1972: LABI SIFFRE on Songwriting | Sounding Out | Classic BBC Music | BBC Archive 

One of the most talented and underrated singer song writers most folks have never heard about. Labi is an absolute legend.

I could listen to this man talk for hours.

What a gorgeous speaking voice.

Labi Siffre and Tracy Chapman in the same concert. Would be bliss.

“To make the audience evaluate the music solely by its merits” Genius…

I don't believe in giving the audience what it wants, but just my best.'You don't make hit records that way, but, you can sleep at night. What a guy, what a guy.

Didn't even know his accent was like that.

"I'm not afraid of being ignorant. I am ignorant. I'm afraid of other people realizing I'm ignorant."

I was enraptured when I first heard this man's music. Only a few hits, among a lot of acapella work, but wonderful none-the-less. 'I Got The...' is one of the greatest songs ever produced, to this day. Just gets better every time you hear it. I can't believe Labi Siffre was not ever particularly popular.

Wonderful man!! He may not admit to being a poet but, his whole language is poetry. He has been a part of my music life for 50 years and he still has a magic grip on me.😊

damn to have a conversation with him. so charming and insightful

He was and still is a very intelligent and interesting guy to talk to , he still holds these views and the funny thing is he is now a poet and has released poetry books , Agree when he says listen to the music with out knowing anything about who wrote or sung it , as another great perform said .. listen without prejudice

Labi had such bangers like: “I got the…”, “My song”, “It must be love”, “Something Inside so strong”, “Crying,Laughing,Loving,Lying”, “Watch me” and “Listen to the voices”.

What an amazing man. Insightful, accomplished, humorous and modest. I love his music.

I was introduced to Labi’s music by a friend today; and I’m totally in love. Thank you, friend. ❤️

What a lovely charming thoughtful man and wonderful singer/songwriter and musician.

Everything he said here is so relatable and right on and beautiful.

What an extraordinary and beautiful man! And I truly didn't realise that he was so young in the 70's. The only song of his I knew was So Strong, and his voice was so huge I thought he was much older and BIGGER! with a more African accent, not so very British and generally with a light high singing voice! Nor did I realise he was such a good guitarist! Feel like I'm about to go into a great adventure discovering his music...

The game he’s playing at 6:30 is Helicopter, from 1968. Made by Sega, the same company behind Sonic the Hedgehog

Labi had such a smooth and suave voice!

He is an icon in music Point blank.

A real interview, something that we are missing. Today I can’t sit down and watch someone get interviewed, but I can watch this guy for hours no problem.

His comments on protest music are unique and interesting. I wonder if Marvin Gaye felt similarly when he did What's Going On? The gentle, guiding approach of "This is the right way. I'm not instructing you to do it, I'm showing you how to do it" does really seem to resonate with me and probably a lot of others. Sometimes not necessarily claiming to have the answers and instructions on how to go forth, but just knowing that something has to change and we all have to eventually arrive at that conclusion that things need to get better. If more people approach protest music and just equality of people in a less forceful, narcissistic way, I do think we'd be more connected. It's hard to have something like a civil rights leader sometimes because the concept of civil rights is essentially finding equality of humanity. But when you're creating a hierarchy in humanity by appointing a leader, that seems to be where we have failed as humans. Religious leaders, politicians, civil rights leaders, etc. People appointed to lead a charge on equality by being more than those they influence. It's a contradiction worth thinking about.

He’s a very intelligent and gifted musician

Thank you so much for answering my request. Very kind of you. Delighted. I hope that you could show the complete programme on BBC4 in the near future. Thank you again.

What a genuine genius. I would love to spend a day in his brain.

Labi is like the black version of, John Denver, James Taylor or even Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young's vibe of the 70's. I can't believe I'm 60 years old and was a kid that had not heard of him back then. Well I've always said, "better late than never". His voice and music is FANTASTIC. I'm a fan now!

The more i learn about him, the more of a delightful surprise it is

My mum bought one of his albums laughing, crying and loving. I used to hear mum play those songs and I love listening to his songs. And other artists like Johnny Nash

This man is a flaming genius. I love labi, inspirational legend just like many of his contemporaries. Strong ambitious minded gifted young man here.

Love him. Very authentic personality + the production quality on his albums is insanely good

Labi is a class act!

So humble and honest ❤

My favorite song by Labi is" Something inside so strong". Super awesome track

What a fantastic talent and legendary artist. The way he describes songwriting

A fascinating little clip. "Crying, Laughing, Loving, Lying" is my all time fav song of his.

