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.
Anniversary
Graham Parker Lyrics
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Na na na yeah!
Na na na yeah!
Bienvenidas al party, aquí se vale to'
Dile a tu amiga que pase porque el party ya empezó
Yeah! dile que hay to' y que hasta sobra
Dile que el party es en mi casa y entrada no se cobra
Aquí se vale to' yeah!
Mami que hay to' y que hasta sobra
Dile que el party es en mi casa y entrada no se cobra
Mami óyeme te voy a decir algo
Olvídate la ropa, olvidate to' eso
Yo te compro mañana, tu no sabes
Que nosotros estamos controlando esta pendeja
Chango caliente on fire, hard en la calle
Tamo' encendido así que con tu amiga caile
Y no te pongas registro mami que eso no se vale
Vamo' a romper la casa asi que no me falles
Hay mucho dinero corriendo, la champagna corriendo
El pana mio prendiendo y to' el mundo jodiendo
Eso es así ma, aquí se vale to'
Date un shot pa' calentar porque esto se encendió
Bueno beba hablando claro, oíste
Voy hablar claro mera, nosotros estamos de vacaciones
Mi amor estamos viajando mucho y en verdad en verdad
Queremos pasarla bien contigo, por eso es que
Esto es libre de costo, esto es un party porno
Ando con montana cuenta de masa, coje gordo
Uh! la casa esta solita pa' nosotros
Después de esta notita no se va ver fuera de foco
Aquí hay piscina, yacuzzi, aquí hay de to'
Aquí hay rolas, cristina y botellas de ron
Eh! solo se escucha reggaeton
Welcome a la mansión del flow
Bienvenidas al party, aquí se vale to'
Dile a tu amiga que pase porque el party ya empezó
Yeah! dile que hay to' y que hasta sobra
Dile que el party es en mi casa y entrada no se cobra
Bienvenidas al party, party, party
Aquí se vale to' yeah!
Mami que hay to' y que hasta sobra
Dile que el party es en mi casa y entrada no se cobra
Y calientate, yo quiero amanecer contigo
Prestate, pa' darte castigo
Esto es un party privado, aquí no entra mucha gente
Relájate y despejate la mente
Esto es un nivel donde ellos no pueden llegar
Aquí no hay restriccion, aquí se puede fumar
Tamo' loco envuelto, haciéndolo
La sustancia saciando efecto
Baby déjese llevar
Pero no se me vaya a enamorar
Y calientate, yo quiero amanecer contigo
Prestate, pa' darte castigo
Bienvenidas al party, aquí se vale to'
Dile a tu amiga que pase porque el party ya empezó
Yeah! dile que hay to' y que hasta sobra
Dile que el party es en mi casa y entrada no se cobra
Bienvenidas al party, party, party
Aquí se vale to' yeah!
Mami que hay to' y que hasta sobra
Dile que el party es en mi casa y entrada no se cobra
Na na na
Repetitive phrase used as a musical filler, no specific meaning
Na na na yeah!
Repetitive phrase used as a musical filler, no specific meaning
Na na na yeah!
Repetitive phrase used as a musical filler, no specific meaning
Bienvenidas al party, aquí se vale to'
Welcome to the party where anything goes and there are no rules
Dile a tu amiga que pase porque el party ya empezó
Tell your friend to come to the party because it has already started
Yeah! dile que hay to' y que hasta sobra
Yeah! Tell her that there is plenty of everything and even more
Dile que el party es en mi casa y entrada no se cobra
Tell her that the party is at my house and there is no cover charge
Bienvenidas al party, party, party
Welcome to the party, party, party
Aquí se vale to' yeah!
Anything goes here, yeah!
Mami que hay to' y que hasta sobra
Mama, there is plenty of everything and even more
Dile que el party es en mi casa y entrada no se cobra
Tell her that the party is at my house and there is no cover charge
Mami óyeme te voy a decir algo
Mama, listen to me, I'm going to tell you something
Olvídate la ropa, olvidate to' eso
Forget about your clothes, forget about all that
Yo te compro mañana, tu no sabes
I'll buy you tomorrow, you don't know
Que nosotros estamos controlando esta pendeja
Because we are in control of this situation
Chango caliente on fire, hard en la calle
Hot monkey on fire, tough in the streets
Tamo' encendido así que con tu amiga caile
We are turned on, so bring your friend
Y no te pongas registro mami que eso no se vale
And don't act all uptight, mama, that's not allowed here
Vamo' a romper la casa asi que no me falles
Let's break down the house, so don't let me down
Hay mucho dinero corriendo, la champagna corriendo
There is a lot of money running, the champagne is running
El pana mio prendiendo y to' el mundo jodiendo
My buddy is lighting up and everyone is having fun
Eso es así ma, aquí se vale to'
That's how it is, mama, anything goes here
Date un shot pa' calentar porque esto se encendió
Take a shot to warm up because this is heating up
Bueno beba hablando claro, oíste
Okay baby, speaking plainly, you hear me
Voy hablar claro mera, nosotros estamos de vacaciones
I'm going to speak plainly, we are on vacation
Mi amor estamos viajando mucho y en verdad en verdad
My love, we are traveling a lot and really, really
Queremos pasarla bien contigo, por eso es que
We want to have fun with you, that's why
Esto es libre de costo, esto es un party porno
This is free of charge, this is a porn party
Ando con montana cuenta de masa, coje gordo
I'm carrying a lot of cash, take your cut
Uh! la casa esta solita pa' nosotros
Uh! The house is all alone for us
Después de esta notita no se va ver fuera de foco
After this note, it won't be out of focus
Aquí hay piscina, yacuzzi, aquí hay de to'
There is a pool, jacuzzi, and everything here
Aquí hay rolas, cristina y botellas de ron
There are jams, cocaine, and bottles of rum here
Eh! solo se escucha reggaeton
Eh! Only reggaeton is playing
Welcome a la mansión del flow
Welcome to the mansion of flow
Y calientate, yo quiero amanecer contigo
And warm up, I want to wake up with you
Prestate, pa' darte castigo
Lend yourself to me, to punish you
Esto es un party privado, aquí no entra mucha gente
This is a private party, not many people are allowed in
Relájate y despejate la mente
Relax and clear your mind
Esto es un nivel donde ellos no pueden llegar
This is a level where they can't reach
Aquí no hay restriccion, aquí se puede fumar
There are no restrictions here, you can smoke here
Tamo' loco envuelto, haciéndolo
We're crazy, wrapped up in it
La sustancia saciando efecto
The substance is satisfying the effect
Baby déjese llevar
Baby, let yourself go
Pero no se me vaya a enamorar
But don't fall in love with me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GRAHAM THOMAS PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind