Remember My Song

Remember My Song represents a significant stylistic evolution for Labi Siffre, moving away from the 'Crying Laughing Loving Lying' folk-pop era toward a harder, funk-influenced sound. Recorded with members of the band Quatermass and featuring Big Jim Sullivan on guitar, the album is most famous in contemporary circles for the track 'I Got The', which provided the foundational sample for Eminem's 'My Name Is' and Jay-Z's 'Streets Is Watching'. However, the album is far more than a sample source; it is a cohesive exploration of mid-70s soul-jazz and singer-songwriter introspection. The lyrical themes are notably mature, dealing with predatory social dynamics ('The Vulture') and existential reflection ('Remember My Song'). Critically, it is viewed as Siffre's most 'street-level' record, blending his formal vocal training with a raw, rhythmic urgency that anticipated the acid jazz and neo-soul movements decades later.