You’ve probably heard it at a backyard barbecue, a beach bar, or on a "Best of Reggae" playlist. The smooth, synth-heavy beat kicks in, the lyrics about "forgetting" a lover start up, and someone inevitably says, "I love this Bob Marley song."
Except, it isn't a Bob Marley song. Not even a little bit.
The Bob Marley Red Red Wine song myth is one of the most persistent "Mandela Effects" in music history. It’s right up there with the idea that he covered "Don't Worry, Be Happy" (that was Bobby McFerrin) or "Bad Boys" (Inner Circle). For decades, Limewire, Napster, and early YouTube uploads mislabeled these tracks, cementing a false history in the minds of millions. If you check the official archives of Tuff Gong or the Marley family estate, you won't find a single studio recording or live bootleg of Bob Marley ever touching this track.
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It’s kinda wild how one man’s shadow is so large that he gets credit for every reggae hit ever made.
The Real Origin: It Was Actually a Country Song
To understand why the Bob Marley Red Red Wine song confusion exists, we have to go back to 1967. The song wasn’t born in Kingston. It was born in New York.
Neil Diamond wrote and performed the original version. Yeah, the "Sweet Caroline" guy.
The original wasn't a laid-back reggae anthem. It was a somber, acoustic-driven folk ballad about a man drinking away his sorrows. It reached #62 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it wasn't exactly a world-shaking hit at the time. Diamond’s version has a heavy, melancholic soul that feels lightyears away from the Caribbean vibe people associate with it today.
So, how did it get to Jamaica?
Tony Tribe, a Jamaican singer, covered it in 1969. He gave it a "rocksteady" beat, which is basically the precursor to reggae. This was the first time the song met the island rhythm. It was a massive hit in the UK, becoming one of the first reggae-adjacent songs to break into the British charts. But even then, Bob Marley wasn't involved. At that point in 1969, Marley was busy working with Lee "Scratch" Perry and perfecting the spiritual, revolutionary sound of The Wailers. He was moving toward "Soul Rebel," not covering American pop ballads.
Enter UB40: The Version Everyone Actually Knows
The version you hear in your head right now—the one with the "toast" (reggae rapping) in the middle—is by the British band UB40.
They released it in 1983 on their album Labour of Love. Here’s the kicker: UB40 didn’t even know Neil Diamond wrote it. They grew up listening to Tony Tribe’s version and thought it was a Jamaican original. They sped up the tempo, added the iconic percussion, and Astro (the band's toaster) added the famous verse: "Red red wine, you make me feel so fine / You keep me rocking all of the time."
This version went to #1 in the US and the UK. Because UB40 is a multiracial band from Birmingham with a heavy reggae influence, and because the song became the definitive "pop-reggae" track of the 80s, people started lumping it in with the king of the genre.
Basically, if it’s reggae and it’s famous, people assume it’s Bob.
Why the Bob Marley Red Red Wine Song Myth Won't Die
The internet is mostly to blame. During the late 90s and early 2000s, peer-to-peer file-sharing sites were the Wild West. If you searched for "Reggae," you got Bob Marley. Uploaders would title files "Bob Marley - Red Red Wine.mp3" just to get more downloads or because they genuinely didn't know better.
Since Bob Marley died in 1981—two years before the UB40 version even came out—it’s physically impossible for him to have recorded that specific arrangement.
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There’s also a deeper cultural reason. Marley is the global face of Rastafarianism and Jamaican culture. To a casual listener, his voice and the voice of UB40’s Ali Campbell might not sound identical, but the vibe is the same. People associate the song with relaxation, island life, and escapism—the same things they associate with Marley’s "Three Little Birds" or "One Love."
It’s a brand association. Marley is the "brand" of reggae.
A Quick Comparison of Styles
If you listen closely, the differences are obvious:
- Marley’s Style: Often featured a "one-drop" drum beat where the emphasis is on the third beat. His lyrics were usually political, spiritual, or deeply romantic. His voice had a gritty, soulful rasp.
- UB40’s Style (The "Red Red Wine" style): More "four-on-the-floor" or pop-reggae. It uses heavy synthesizers and a very clean, polished production. Ali Campbell’s voice is much smoother and higher-pitched than Marley’s.
The Neil Diamond Connection
Interestingly, Neil Diamond actually loves the reggae versions. He’s gone on record saying that the UB40 cover is one of his favorite versions of his own songs. He even started performing it with a reggae arrangement during his live shows.
Imagine that: a Jewish songwriter from Brooklyn writes a sad song, a Jamaican singer makes it a rocksteady hit, a British band turns it into a global reggae-pop phenomenon, and the world decides it belongs to a man who never even sang a note of it.
Music history is weird.
Other Songs People Wrongly Attribute to Bob Marley
The Bob Marley Red Red Wine song isn't the only victim of this musical identity theft. If you want to be the "actually" person at the party, here are a few more:
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- "Don't Worry, Be Happy": This is actually Bobby McFerrin. It's a capella (only voices), whereas Bob Marley always used a full band. Also, it was released in 1988, seven years after Marley passed.
- "Bad Boys": The Cops theme song. This is by Inner Circle.
- "Sweat (A La La La La Long)": Also by Inner Circle. People often think the "La La" hook sounds like something Marley would do, but it’s 90s reggae-fusion.
- "Sunshine Reggae": By the Danish duo Laid Back.
- "The Joker": While Marley has a song called "Iron Lion Zion," he never covered Steve Miller Band’s "The Joker," despite what many YouTube titles claim.
How to Spot a Fake Marley Track
Honestly, the best way to tell is the production quality. Bob Marley and the Wailers recorded at Tuff Gong and various high-end studios in London and Miami. Their sound is "organic." You hear the wood of the bass, the strike of the snare, and the warmth of the Hammond organ.
Most of the "Fake Marley" tracks from the 80s and 90s use drum machines and digital synths that Marley didn't use.
If it sounds like it was made in 1985 with a Casio keyboard, it’s probably not Bob.
What This Means for Music Fans
It matters because giving credit to the right artists preserves the history of the genre. UB40 deserves credit for their massive crossover success. Neil Diamond deserves credit for his songwriting chops. And Bob Marley deserves to be remembered for the songs he actually wrote—the ones that moved mountains and challenged governments—rather than just being a generic label for "tropical music."
Marley's real discography is massive. If you’re looking for the vibe people think they’re getting with "Red Red Wine," you should check out tracks like "Waiting in Vain" or "Night Shift." They have that same smooth, rhythmic pull but with the actual lyrical depth Marley was known for.
Actionable Next Steps
- Check Your Playlists: Look at your digital library. If you have a file labeled "Bob Marley - Red Red Wine," rename it to UB40. Your metadata will thank you.
- Listen to the Original: Find Neil Diamond’s 1967 version on Spotify or YouTube. It’s a fascinating look at how a song’s "soul" can change entirely based on the rhythm.
- Explore the Real Marley: If you only know the hits, dive into the Exodus or Survival albums. That’s where the real magic is, far away from the mislabeled pop covers.
- Verify Before Sharing: Next time you see a "legendary" cover on social media, a quick search on a database like Discogs or AllMusic can tell you the real story in seconds.
The Bob Marley Red Red Wine song doesn't exist, but the history of how it almost became one is a perfect example of how digital culture can rewrite the past. It’s a great song—just give the credit to the guys from Birmingham and the songwriter from Brooklyn.