Beginning in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Parker sang in small-time amateur English bands such as the Black Rockers and Deep Cut Three, while working in dead-end jobs at a glove factory and a petrol station. In late 1974 he placed an ad in Britain’s "Melody Maker" music mag seeking like-minded musicians and he began performing professionally. In 1975, he recorded a few demo tracks in London with Dave Robinson, who would shortly found Stiff Records and who connected Parker with his first backing band of note.
Graham Parker & the Rumour (with Brinsley Schwarz and Martin Belmont on guitar, Bob Andrews on keyboards, Andrew Bodnar on bass and Steve Goulding on drums) formed in the summer of 1975 and began doing the rounds of the British pub rock scene. Their first album, Howlin' Wind, was released to acclaim in 1976 and rapidly followed by the stylistically similar Heat Treatment. A mixture of rock, ballads, and reggae-influenced numbers, these albums reflected Parker's early influences (Motown, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan) and contained the songs which formed the core of Parker's live shows -- "White Honey", "Soul Shoes", "Lady Doctor", "Fool's Gold", and his early signature tune "Don't Ask Me Questions", which hit the top 40 in the UK. Like the pub rock scene he was loosely tied to, the singer's class-conscious lyrics and passionate vocals signaled a renewal of rock music as punk rock began to flower in Britain.
Parker preceded the other "new wave" English singer-songwriters, Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson. Early in his career his work was often compared favorably to theirs, and for decades journalists would continue to categorize them together, long after the artists' work had diverged. Characteristically, Parker would not hesitate to criticize this habit with caustic wit.
The first two albums' critical acclaim was generally not matched with LP sales. Graham Parker and the Rumour appeared on BBC television's Top of the Pops in 1976, performing their top 30 hit version of The Trammps' "Hold Back the Night".
At this point, Parker began to change his songwriting style, reflecting his desire to break into the American market. The first fruits of this new direction appeared on Stick To Me (1977). The album broke the top 20 on the UK charts but divided critical opinions.
Energized by his new label, Arista, and the presence of legendary producer Jack Nitzsche, Parker followed with Squeezing Out Sparks (1979), widely held to be the best album of his career. For this album, The Rumour's brass section, prominent on all previous albums, was jettisoned, resulting in a spare, intense rock backing for some of Parker's most brilliant songs. Of particular note was "You Can't Be Too Strong", one of rock music's rare songs to confront the topic of abortion, however ambivalently.
Squeezing out Sparks is still ranked by fans and critics alike as one of the finest rock albums ever made. Rolling Stone named it #335 [1] on their 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. In an early 1987 Rolling Stone list of their top 100 albums from 1967-1987, Squeezing Out Sparks was ranked at #45, while Howlin' Wind came in at #54 [2].
Although marginally less intense than its predecessor, 1980's The Up Escalator was Parker's highest-charting album in the UK and featured glossy production by Jimmy Iovine and guest vocals from Bruce Springsteen. Nevertheless it was Parker's last album with the Rumour, although guitarist Brinsley Schwarz would join most of the singer's albums through the decade's end.
The 1980s were Parker's most commercially successful years, with well-financed recordings and radio and video play. Over the decade, the British press turned unkind to him, but he continued to tour the world with top backing bands, and his 1985 release Steady Nerves included his only US Top 40 hit, "Wake Up (Next to You)". The singer began living mostly in the United States during this time.
In early 2011, Parker reunited with all five original members of The Rumour to record a new album. The record, titled Three Chords Good, was released in November 2012.
A Miracle a Minute
Graham Parker Lyrics
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When you put your arms around me, the doctor has to operate
We get so stuck on each other we just can't separate, too late
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute, baby
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute
Your touch fees like magic fingers on my head
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute, baby
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute, baby
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute
It only takes me a second to call you on the phone
You always lift the receiver up I never get a busy tone, cause you're home
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute, baby
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute
it's a miracle
it's a miracle
it's a miracle
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute, baby
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute
Immaculate conception, revelations come,
It only takes a miracle and you're the only one, the one that's
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute, baby
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute, baby
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute
In Graham Parker's song "A Miracle a Minute," the lyrics convey a profound sense of love and connection between two individuals. The opening lines, "When you put your arms around me, the doctor has to operate. We get so stuck on each other we just can't separate, too late," suggest an intense physical and emotional bond that leaves them inseparable. The singer describes this connection as a miracle happening every minute, emphasizing its extraordinary and constant nature.
The lyrics continue to highlight the transformative power of this love: "Your touch feels like magic fingers on my head. Your kiss is an invitation, an invitation that I read, I'm in debt to." Here, the physical gestures of touch and kiss are portrayed as enchanting and empowering, enhancing the singer's sense of indebtedness to their partner. The repetition of "It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute, baby" throughout the song strengthens the idea that this love is special, rare, and continuously occurring.
The verses also emphasize the seamless communication and constant availability between the lovers. The lyrics state, "It only takes me a second to call you on the phone. You always lift the receiver up; I never get a busy tone, 'cause you're home." This showcases the ease with which they can connect, symbolizing their strong connection and consistent presence for each other.
Overall, "A Miracle a Minute" expresses a profound love that encompasses physical, emotional, and communicative dimensions. It celebrates the transformative power and constant presence of this love in the lives of the two individuals involved.
Line by Line Meaning
When you put your arms around me, the doctor has to operate
Your embrace has such a powerful effect on me that it feels like a surgeon needs to intervene.
We get so stuck on each other we just can't separate, too late
Our connection is so strong that it becomes impossible for us to detach from each other, and it's already too late to change that.
Your touch fees like magic fingers on my head
The sensation of your touch is so enchanting that it feels like magical fingers caressing my mind.
Your kiss is a invitation, an invitation that I read, I'm in debt to
Each kiss from you feels like an invitation to a world of passion and closeness, which I gladly accept and feel indebted to.
It only takes me a second to call you on the phone
Reaching out to you through a call is effortless and quick, taking me just a second.
You always lift the receiver up I never get a busy tone, cause you're home
Whenever I call, you are always available to answer, and I never encounter the inconvenience of a busy tone because you are always there at home.
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute, baby
Our relationship is such a constant source of extraordinary wonder and joy, happening every single minute.
Immaculate conception, revelations come
Our union feels like a divine and immaculate conception, and it brings forth revelations and profound realizations.
It only takes a miracle and you're the only one, the one that's
All it takes is one extraordinary event, one miracle, for me to recognize that you are the only one, the one who truly matters.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: GRAHAM THOMAS PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind