Labi Siffre - Remember My Song (CD 2006)

Singer-songrwiter Labi Siffre had tasted success early in the 1970s with his first folky albums for Pye and cut a classic hit single with the sweet "It Must Be Love" (later covered by Madness). However his fifth LP, the 1975 EMI masterpiece "Remember My Song", sadly failed to register anywhere and original copies of the LP have remained incredibly hard to find, especially for a major UK label release. One can only surmise that EMI were too busy pushing their bigger acts, like Queen, for "Remember..." to receive any promotion.

The album was rediscovered in the late 80s/early 90s as a "lost" classic folk-soul gem by 'rare groove' DJs, with copies changing hands for anything up to £150. Soon enough, the opening track "I Got The", with its killer bass riff and creeping strings, caught the attention of some noted US Hip Hop producers and a limited vinyl reissue appeared from London's Mr Bongo label. Dr. Dre eventually snatched one up and looped it for Eminem's global crossover smash "My Name Is" and the source material became hot gossip and hotter property indeed. What makes this story of Labi's rise to broader recognition all the more bizarre is that those very riffs sampled on the 1997 Eminem hit are actually played by none other than Chas & Dave, who were London session musicians long before they launched themselves into the pop market as chirpy Cockney roustabouts.

This nugget of journalistic gold is an anecdote now often passed around, but tends to detract from the brilliance of "Remember My Song" overall. It is a soulful work of incredible power and elegance, with Labi's songs never more poignant and married to a larger-sounding production than found on his earlier efforts. It is certainly one of the greatest albums I have owned. This newly remastered CD release (featuring some decent unreleased tracks from the sessions) sounds truly fantastic, tracks like "Dream On Dreamer" shimmering and gliding in crystal clarity. Most of all, it restores glory to this album that might once have been.