makes me feel bad
Red red wine, you make me feel so fine
Monkey back and ease up on the sweet deadline
Red red wine, you give me whole heap of zing
Whole heap of zing, you make me do my own thing
Red red wine, you give enough of love
You're kind of loving like a blessing from above
Red red wine, I loved you right from the start
Right from the start, with all of my heart
Red red wine in an eighties style
Red red wine in a modern beat style

Yeah
Give me a little time, let me clear out my mind
Give me a little time, let me clear out my mind
Give me red wine, the kind make me feel fine
You make me feel fine all of the time
Red red wine, you make me feel so fine
Monkey pack him Rizla pon the sweet deep line
The line broke, the monkey get chocked
Bunjah, ganjapani, little rubber boat
Red red wine, I'm gonna hold on to you
Hold on to you cause I know you love truth
Red red wine, I'm gonna love you 'till I die
Love you 'till I die and that's no lie
Red red wine, can't get you off my mind
Wherever you may be, I'll surely find
I'll surely find
Make no fuss, just stick with us

Give me a little time, let me clear out my mind
Give me a little time, let me clear out my mind
Give me red wine, the kind make me feel fine
You make me feel fine all of the time
Red red wine, you make me feel so fine
Monkey back and ease up on the sweet deadline
The line broke, the monkey get chocked
Bunjah, ganjapani, little rubber boat

Red red wine, you give me not awful love
You're kind of loving like blessing from above
Red red wine, I loved you right from the start
Right from the start, with all of my heart
Red red wine, you give me whole heap of zing
Whole heap of zing, you make me do my own thing
Red red wine in an eighties style
Red red wine in a modern beat style
Yeah

Red red wine, you make me feel so fine
You keep me rocking all of the time
Red red wine, you make me feel so grand
I feel a million dollars when you just in my hand
Red red wine, you make me feel so sad
Any time I see you go
It make me feel bad