Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

Present Arms (album)

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Released
  
29 May 1981

Artist
  
UB40

Producer
  
Pablo Falconer

Genre
  
Reggae

Length
  
47:09

Release date
  
29 May 1981

Label
  
DEP International

Present Arms (album) httpsiytimgcomviJa1XMBFz6ughqdefaultjpg

Similar
  
Present Arms in Dub, Signing Off, UB44, Labour of Love, Geffery Morgan

Present Arms is the second album by UB40 and was released in 1981. It spent 38 weeks on the UK album charts, reaching number 2. An album of original songs, it spawned two top 20 hits in 'One in Ten' (number 7) and 'Don't Let It Pass You By/Don't Slow Down' (16).

Contents

Like their first album Signing Off, Present Arms contained many socially and politically charged lyrics, from the anti-militant title track to 'Sardonicus' which was linked to both President Ronald Reagan and Risus sardonicus, an ironic smile on tetanus victims' faces, The UK top-ten hit "One in Ten" was an attack on Thatcherism. The album also touches on a subject very dear to UB40's heart: 'Lamb's Bread' and 'Don't Walk On The Grass' are written as part of the band's longstanding campaign for the legalisation of cannabis. Musically, the album continued in the heavy, reverb-drenched, mellifluous style of the debut.

The title track has been used to open UB40 concerts from the mid 1990s onwards, usually with the blasting horn section beginning the concert.

As with Signing Off, Present Arms was critically acclaimed and commercially successful in the UK.

A dub version of this album called Present Arms in Dub was released soon after.

Ub40 present arms 01 present arms


Disc One (Album)

Side 1

  1. "Present Arms" – 4:08
  2. "Sardonicus" – 4:29
  3. "Don't Let It Pass You By" – 7:45
  4. "Wildcat" – 3:04

Side 2

  1. "One in Ten" – 4:32
  2. "Don't Slow Down" – 4:28
  3. "Silent Witness" – 4:15
  4. "Lamb's Bread" – 4:48

Disc Two (EP)

With the original 1981 release was a 12" single (7" single in some countries) containing two instrumental tracks. These were added to the CD album.

  1. "Don't Walk on the Grass" – 5:07
  2. "Dr X" – 5:20

Track listing CD

  1. "Present Arms" – 4:08
  2. "Sardonicus" – 4:29
  3. "Don't Let It Pass You By" – 7:45
  4. "Wildcat" – 3:04
  5. "One in Ten" – 4:32
  6. "Don't Slow Down" – 4:28
  7. "Silent Witness" – 4:15
  8. "Lamb's Bread" – 4:48
  9. "Don't Walk on the Grass" – 5:07
  10. "Dr X" – 5:20

Please note when the Present Arms CD was created an obvious labelling error had occurred and in reality the music tracks "Don't walk on the Grass" and "Dr X" have been reversed with the wrong track label assigned to each other's song. ( Example Track 9..Written As Don't Walk on the Grass Is Actually DR X and vice-a-versa).

2015 CD Release

On 25 January 2015, Present Arms Deluxe Edition (3 Discs) shall be released. Track listing is unavailable as at November 2014.

Personnel

UB40
  • Astro – Trumpet, Vocals, Toasting
  • Jimmy Brown – Drums, Vocals
  • Ali Campbell – Vocals, Guitar
  • Robin Campbell – Vocals, Guitar
  • Earl Falconer – Bass Guitar
  • Norman Hassan – Percussion, Trombone
  • Brian Travers – Saxophone
  • Michael Virtue – Keyboards
    • Production
  • Ray "Pablo" Falconer – Producer

    • Songs

    1Present Arms4:08
    2Sardonicus4:29
    3Don't Let It Pass You By7:45

    References

    Present Arms (album) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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