A review of ‘Crying Laughing Loving Lying’
Labi Siffre’s 1972 album ‘Crying Laughing Lovin Lying’ is a love letter to human emotion. This album isn’t afraid of being vulnerable nor self-assured. It is also Siffre’s third record which gives it that certain sense of confidence. By 1972 he had established his sound and found comfort within it. That musical sureness shines through and makes this collection of songs extremely high quality. ‘Crying Laughing Loving Lying’ embraces human nature and experience in all of their ups and downs. This album is about connections between people and the importance of caring for yourself and others. It is also about being honest, and through that vulnerability comes the aforementioned confidence.
The album opens up with a two-minute track called ‘Saved’ in which Siffre declares his freedom and questions religion as a concept. Siffre was indeed raised in a religious family but never found solace within christianity. He is gay and has never considered himself religious. ‘Saved’ opens with the lyric “I am a free man, and my father, he was a slave”. Siffre’s Blackness of course puts a heavy weight on this lyric. But taking into consideration the entirety of this song, the contrast between being chained and being free, also ties into religion. Siffre sees religion as something limiting. This song’s lyrics beg the questions: Why do we need saving? And who are we being saved for? Labi concludes that he doesn’t need religion to tell him what to do. Jesus does not need him. He is a free man. ‘Saved’ includes only Siffre’s voice, no instruments whatsoever. That gives this song a very personal feel. It’s as if we’re eavesdropping on a private declaration or vice versa listening to a public speech. The song is just Siffre’s voice and words which forces you to really listen to the text. You cannot lean onto anything else and dismiss Siffre’s message. Even though religion doesn’t really come back hugely into the conversation on the rest of the album, here we get a taste of Siffre’s ability to question these institutionalised powers. He isn’t afraid of critiquing something so established as religion.
After that quite raw opening we move onto the dominating sound of the album with ‘Cannock Chase’. A gentle acoustic guitar guides the listener onto a beautiful stroll. The lyrics are hopeful stating that the narrator used to be down and desperate but now he is back in the fight. The song opens with the narrator being alone and ends with someone by their side. The narrator of the song goes through stages of sorrow but gets up with the help of friends and by simply having someone by his side. Siffre’s gentle voice brings that final layer of solitude onto this track. The beautiful “la-da-da-da” refrain lets Labi and the listener just enjoy and not have to worry about anything. This song is simply full of life. It is full of emotion both sad and happy. ‘Cannock Chase’ works as a mirror for the human experience. You can be alone and content but the presence of others can also save you from desperate times. This theme of community and experiencing emotional fluctuations carries on all throughout this record.
‘Fool Me a Good Night’ and ‘It Must Be Love’ are all about love in their various stages and different forms. Nothing in this world really is unequivocal, neither is love. There are faults and problems in all sorts of relationships. But both of these songs emphasize the importance of love nonetheless. Whatever form love takes, as long as there is love to be shared, you’ll be fine. “Nothing more nothing less love is the best”, Siffre states in ‘It Must Be Love’. In 2022 Siffre stated in an interview with The Guardian that he has always taken love seriously. Love is indeed a strong power, not to be underestimated. But it isn’t always a given thing either. Queerness is an inevitable part of Siffre’s music and it shines through when he sings about love and relationships. His tender yet not overly soft approach to topics like this is admirable. He understands that showcasing queer love is a privilege. Therefore love should not be treated as something unserious.
Even when the sexual side of relationships is at the forefront, Siffre’s base line is the admiration of the other person. The song, ‘Gimme Some More’ plays into the playful, humane nature of sex. Siffre recognizes that he is not the only person in this world. There are other people who also need to be taken into account. But Siffre doesn’t put himself down either. And all of his confidence is within healthy limits. That theme of self appreciation and simultaneous selflessness is a key theme in his music. Balance and equality between I and others is the starting point for a lot of Siffre’s work.
