Born in 1945, Claudius Afolabi Siffre is a musician, poet, and activist of afro barbadian and Nigerian descent. According to the Newhumanist Q&A, Siffre started his career in the mid-60s where he played backup for various bands in a club in Soho, London. It’s in this time where he meets his long term partner Peter John Carver Lloyd, whom he was with for 48 years and eventually “married” in 2005 when homosexuality was made legal in the Uk. Siffre had a short music career in the early 70s, releasing 6 albums in 5 years before going into early retirement in 1975. However, in 1978 Siffre placed 5th out of 12th in the Eurovision Song Contest heat to represent England. After seeing a film about Apartheid South Africa, Siffre came out of retirement and wrote the song “(Something Inside) So Strong” in protest. It would go on to place 4th on the UK charts, and would win him the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically from the British Academy of Songwriters. Siffre is now remembered by being sampled by various other famous artists such as “My Name is” by Eminem and “I Wonder” by Kanye West.
“Brothers and sisters
When they insist we’re just not good enough
Well we know better
Just look him in the eyes and say
We’re gonna do it anyway
We’re gonna do it anyway” – A verse from (Something Inside) So Strong, by Siffre.
