My Way of Thinking explained

My Way of Thinking
Type:single
Artist:UB40
A-Side:I Think It's Going to Rain Today
Genre:Reggae
Label:Graduate
Producer:
  • Bob Lamb
  • UB40
Prev Title:King
Prev Title2:Food for Thought
Prev Year:1980
My Way of Thinking
Title2:I Think It's Going to Rain Today
Next Title:The Earth Dies Screaming
Next Title2:Dream a Lie
Next Year:1980

"My Way of Thinking" is a song by British reggae band UB40, released as their second single in June 1980. It was released as a double A-side with a cover of Randy Newman's "I Think It's Going to Rain Today", and peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart.

Release and reception

After its release, guitarist Robin Campbell described the lyrics as "very sexist [and that] it's supposed to be tongue-in-cheek though. The lyrics were made up in two and a half minutes to go with a tune we had".[1] After the release of their debut album, Signing Off, lead singer Ali Campbell described the song as "awful" in comparison to the songs "I Think It's Going to Rain Today" and "Strange Fruit" which they had covered on the album.[2]

Interviewing UB40 for Smash Hits after the release of "My of Thinking", Mike Stand described the song as a "disappointment [and that] the weakness, I feel, comes from a lack of emotion in the words. It's very ordinary boy 'n' girl stuff – nothing wrong with that, but it's just not their style". Reviewing "My Way of Thinking" for Record Mirror, Chris Westwood wrote that "UB40 reggae is barely unusually different to any other reggae; it's finely funnelled in the direction of chartland with pleasantly lilting rhythms and poking saxes [and that] it still isn't prepared to push itself hard enough to rock anyone's preconceptions, but that, of course, is hardly UB40's game".[3]

Track listings

7": Graduate / GRAD 8

  1. "My Way of Thinking" – 3:20
  2. "I Think It's Going to Rain Today" – 3:25

12": Graduate / 12 GRAD 8

  1. "My Way of Thinking" – 6:43
  2. "I Think It's Going to Rain Today" – 7:12

Notes and References

  1. 26 June – 9 July 1980 . Food 4 Thought . . 13 . 8 May 2023.
  2. Sutcliffe . Phil . 27 September 1980 . Punch Someone in Authority, That's Our Motto... . . 24.
  3. 21 June 1980 . Singles . . 11 . 8 May 2023.
  4. Book: Lazell, Barry . UB40 . http://www.cherryred.co.uk/books/indiehits/u.htm . 19 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20040420095209/http://www.cherryred.co.uk/books/indiehits/u.htm . 20 April 2004 . dead . Indie Hits 1980–1989: The Complete U.K. Independent Charts (Singles & Albums) . . 1997 . 0-95172-069-4.