Labi Siffre - Something Inside So Strong

I've had a cracking few hours round at a mates house playing Poker and drinking a very decent Single Malt so please forgive me if the following rant has lots of swear words and spelling mistakes.

As a child growing up in the 1980s there were several songs that sort of hit me on a social, political and emotional level. After the astonishing simplicity and heartfelt emotions of the Special AKA and Free Nelson Mandela I developed an awareness of what was happening in South Africa and the Anti Apartheid movement in general. I knew about it with cricket and the Rebels tour of 82 or 83.

As I got to 15 or 16 I heard this song and it has ever since had a powerful effect on me:-


It is one of the most joyous, uplifting and life affirming songs I know of and it's message is very clear.

Now imagine my surprise when I stumble into my flat, wake up most of the neighbours, turn on the PC and see this.

So in my rather confuddled state I drank a good hot pint mug of Yorkshire Tea and re-read the screengrab just to make sure that I am right about this.

This is Bob Taylor, one of Nick Griffins leading cheerleaders and online tosspots using a song that was openly a protest song about Apartheid in South Africa on his Facebook page.

Now, Bob more than likely doesn't know much more about Labi Siffre apart from this song and possibly It Must Be Love which Madness covered back in the day so well, so I'll do a little biog for him.

• Labi was born in Hammersmith in 1945,
• His mother was from Barbados and his dad from Nigeria.
• He has been openly Gay since the early 60s and married his partner who he had been with for over 40 years after Civil Unions became legal in 2005 and he is an Atheist.

Update Hi Bob.