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," Siffre, who is openly gay, said in an interview that he turned down the offer to approve the song at first until the original sexist and homophobic lyrics were removed: "Dissing the victims of bigotry – women as bitches, homosexuals as faggots – is lazy writing. Diss the bigots not their victims." Siffre eventually allowed its usage when he was sent a censored "clean" version, not realizing that he was also allowing the riffs use on the alternative "dirty" versions with the original lyrics.
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.
Love Oh Love Oh Love
Labi Siffre Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And when I woke up I was screaming
But you were there so that′s O.K.
You make my fears fade away and you said
"Baby go to sleep now
Baby don't you weep now
Even in your dreams I love you
Baby go to sleep now
Love oh love oh love I love you"
You know how easy I get sad
Sometimes it hurts me oh so badly
And I don't know what i'd do
If wou weren′t here just being you and you say
"Baby go to sleep now
Baby don′t you weep now
Even in your dreams I love you
Baby go to sleep now
Baby don't you weep now
Love oh love oh love I love you"
You know I hate to be alone
But in a crowd I′m so lonely
Sometimes a bottle is my friend
But I need you more when the bottle ends and you say
"Baby go to sleep now
Even in your dreams I love you
Baby go to sleep now
Baby don't you weep now
Love oh love oh love I love you"
Labi Siffre's "Love Oh Love Oh Love" depicts a dreamy musical journey of loneliness and fear, alleviated by love. The lyrics speak volumes about the significance of a loving partner in one's life. The opening lines describe a dream where the singer wakes up screaming, but the presence of their partner makes everything alright. This signifies the importance of having someone who can alleviate fears and wipe away tears. The repeated phrase "Baby go to sleep now, Baby don't you weep now," immediately imparts a sense of comfort and reliability. Love is here to heal all wounds and provide solace.
The second verse highlights the singer's vulnerability and the pain of losing someone dear. The idea of being sad and lonely is further amplified by the phrase "sometimes it hurts me oh so badly." But here too, the presence of their partner acts as a cushion, protecting them from harm's way. The image of a bottle of alcohol being a friend in a crowd depicts the lack of human connection. But, again, love proves to be a stronger and healthier source of support. The phrase "Love oh love oh love, I love you" reinforces the theme of the song, highlighting that it is love and only love that can provide a sense of security and comfort in one's life.
Overall, "Love Oh Love Oh Love" is a beautiful and heartwarming tribute to love, its power and its ability to conquer all fears and uncertainties.
Line by Line Meaning
Last night I had another dream
The singer had a dream the previous night
And when I woke up I was screaming
The singer woke up from the dream feeling scared
But you were there so that's O.K.
The presence of the person the singer loves makes everything better
You make my fears fade away and you said
The person the artist loves helps alleviate the artist's fears
"Baby go to sleep now
The person the artist loves is comforting them with soothing words
Baby don't you weep now
The person the singer loves does not want the singer to cry
Even in your dreams I love you
The person the singer loves will always love them, even in their dreams
You know how easy I get sad
The artist is prone to feeling sad easily
Sometimes it hurts me oh so badly
The artist's sadness can be very painful
And I don't know what I'd do
The artist does not know how they would cope without the person they love
If wou weren't here just being you and you say
The person the singer loves acknowledges their importance to the singer
"Baby go to sleep now
The person the artist loves is comforting them with soothing words
Baby don't you weep now
The person the singer loves does not want the singer to cry
Love oh love oh love I love you"
The singer professes their love to the person they love
You know I hate to be alone
The singer dislikes being by themselves
But in a crowd I'm so lonely
The artist feels lonely even when surrounded by people
Sometimes a bottle is my friend
The artist may turn to alcohol for comfort
But I need you more when the bottle ends and you say
The person the singer loves is more important to them than alcohol
"Baby go to sleep now
The person the singer loves is comforting them with soothing words
Even in your dreams I love you
The person the artist loves will always love them, even in their dreams
Baby go to sleep now
The person the artist loves is comforting them with soothing words
Baby don't you weep now
The person the artist loves does not want the artist to cry
Love oh love oh love I love you
The singer professes their love to the person they love
Writer(s): Labi Siffre
Contributed by Zoe S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Melanie
on Cannock Chase
So beautiful :)