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.
Always Greener
Graham Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But it doesn't matter
Whatever happens seems to work
But it doesn't matter
The grass is always greener
The grass is always greener
But he can't define it
Three kids two cars a house a wife
I guess that defines it
The grass is always greener
The grass is always greener
Always greener
Always greener
I know there's jackpots everywhere
A different face with different hair
I know there's cherries and a pair
So I will pull that handle
(Pull that handle)
(Pull that handle)
The grass is always greener
The grass is always greener
They know there's nothing they can do
But do something other
Than stay the course and see it through
Without one another
The grass is always greener
The grass is always greener
Always greener
Always greener
Always greener
The song Always Greener by Graham Parker is a commentary on people's tendency to believe that things would be better somewhere else, or in a different situation. The opening lines suggest that the female subject likes her current job, but it ultimately doesn't matter because she still has a sense that there could be something better out there. The repeated chorus line 'the grass is always greener' reinforces this idea that people tend to look outwards and compare themselves to others rather than focusing on what they have.
The second verse similarly illustrates this point, with a male subject who has everything that society tells him he should want - a family, house, cars - but still feels that something is lacking. The line "I guess that defines it" shows his complacency and resignation to his situation, as he can't seem to imagine a different, more fulfilling life.
The bridge of the song, with the lines "I know there's jackpots everywhere...so I will pull that handle," shows the temptation people face to take chances, even if they are happy with what they have. The final verse suggests that even when people realize there's nothing they can do to change their situation, they often still look for something else, either alone or with someone else. The notion of the grass always being greener is a cautionary tale against the human tendency to always want more.
Line by Line Meaning
She likes it in this line of work
She enjoys her current job
But it doesn't matter
Regardless of her feelings, it won't change the outcome
Whatever happens seems to work
Things seem to work out fine
The grass is always greener
People tend to think others have it better
There's something lacking in his life
He feels like something is missing
But he can't define it
He's unable to pinpoint what's missing
Three kids two cars a house a wife
He has a typical suburban family
I guess that defines it
Having a family is what's expected
I know there's jackpots everywhere
There are opportunities everywhere
A different face with different hair
Different people have different qualities
I know there's cherries and a pair
There are things to win and things to gain
So I will pull that handle
I will try to take advantage of opportunities
They know there's nothing they can do
They're aware they can't change their situation
But do something other
They want to try something new to escape their situation
Than stay the course and see it through
They don't want to stick to their current plan
Without one another
They're willing to leave their partner behind to pursue something else
Contributed by Avery H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.