Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases Labi Siffre's 1984 hit song "Something Inside So Strong". Information about Labi Siffre is also included in this post.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, inspirational, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Labi Siffre for his cultural legacy. Thanks also to the publisher of this song on YouTube, and the transcriber of this song.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/09/childrens-defense-fund-freedom-schools.html for a related pancocojams post about a version of "Something Inside So Strong" that is used as a motivational song for Children's Defense Fund Freedom Schools.
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INFORMATION ABOUT LABI SIFFRE
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labi_Siffre
"Labi Siffre (born Claudius Afolabi Siffre; 25 June 1945) is a British singer, songwriter, musician and poet. Siffre released six albums between 1970 and 1975, and four between 1988 and 1998….
Born the fourth of five children at Queen Charlotte's Hospital in Hammersmith, London to a British mother of Barbadian–Belgian descent and a Nigerian father, Siffre was brought up in Bayswater and Hampstead and educated at a Catholic independent day school, St Benedict's School, in Ealing, west London"...
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INFORMATION ABOUT "SOMETHING INSIDE SO STRONG"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/(Something_Inside)_So_Strong
"Something Inside) So Strong is a 1987 single written and recorded by British singer-songwriter Labi Siffre. The song was one of the biggest successes of Siffre's career, and peaked at number four in the United Kingdom.[1]
The song was written in 1984...[Labi Siffre] told the BBC's Soul Music programme in 2014 that the song was also influenced by his experience as a homosexual child, adolescent, and adult.[2] Siffre originally intended to give the song to another artist to sing, but could find no one suitable and was convinced to release it himself.[3]
The song has remained enduringly popular and is an example of the political and sociological thread running through much of Siffre’s lyrics and poetry"...
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From http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b040hx6j Something Inside So Strong Soul Music, Series 18 Episode 3 of 5"
"Labi Siffre wrote Something Inside So Strong in 1984. Widely believed to have been inspired by seeing film footage from South Africa, of young blacks being shot at by white policeman, he now reveals that the lyrics were also informed by the oppression he had experienced as a homosexual.
The song has been taken up by individuals and groups around the world who have suffered from discrimination. The Choir With No Name in Birmingham, made up of homeless singers, always close their concerts with the song. Choir members explain why it's so important to them, giving them a sense of pride and dignity. "...
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SONG LYRICS: SOMETHING INSIDE SO STRONG
(written by Labi Siffre)
The higher you build your barriers
The taller I become
The farther you take my rights away
The faster I will run
You can deny me
You can decide to turn your face away
No matter, cos there's....
Something inside so strong
I know that I can make it
Tho' you're doing me wrong, so wrong
You thought that my pride was gone
Oh no, something inside so strong
Oh oh oh oh oh something inside so strong
The more you refuse to hear my voice
The louder I will sing
You hide behind walls of Jericho
Your lies will come tumbling
Deny my place in time
You squander wealth that's mine
My light will shine so brightly
It will blind you
Cos there's......
Something inside so strong
I know that I can make it
Tho' you're doing me wrong, so wrong
You thought that my pride was gone
Oh no, something inside so strong
Oh oh oh oh oh something inside so strong
Brothers and sisters
When they insist we're just not good enough
Well we know better
Just look 'em in the eyes and say
I'm gonna do it anyway [x4]
Something inside so strong
And I know that I can make it
Tho' you're doing me wrong, so wrong
You thought that my pride was gone
Oh no, something inside so strong
Oh oh oh oh oh something inside so strong
Brothers and sisters
When they insist we're just not enough
Well we know better
Just look 'em in the eyes and say
I'm gonna do it anyway [x4]
Because there's something inside so strong
And I know that I can make it
Tho' you're doing me, so wrong
Oh no, something inside so strong
Oh oh oh oh oh something inside so strong
Source: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/labisiffre/somethinginsidesostrong.html
Note that azlyrics incorrectly gave the lyrics "When we know better instead of "Well we know better"
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SHOWCASE VIDEO: Labi Siffre - Something Inside So Strong
Mcr0gw, Uploaded on Aug 19, 2007
Live, just him and his DX7 in front of thousands
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