"Reckless" is a song by American rapper

Afrika Bambaataa Lance Taylor (born April 17, 1957), also known as Afrika Bambaataa (), is a retired American DJ, rapper, and record producer. He is notable for releasing a series of genre-defining electro tracks in the 1980s that influenced the development of ...

featuring British

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...

band

UB40 UB40 are an English reggae band, formed in December 1978 in Birmingham, England. The band has had more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart and has also achieved considerable international success. They have been nominated for the Grammy ...

. It was released as a single in February 1988 from Bambaataa's album '' The Light'', and peaked at number seventeen on the UK Singles Chart.

Release and reception

"Reckless" was produced by

John Robie John Robie is an American musician, producer and songwriter. He has produced and/or written for such artists as: Chaka Khan, New Order, UB40, Cabaret Voltaire, Soulsonic Force, Boy George, Planet Patrol, Laura Branigan, and Freeez, among o ...

and features lead vocals by UB40's

Ali Campbell Alistair Ian Campbell (born 15 February 1959) is an English singer and songwriter who was lead singer and co-founder of the British reggae band UB40. UB40 sold more than 70 million records worldwide and toured for 30 years with the original l ...

, with UB40 providing the instrumentation on the song. It also features guest vocals by Malibu and Lizzie Tear. A music video was filmed in a nightclub featuring the singers and was directed by UB40's saxophonist Brian Travers. "Reckless" was released in February 1988 with the B-side "Mind Body and Soul", only by Bambaataa, which was produced by

Jazzy Jay John Byas (born November 18, 1961), also known as The Original Jazzy Jay or DJ Jazzy Jay, is an American hip hop Turntablism, DJ and producer. Background Jazzy Jay was born into a Gullah family in coastal South Carolina. He moved with his famil ...

. Initially, only one twelve-inch format of "Reckless" was released, a 'Wildstyle' mix. However, this was later followed by a 'Soca Chant Zouk' mix on February 22 and a 'Full Fon' remix on March 21. Reviewing for ''

Record Mirror ''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper published between 1954 and 1991, aimed at pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after ''New Musical Express'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK Album ...

'', Andy Strickland described "Reckless" as having "downright infectious rhythms from this unlikely pairing" and that it is "not as heavy as previous Bambaataa collaborations like 'Time Zone', utthis lighter approach should assure him of a hit. Bambaataa fans will probably cry 'sell out' but UB40 followers will love it. It's in a different class to '

I Got You Babe "I Got You Babe" is a song performed by American pop and entertainment duo Sonny & Cher and written by Sonny Bono. It was the first single taken from their debut studio album, '' Look at Us'' (1965). In August 1965, the single spent three weeks ...

' even if the singalong chorus is a steal from the original ' Going Bock To My Roots'. For '' Number One'', Andrew Panos gave the song three out of five starts, describing it as "straightforward go ahead funk. And the rather odd combination works surprisingly well".

Track listings

7": EMI / EM 41 # "Reckless" – 3:54 # "Mind Body and Soul" – 2:46 12": EMI / 12 EM 41 # "Reckless" (Vocal Wildstyle Mix) – 7:10 # "Mind Body and Soul" (Part 1 Vocal) – 5:53 # "Mind Body and Soul" (Part 2 Serious Instrumental Mix) – 5:56 12": EMI / EMX 41 # "Reckless" (The Soca Chant Zouk Mix) – 8:09 # "Mind Body and Soul" (Part 3 Vocal Instrumental Mix) – # "Mind Body and Soul" (Part 4 Echo Mix) – 12": EMI / EMXS 41 # "Reckless" (The Full Fon Remix) – 7:20 # "Mind Body and Soul" (Part 1 Vocal) – 5:53 # "Mind Body and Soul" (Part 2 Serious Instrumental Mix) – 5:56 CD: EMI / CDEM 41 #"Reckless" – 3:58 # " Reckless" (The Soca Chant Zouk Mix) – 8:13 # "Mind Body and Soul" – 2:48

Charts

Weekly charts

References

{{Authority control 1988 songs 1988 singles Afrika Bambaataa songs UB40 songs Songs written by John Robie EMI Records singles