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.
The Life I Got
Labi Siffre Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All I have to do is get to you
And then I feel just fine
I'm on a downer, but not all the way
When I'm feelin' low you do your thing just so
And then I feel OK
You're so good, the way you give
So good, you're the best there is
I got the blues, got it oh so bad
When I think of me its hard to be
A person quite so sad
You got the answer and it makes me glad
When I'm feelin' small you give me rock n' roll
And then I'm feelin' bad
You're so good, the way you give
So good, you're the best there is
Just a lonely soul
Slowly dyin'
I was smilin' hard
But I was lyin'
Then you sailed along
With you're sweet dream
When you stole my heart
I was livid
Mornin' come, sun don't shine
I'll get by without you
I was lost, but now I'm found
Mornin' come, sun don't shine
I'll get by without you
I was lost, but now I'm found
Tell me love it was you
Just a lonely soul (mornin' come, sun don't shine)
Slowly dyin' (I'll get by without you)
I was smilin' hard (I was lost, but now I'm found)
But I was lyin' (tell me love it was you)
Then you sailed along (mornin' come, sun don't shine)
With you're sweet dream (I'll get by without you)
When you stole my heart (I was lost, but now I'm found)
I was livid (tell me love it was you)
The song "I Got The..." by Labi Siffre is an expression of gratitude towards someone who helps the singer through a difficult time. The song begins with the singer admitting that they are feeling the blues, but that they are quickly comforted by the presence of the person they are addressing in the song. The person is portrayed as being a source of tremendous comfort and support – someone who the singer turns to for help when they are in need of it. What is interesting about these lyrics is that they make it clear that the person the singer is addressing is not just anyone – they are someone very special to the singer, and someone who has had a profound impact on their life.
Throughout the song, the singer continues to express their gratitude towards the person in question, often using phrases like "you're so good" and "you're the best there is." These phrases make it clear that the singer sees this person as more than just a friend or confidant – they are someone truly exceptional, someone who has helped the singer in ways that few others could. The song ends with the singer recognizing that they were once lost, but that they have now been found – all thanks to the person they are addressing in the song.
Overall, "I Got The..." is a moving and heartfelt expression of gratitude towards someone who has made a profound impact on the singer's life. Through its lyrics, the song highlights the importance of having someone to turn to when we are feeling down, and the power that a single individual can have to lift us up and help us through difficult times.
Line by Line Meaning
I got the blues but I don't mind
I'm feeling down, but it's not unbearable
All I have to do is get to you
Seeing or being around you cheers me up
And then I feel just fine
Being around you makes me feel much better
I'm on a downer, but not all the way
I'm feeling low, but not completely
When I'm feelin' low you do your thing just so
When I'm feeling bad, you know how to make me feel better
And then I feel OK
Once you've done your thing, I start feeling better
You're so good, the way you give
You're amazing at cheering me up
So good, you're the best there is
Nobody is better at making me feel better than you
I got the blues, got it oh so bad
I'm feeling very down and sad
When I think of me its hard to be
When I think about myself, it's hard to feel good
A person quite so sad
I'm sad and it's hard to deal with
You got the answer and it makes me glad
You know how to make me feel better and I appreciate it
When I'm feelin' small you give me rock n' roll
When I'm feeling insignificant or bad about myself, you make me feel good with music or other means
And then I'm feelin' bad
Once you've cheered me up, I start feeling better
Just a lonely soul
I'm feeling isolated and alone
Slowly dyin'
I'm feeling like I'm fading away
I was smilin' hard
I was pretending to be happy
But I was lyin'
I was lying to myself and others about how I truly felt
Then you sailed along
Then you came into my life
With you're sweet dream
You brought a new and wonderful perspective or dream to my life
When you stole my heart
When I fell in love with you
I was livid
I was extremely angry, usually used to convey a state of being overcome with anger or fury
Mornin' come, sun don't shine
It's a new day, but I'm still feeling down
I'll get by without you
I'll be okay even without you
I was lost, but now I'm found
I was struggling before, but you helped me find my way
Tell me love it was you
Please tell me it was you who helped me through my struggles
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Labi Siffre
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Melanie
on Cannock Chase
So beautiful :)