(Something Inside) So Strong

the 1989 Kenny Rogers album Something Inside So Strong (Something Inside) So Strong Something Inside So Strong - Labi Siffre.jpeg single Labi Siffre So Strong I'm Alright February 1987 R&B, gospel 4 10 China Labi Siffre Glyn Johns Nightmare 1982 Nothin's Gonna Change 1987 "(Something Inside) So Strong" is a song written and recorded by British singer-songwriter Labi Siffre. Released as a single in 1987, it was one of the biggest successes of his career, peaking at number four on the UK Singles Chart. David Roberts 2006 British Hit Singles & Albums 19th Guinness World Records Limited London 1-904994-10-5 498 The song was written in 1984, inspired by a television documentary on apartheid in South Africa seen by Siffre in which white soldiers were filmed shooting at black civilians in the street.https://books.google.com/books?id=kPkc1_IBN2kC&pg=PA32 So Strong Paul Mathur Spin 32 August 1989 2015-05-23 0886-3032 He told the BBC's Soul Music programme in 2014 that the song was also influenced by his experience as a homosexual child, adolescent, and adult.http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b040hx6j Soul Music, Series 18, Something Inside So Strong BBC Radio 4 21 September 2015 Labi Siffre wrote Something Inside So Strong in 1984. Widely believed to have been inspired by seeing film footage from South Africa, of young blacks being shot at by white policeman, he now reveals that the lyrics were also informed by the oppression he had experienced as a homosexual. Siffre originally intended to give the song to another artist to sing, but could find no one suitable and was persuaded to release it himself. The song has remained enduringly popular and is an example of the political and sociological thread running through much of Siffre's lyrics and poetry. It won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically,http://theivors.com/archive/1980-1989/the-ivors-1988/ The Ivors 1988 The Ivors en-US June 9, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20170308223257/http://theivors.com/archive/1980-1989/the-ivors-1988/ March 8, 2017 dead and has been used in Amnesty International campaigns.https://www.amnesty.org.uk/files/yhrs_additional_human_rights_songs_2014.pdf The power of our voices: List of Additional Human Rights Songs Amnesty.org.UK Amnesty International June 1, 2024 The song was the subject of a 2014 episode of BBC Radio 4 Soul Music, in which a range of speakers including Siffre discussed the song's significance to them.Soul Music - Series 18 - Something Inside So Strong https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b040hx6j www.bbc.co.uk BBC Sounds 8 June 2025 In September 2025 Siffre issued a cease and desist order to British far-right activist Tommy Robinson, over his use of the song at a rally, saying: "Anybody who knows me... will know the joke of them using the work of a positive atheist, homosexual black artist as apparently representative of their movement."Pilley Max 2025-09-28 Labi Siffre issues cease-and-desist order to Tommy Robinson over use of '(Something Inside) So Strong' https://www.nme.com/news/music/labi-siffre-issues-cease-and-desist-order-to-tommy-robinson-over-use-of-something-inside-so-strong-3895767 2025-10-01 NME en-GB2025-09-29 Singer demands Tommy Robinson stop using anti-apartheid anthem https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/tommy-robinson-unite-kingdom-labi-siffre-song-b2835660.html 2025-10-01 The Independent enKhomami Nadia 2025-09-28 Something inside so wrong: Labi Siffre tells Tommy Robinson to stop using anti-apartheid anthem https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/sep/28/labi-siffre-cease-and-desist-letter-tommy-robinson-anti-apartheid-anthem-something-inside-so-strong 2025-10-01 The Guardian en-GB 0261-3077 Years later the song was also done by South African musician Lira to critical acclaim. Charts Weekly charts Chart (1987)Peak positionAustralia (Kent Music Report)Kent David David Kent (historian) Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 illustrated Australian Chart Book St Ives, N.S.W. 1993 0-646-11917-6 27376Ireland (Irish Singles Chart)https://www.irma.ie/?s=Labi+Siffre The Irish Charts - All there is to know - Labi Siffre IRMA 25 March 20212Netherlands (Nederlandse Top 40)3United Kingdom (Official Charts Company)4 Year-end charts Chart (1987) PositionNetherlands (Dutch Top 40)https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1987 Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1987 Dutch Top 40 12 December 202328 Kenny Rogers Kenny Rogers performed a version on his 1989 album Something Inside So Strong.Kenny Rogers - Something Inside So Strong Album Reviews, Songs & More AllMusic https://www.allmusic.com/album/something-inside-so-strong-mw0000653558 AllMusic 21 July 2023 The Rosa Parks Tribute Singers version In 1995, Verity Records released Verity Records Presents: A Tribute to Mrs. Rosa Parks. A cover version performed by a chorus of gospel singers, including Fred Hammond (who produced the track), Yolanda Adams, Shirley Caesar, Daryl Coley and Vanessa Bell Armstrong, was the first track.July 2023 Rik Waller version Pop Idol contestant Rik Waller reached number 25 on the UK Singles Chart with his cover version in July 2002.https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/something-inside-(so-strong)/ Official Charts - Rik Waller: Something Inside (So Strong) OfficialCharts.com Shaun Williamson performance In 2014, British actor Shaun Williamson performed the song live at the 2014 World Indoor Bowls Championship.Shaun Williamson sings at the World Indoor Bowls https://www.bbc.com/sport/av/bowls/25909047 BBC Sport 27 January 2014Shaun Williamson, Barry From Eastenders, Sings At World Indoor Bowls (PICTURES) https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/01/27/shaun-williamson-sings-bowls_n_4672879.html Huffington Post UK 27 January 2014 After being televised live nationally, it became a meme and was mashed up in video form with two successive U.S. presidential inauguration ceremonies.Wait, Barry from Eastenders sang at Donald Trump's inauguration? https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/news/a49008/barry-eastenders-singing-donald-trump-inauguration/ Cosmopolitan UK 21 January 2017 , 2017Someone Mashed Up Joe Biden's Inauguration With Footage Of Barry From EastEnders Singing, And Honestly, We're Howling https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/joe-biden-inauguration-barry-eastenders-singing_uk_60096614c5b62c0057c3ce9a Huffington Post UK 21 January 2021Setchell Rob Barry from Eastenders stunned as Norfolk bowls ballad becomes inauguration hoax https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2021-01-22/barry-from-eastenders-stunned-as-norfolk-bowls-ballad-becomes-inauguration-hoax ITV News 22 January 2021Someone has edited footage of Joe Biden's inauguration with Barry from EastEnders singing 21 January 2021 https://virginradio.co.uk/entertainment-news/someone-has-edited-footage-joe-bidens-inauguration-barry-eastenders-singing Virgin Radio UKInternet convinced Barry from EastEnders performed at Joe Biden's inauguration after viral hoax https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/internet-convinced-barry-eastenders-performed-23360303 Daily Mirror 21 January 2021 References Category:1984 songs Category:1987 singles Category:2002 singles Category:Labi Siffre songs Category:Rik Waller songs Category:Songs written by Labi Siffre Category:Songs about racism and xenophobia Category:Opposition to apartheid in South Africa Category:Anti-apartheid songs Category:Michael Ball songs Category:LGBTQ-related songs Category:China Records singles Category:British political songs Category:British protest songs