UB40 - CCCP: Live In Moscow (1987)

It's hard to imagine what A&M had in mind, releasing a live album by a group that hadn't really broken in the U.S. yet. Nevertheless, the record actually spent eight weeks in the charts, but it sold only to diehards. Although it's an appealing enough set, featuring covers like "Cherry Oh Baby" and "I Got You, Babe" (minus Chrissie Hynde), and such British hits as "If It Happens Again" and "Sing Our Song," it's hard to imagine it doing any better.

Half of the songs on this CD are covers and the other half are UB40 originals. But, even the original songs are more in a pop vein than the group's early work

This tour came just as UB40 was changing. The group had previously performed their own, politically charged music. Now they were moving towards becoming a cover band, playing oldies in a reggae style.

Track listing

01.  All I Want to Do  (UB40)  - 5:05  

02.  Cherry Oh Baby  (Eric Donaldson)  - 3:12  

03.  Keep on Moving  (Bob Marley, Curtis Mayfield)  - 4:35  

04.  Watchdogs  (UB40)  - 4:32  

05.  Don't Blame Me  (UB40)  - 3:40  

06.  Tell It Like It Is  (UB40)  - 3:52  

07.  Please Don't Make Me Cry  (Winston Tucker)  - 4:24  

08.  Johnny Too Bad  (Derric Crooks)  - 5:13  

09.  I Got You Babe  (Sonny Bono)  - 3:51  

10.  Don't Break My Heart  (UB40)  - 4:02  

11.  If It Happens Again  (UB40)  - 3:55  

12.  Rat in Mi Kitchen  (UB40)  - 4:06  

13.  Sing Our Own Song  (UB40)  - 7:55  

Release Date:  1987

Recorded:  live in Moscow, Soviet Union, in 1986

Label:  DEP International

Genre:  Reggae

Length:  58:22

Producer:  UB40

Engineer:  Ray "Pablo" Falconer, John Shaw

Personnel

Ali Campbell - Vocals, Guitar

Robin Campbell  - Guitar, Vocals

Earl Falconer - Bass

James Brown - Drums

Astro - Vocals, Trumpet

Brian Travers - Saxophone, Lyricon 

Michael Virtue - Keyboards

Norman Lamont Hassan - Percussion, Trombone, Vocals

Henry Tenyue - Trombone [Guest] 

Patrick Tenyue  - Trumpet [Guest] 

Debra Byrd - Vocals [Guest] 

Mo Birch - Vocals [Guest]