When I featured Labi Siffre in Saturday Snapshots a few weeks ago, it occurred to me that I only really knew two of his songs - Something Inside (So Strong) and It Must Be Love (made more famous by Madness) - but that I liked them both a lot. Further investigation was obviously required, so I started listening to a Best Of (interestingly enough, it didn't feature Something Inside at all) which introduced me to some great tracks. It also revealed that, even back in his youth, Claudius Afolabi Siffre was capable of turning on the Grumpy Old Man on tracks like the tabloid-baiting Entertainment Value, and the anti-religion anthem Let's Pretend.
Best of all though is this, from his debut album, released in 1970 when Labi was a mere 25 years of age. I suspect tongue is firmly in cheek, but still...
I don't care for these long haired guys
They need a good bath
They got shifty eyes
They're either sleeping in the park
Begging in the street
Or they're speeding 'round town in a Lotus Elite
(Where'd they get the money from anyway?)
A grumpy old man at 25. Doubt if even you were grumpy at that age!
ReplyDeleteI came out of the womb grumpy.
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