First off, when UB40 was recording this for their cover album, they didn't know that it was originally a ballad by Neil Diamond until after their version became popular. Instead, they were only familiar with Tony Tribe's reggae/rocksteady version. On top of that, their cover wasn't initially that popular. In fact, the song only shot to number one in the UK and US when "DJ Guy Zapoleon at KZZP-FM in Phoenix, Arizona included the song on his 'Would've Been, Should've Been' feature" (Songfacts). The point of this radio show was to give exposure to songs that the DJs at this station felt deserved to be hits, and, sure enough, it garnered a very positive response from listeners. This prompted UB40's record label to re-issue the single, which rapidly climbed the charts to #1 in several countries.
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