1972: LABI SIFFRE on Songwriting | Sounding Out | Classic BBC Music | BBC Archive

Labi Siffre - the singer-songwriter behind hits like It Must Be Love, Crying Laughing Loving Lying, I Got The... and Something Inside So Strong - discusses his earliest musical influences, how he doesn't fit the popular image of a black artist, why his religious upbringing turned him off didactic lyrics, and the dubious merits of cover versions.

This clip is from Sounding Out, originally broadcast 21 February, 1972.

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[JonAlienAbides]

One of the most talented and underrated singer song writers most folks have never heard about. Labi is an absolute legend.

[dia]

I could listen to this man talk for hours.

[RichardMichaelScott]

Labi Siffre and Tracy Chapman in the same concert. Would be bliss.

[rictualfury]

Didn't even know his accent was like that.

[Eliezer__garcia]

“To make the audience evaluate the music solely by its merits” Genius…

[willowwale]

I don't believe in giving the audience what it wants, but just my best.'You don't make hit records that way, but, you can sleep at night. What a guy, what a guy.

[ysahehre]

"I'm not afraid of being ignorant. I am ignorant. I'm afraid of other people realizing I'm ignorant."

[petercockerill]

Wonderful man!! He may not admit to being a poet but, his whole language is poetry. He has been a part of my music life for 50 years and he still has a magic grip on me.😊

[mountpom]

damn to have a conversation with him. so charming and insightful

[Hysteria]

I was enraptured when I first heard this man's music. Only a few hits, among a lot of acapella work, but wonderful none-the-less.

'I Got The...' is one of the greatest songs ever produced, to this day. Just gets better every time you hear it. I can't believe Labi Siffre was not ever particularly popular.

[richalderson]

What a lovely charming thoughtful man and wonderful singer/songwriter and musician.

[MrFoogyfilm]

He was and still is a very intelligent and interesting guy to talk to, he still holds these views and the funny thing is he is now a poet and has released poetry books, Agree when he says listen to the music with out knowing anything about who wrote or sung it, as another great perform said .. listen without prejudice

[kathleenstanley]

Everything he said here is so relatable and right on and beautiful.

[defossard]

What an amazing man. Insightful, accomplished, humorous and modest. I love his music.

[Maxdamageplus]

The game he’s playing at 6:30 is Helicopter, from 1968. Made by Sega, the same company behind Sonic the Hedgehog

[thephoenix]

Labi had such a smooth and suave voice!

[crock]

Labi had such bangers like: “I got the…”, “My song”, “It must be love”, “Something Inside so strong”, “Crying, Laughing, Loving, Lying”, “Watch me” and “Listen to the voices”.

[newgabe]

What an extraordinary and beautiful man! And I truly didn't realise that he was so young in the 70's. The only song of his I knew was So Strong, and his voice was so huge I thought he was much older and BIGGER! with a more African accent, not so very British and generally with a light high singing voice! Nor did I realise he was such a good guitarist! Feel like I'm about to go into a great adventure discovering his music...

[jonathanandvelvet]

I was introduced to Labi’s music by a friend today; and I’m totally in love. Thank you, friend. ❤️

[dcumprf]

His comments on protest music are unique and interesting. I wonder if Marvin Gaye felt similarly when he did What's Going On? The gentle, guiding approach of "This is the right way. I'm not instructing you to do it, I'm showing you how to do it" does really seem to resonate with me and probably a lot of others. Sometimes not necessarily claiming to have the answers and instructions on how to go forth, but just knowing that something has to change and we all have to eventually arrive at that conclusion that things need to get better. If more people approach protest music and just equality of people in a less forceful, narcissistic way, I do think we'd be more connected. It's hard to have something like a civil rights leader sometimes because the concept of civil rights is essentially finding equality of humanity. But when you're creating a hierarchy in humanity by appointing a leader, that seems to be where we have failed as humans. Religious leaders, politicians, civil rights leaders, etc. People appointed to lead a charge on equality by being more than those they influence. It's a contradiction worth thinking about.