Siffre released his first six albums of songs between 1970 and 1975, and a further three albums between 1988 and 1998. During this period he had several solo hits, including "It Must Be Love" (No. 14, 1971) (later covered by and a No. 4 hit for Madness, for which Siffre himself appeared in the video); "Crying, Laughing, Loving, Lying" (No. 11, 1972); and "Watch Me" (No. 29, 1972). In 1978 two of his songs, "Solid Love" (performed by Siffre) and "We Got It Bad" (co-written and performed by Bob James) reached the UK finals of the BBC's A Song for Europe. His 1987 hit "(Something Inside) So Strong", which reached No. 4, was an anti-Apartheid anthem that won the Ivor Novello Award for "Best Song Musically and Lyrically", and has since been used in Amnesty International campaigns, a television advertisement and Alice Walker's film against female genital mutilation: Warrior Marks.
In 1997, Siffre's play "DeathWrite" was staged at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff and later televised. His song "I Got The..." was sampled in rapper Eminem's hit single "My Name Is," though Siffre objected to what he described as "lazy writing" and it had to be edited to get the sample cleared.
In 1984 Siffre began writing poetry and has since released three books of poetry: "Blood on the Page" 1995 and "Monument" 1997. His poetry addresses a variety of themes, from theology and childhood to sociology, love, hate, language, critical thinking, and communication. In 2006, he released a new album, The Last Songs.
So Strong
Labi Siffre Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The taller I become
The further you take my rights away
The faster I will run
You can deny me, you can decide
To turn your face away
No matter 'cause there's
I know that I can make it
Though you're doing me wrong, so wrong
You thought that my pride was gone, oh no
There's something inside so strong
Oh, something inside so strong
The more you refuse to hear my voice (ooh-weh ooh-weh ooh-weh ooh-weh)
The louder I will sing
You hide behind walls of Jericho (ooh-weh ooh-weh ooh-weh ooh-weh)
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
Because there's
Something inside so strong, strong
I know that I can make it
Though you're doing me wrong, so wrong
You thought that my pride was gone, oh no
There's something inside so strong
Oh, something inside so strong
Brothers and sisters
When they insist we're just not good enough
Well we know better
Just look him in his eyes and say
We're gonna do it anyway
We're gonna do it anyway
There's something inside so strong
And I know that I can make it
Though you're doing me wrong, so wrong
You thought that my pride was gone, oh no
There's something inside so strong, oh
Something inside so strong
Brothers and sisters
When they insist we're just not good enough
Well we know better
Just look him in his eyes and say
We're gonna do it anyway
We're gonna do it anyway
We're gonna do it anyway
We're gonna do it anyway
Because there's
Something inside so strong, (something inside so strong)
I know that I can make it
Though you're doing me wrong, so wrong
You thought that my pride was gone, oh no, oh no
There's something inside so strong
Something inside so strong (oh oh yeah)
I know that I can make it
Though you're doing me wrong, so wrong
You thought that my pride was gone, oh no, oh no
There's something inside so strong
Oh oh, something inside so strong
Oh oh, something inside so strong
Oh oh, something inside so strong
The song "Something Inside So Strong" by Labi Siffre is a powerful anthem against discrimination, oppression, and any kind of adversity. The lyrics reference the idea of barriers and walls that people construct to keep others out, whether it's denying someone's rights or refusing to hear their voice. Siffre, however, asserts that the higher these barriers, the taller he becomes; the more rights taken away, the faster he will run. He recognizes that even if someone tries to deny him, he knows that there is something inside of him that is strong enough to overcome it. This internal strength is also reflected in the chorus, which repeats the message that there is something inside so strong that he knows he can make it, no matter how wrong someone is doing him.
The second verse of the song continues this theme of the louder he will sing when his voice is refused to be heard. He calls out those who are hiding behind walls of Jericho and squandering his wealth, denying his place in time. Siffre declares that his light will shine so brightly that it will blind his oppressors. But the song isn't just about fighting back - it's also about having faith in oneself and in others. The "brothers and sisters" that Siffre sings about are a reference to the larger community that stands in solidarity against oppression. Together, they know better and can look their oppressors in the eye and say that they will do it anyway, because of the something inside so strong that they all possess.
Overall, "Something Inside So Strong" is a powerful message of resilience, faith, and the belief in the strength of the human spirit to overcome even the greatest challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
The higher you build your barriers
The more obstacles and boundaries you create
The taller I become
I will grow and become stronger in the face of adversity
The further you take my rights away
The more you limit my freedoms and choices
The faster I will run
I will act with determination to overcome your constraints
You can deny me, you can decide
You have the power to reject me and control my fate
To turn your face away
To ignore or refuse to acknowledge my existence or worth
No matter 'cause there's
Nevertheless, deep inside me, there is
Something inside so strong
An inner strength and resilience that cannot be broken
I know that I can make it
I have confidence in my ability to succeed
Though you're doing me wrong, so wrong
Even if you are mistreating me unfairly and unjustly
You thought that my pride was gone, oh no
You assumed that I had lost my self-respect and dignity
Brothers and sisters
Fellow human beings, regardless of race or ethnicity
When they insist we're just not good enough
When they try to make us feel inferior or unworthy
Well we know better
We have a clearer understanding of our own value and potential
Just look him in his eyes and say
Confidently confront your oppressor
We're gonna do it anyway
We will persevere and achieve our goals despite the obstacles
Oh oh, something inside so strong
A power within each of us that cannot be silenced or defeated
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Labi Siffre
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Melanie
on Cannock Chase
So beautiful :)