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.
Why Isn't Love Enough
Labi Siffre Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I only know I love you more
No (Mother?) baby beside her
Could boast a love more than us
Be warm be loving warm and caring
They say we must
So why fear that in us
How dare they deny my humanity
Love is love is love
Love is love is love
So why isn′t love enough
Why isn't love enough
For 30 years
We been lovers
Ain′t that enough
To prove our love
Yet still they say
It's pretending
They rule the land
Head in the sand
With all the world
Against us
One thing's for sure
I just love you more
Love is something everybody needs
How dare you deny my humanity
Love is love is love
Love is love is love
So why isn′t love enough
Why isn′t love enough
Why isn't love enough
In the song Why Isn't Love Enough by Labi Siffre, the singer questions society's refusal to accept and celebrate the love between two individuals, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation. The first verse addresses the accusing words of those who question the authenticity of their love. The singer answers them by professing that their love is true and real, and that no parent can claim to have loved their child more than they do. The second verse directly confronts the society's lack of acceptance towards same-sex relationships, and the constant scrutiny and criticism that they have had to endure over the years.
The chorus emphasizes the vital importance of love in everybody's life and humanity, and the right of everyone to love and be loved in return. The repetition of the phrase "love is love is love" highlights how love transcends all boundaries and should be celebrated as such. The line "why isn't love enough" is a poignant question that speaks volumes about the struggles and discrimination that same-sex couples have faced throughout history, where their love is often questioned, invalidated, and not enough to receive society's acceptance.
The song is a tribute to the struggles and hardships faced by the LGBTQ+ community in obtaining equal rights, and a plea for society to recognize and accept love that exists between individuals, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.
Line by Line Meaning
They say this love is a liar
People are skeptical of our love, but I know that my love for you is real.
I only know I love you more
Despite what others may say, my love for you only grows stronger.
No (Mother?) baby beside her
No other couple boasts a greater love than ours.
Could boast a love more than us
We have the greatest love of all.
Be warm be loving warm and caring
We are warm, loving, and affectionate towards each other.
They say we must
Despite our love being natural, society says we must conform to their standards.
So why fear that in us
Why should we fear our love when it's something that comes naturally?
For 30 years
We have been together for a long time.
We been lovers
We are a couple in love.
Ain't that enough
Isn't our love enough to prove that it's real?
To prove our love
We shouldn't have to prove that our love is real.
Yet still they say
Despite our long-lasting love, society still doubts us.
It's pretending
They think our love is fake or a facade.
They rule the land
The people in charge have the power to dictate what is accepted in society.
Head in the sand
They are ignorant to the truth about our love.
With all the world
Despite our love, we are still met with opposition from others.
Against us
People are against us and our love.
One thing's for sure
One thing that we can be certain of is that my love for you is unwavering.
I just love you more
My love for you continues to grow stronger.
Love is something everybody needs
Love is a basic human need.
How dare you deny my humanity
By denying our love, you are denying our human right to love.
Love is love is love
Love is universal and applies to all individuals equally.
So why isn't love enough
If love is universal and natural, then why isn't it enough to be accepted by society?
Why isn't love enough
The question is raised again to challenge why society refuses to accept all forms of love.
Writer(s): Labi Siffre
Contributed by Kaelyn E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Melanie
on Cannock Chase
So beautiful :)