‘Blue Lady’ showcases that observant style of writing on which Siffre often leans into. In this song he sings about a woman who seems down. In the text he tries to construct her life story and reveal her mysteries. The woman seems to be alone and Siffre entertains the thought of maybe keeping her company. But the song really ends with no resolution as Siffre realises that people don’t really care for strangers. We don’t approach people in hopes to make them feel better. The narrator of the song keeps his distance and the song ends with the lines: “Pardon if I stare, I hope that somewhere somebody cares.” These lines emphasize the underlying will to help others but being too reserved to do so. In the end we always believe that somebody else will take care of these problems, someone else will help. Labi Siffre often appreciates human nature, but to him, it isn’t immune to critique either. Why are we so afraid of helping a stranger? Why are we so self-centered? There are many good things when it comes to the human spirit. But like the album title itself suggests, there are also downsides. It’s not all loving and laughing.
‘Love Oh Love Oh Love’ and ‘Till Forever’ both circle back to the importance of love in our lives. These are incredibly romantic songs. They both contribute to the idea that finding someone beside you will get you through everything. A true connection between two people is magical even in the most mundane moments of life. And the majority of your time spent will most likely be that same-old everyday life. But Siffre romanticises the idea of finding someone to share those ordinary occasions with.
The title track of the album ‘Crying Laughing Loving Lying’ is again about how life is all about these different emotions and moments. Human existence is a multitude of different things. Our identities are not necessarily easily-explainable and they are forever changing. You cannot go through the human experience without crying, laughing, loving and lying. Crying and lying are seen as somewhat negative things while laughing and loving are something good. Labi Siffre puts all of these things on the same, equal line. It’s not about avoiding these actions necessarily but rather about embracing the multitudes of humanity. It is also about understanding that crying for example doesn’t always mean something sad.
Coming back to those mundane moments and Siffre’s observant style of writing, ‘Hotel Room Song’ is such a delightful piece of music. Labi observes his surroundings and describes things just as they are. There is no glitter, no glamour. In this song he reflects on last night’s concert and how it did not go that well. This song lets the listener into something private and normal. We can listen to Siffre’s thoughts and really get insight on how he sees the world. There is a humorous side to this song for example with the line “Got to do a TV show in Manchester, oh no”. Even from those dull moments, something funny can emerge. And the song ends in a perfect way: “Put the guitar away, nothing more to say, hmm”. How sympathetic and clear. Again, in this song, Siffre doesn’t downplay the ordain. The hotel room and reflections on last night are worth writing about. And this is why I think Labi Siffre is one of the most humane artists. He gives an opportunity for the normal to speak and to be heard. He writes in such a relatable way. Siffre asks questions and shows his genuine curiosity for the world and the people in it. He uses his humanity to the full potential. He takes things seriously but also finds humor when needed.
In the introduction I mentioned the confidence in this album. Being confident doesn’t necessarily mean knowing everything or being a cold, steady persona. Confidence gives room for uncertainty which is present in a lot in this album. That’s why Labi asks many questions and ponders on many things. But at the same time he knows that he has a place in this world. ‘My song’ is the pinnacle of this sentiment. Siffre is sure about his abilities not just as a musician but also as a person. Being a confident person allows you to be vulnerable and showcase your uncertainty. He knows what and who is important to him but he isn’t against new ideas or developments. He is ready to accept all emotions and feelings. And he doesn’t put himself down. He won’t always sing in tune, but he will sing nonetheless, ‘till the day he dies. This might not be the most stereotypical confidence boost song, but to me, this is one of the greatest. Labi Siffre doesn’t mock the world, so why would he do that to himself? He is a part of this world as much as you and I are. We all make up this world.
The album concludes with a jolly tune ‘Come on Michael’. As if community, friends and love weren’t already at the forefront on this album, with this song, you can’t escape it. In this song Siffre encourages a friend called Michael and talks about how important he is. This song works as a reminder for everyone on how important each one of us is. If ‘My Song’ was about Labi’s more personal empowerment, here it is about Michael. And Michael could very well be you.
‘Crying Laughing Loving Lying’ is a collection of truly humane music. In the core of this album are love and curiosity for the world around us. Labi Siffre doesn’t take wondrous things for granted and gracefully understands the downsides of human life. He looks at beauty and ugliness as equals. They co-exist alongside each other and this album welcomes that fact. There is certain sentimentality within this album, which claws at your heart. But there is also room for humor and lightheartedness. That gives this record that benevolent touch. Humanity is multi dimensional. Humanity means going through thick and thin and experiencing all kinds of emotions. Siffre simply embraces the human experience, in all of its glory and gloom.
<3 Noora
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