An incredible man ❤️‍🔥

i never heard such a beautiful soft voice i think i’m in love

This is my song ! Wow just incredible piano and beautiful voice …. Fab job … Thank you!

For many years I thought “it must be love “ was written by madness. Then I heard labis original… I then listened to this interview and his comments at the end … wow ..

great voice as well as song writing simply one of the greats of british music.

I just found his music. He is fantastic. His voice. His writing. His music.

What an amazing man and artist.

I love all of this.

The bit at the end about how people should listen to music devoid of anything. It's really perfect, and also in today's world a lucky privilege. It's not so easy to encounter great music that also happens to be totally faceless. When I listen to music, I'm never thinking about the people who wrote or the people who perform it. All I'm doing is listening to the music and letting my mind wander and I find it so satisfying. It's the same with how he mentioned there shouldn't be instruction in songs. The thing that bothers me most when there's a very obvious message in a song is that it's just distracting. Whether I agree with the message or not, it reminds me of reality and takes me out of enjoying the song.

Very talented singer-songwriter and should be mentioned more alongside his contemporaries of the seventies - James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Carly Simon, Carole King etc. Also, a warning : flying a kite in high winds whilst wearing flared trousers is nearly as dangerous as flying one near electricity pylons. Unfortunately they didn't make a safety film about that :)

As a fingerpicking guitarist i know EXACTLY what he meant when he spoke about using a plectrum. I thought it was just me! 😮😮

such interesting views on music and life. going on a deep dive of Labi, and i’m already in love.

Religion is something that should be left in the public lavatory. Times are showing that statement to be objectively true.

Wowww. I'm blown away at him

he starts singing & i cry

He speaks as a true Artist, a modern day DaVinci if you will, remember the music not the creator, remember the sounds and not the performer…this man truly gets it. I love his art mantra❤

I would have loved to see John Martyn and Labi Siffre play together. Martyn I think would do a fantastic rendition of Siffre's Cannock chase, and Siffre's voice could easily handle Martyn's Spencer the rover. Not detracting from either individual artist's merits but as a duo they'd have been gold.

He is ❤

So charming!

Absolute legend

Pure class

ahead of his time fr.

Labi would love some of the modern post punk which defies vocal traditionalism. Pure convos over music. What a total legend this beautiful man is.

Much love and respect.

A stellar musician/ songwriter Mr Labi Siffre i encourage you all to listen to his stuff if you’re into 70s folk pop Rock infused with some funk and r&b here and there❤

He is soo beautiful

Thank you again for this superb clip. Is there any chance that you could reshow this programme or Labi Siffre "In Concert" BBC Tv show from June 1971....... on BBC Four? Thank you again.

6:25 best part of the interview

Great interview

Make my day. Love it.

His free thinking was dangerous, which is probably why he isn't a household name....

Damn, he reminds me so much of Sam Cooke, in look and deportment.

👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿 An amazing brotha

Genius

Sad that he didn't release more folk. At least he had fun.

I looked this up because I wanted to know how his speaking voice sounds and he actually sounds EXACTLY how I expected him to sound.

Powerful

Lovely soul

THE GOAT!

His speaking voice reminds me of James Blunt.

Talent manm

How horrifying that Labi thought he wasn't as English as any other English/British person. That makes me very sad. I so hope he wouldn't feel the same way nowadays. Such a wonderful person.

Legend

"There's a lot of mathematics in writing songs. You get a word at the end of the line and there are only so many words that will fit...And you just hope that one of those words will lead you on to something that means what you want to say" Bro just described ChatGPT 😆

Ive got his 1975 album called Remember my song that has the song I Got The (Blues) that the rapper Marshall Mathews sample for his 1999 Slim shady

Wow wow wow. Wow.

Fab 👌

Genius.

Eminem, Kanye.....Thanks for bringing Afolabi's work to the world ❤

Rumour has it that Chaz and Dave were the session musicians on 'I got the....'

Anyone know the name of the first song he was singing that went, "And now you're looking for me here."

"you don't make hit records that way, but you can sleep at night"... Oua

Is there somewhere a live video version of bless the telephone ? I am very interested

I would love to see and hear Labi and Jacob Collier play and talk about music.

Labis music is so very unique and elegant. His vocal range and chops are second to none. Dre did not sample his music he and Em straight up highjacked it.

mans articulate vibrate

Smart guy.

Whats the name of the 1st song ? And now your looking for me here 0:28

@6:39 he's playing a Sega analog game. That's a Sega Helicopter game. Legacy tends to look funny backwards

wow bbc used to do good interbiew's ?

❤

Interesting fellow

Understood

I wonder what he thought of Madness doing his song "It Must Be Love"?