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.
Call Me Your Doctor
Graham Parker Lyrics
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E a d g
Call me your doctor if you want, I'll get the cure out
E a bm
To be administered before sleep
E a d
Call out the thing you really want and I'll be there
I'll make a housecall
E a bm g
I'll find the problem's root no matter how deep
Chorus
G bm a g a
Call me your doctor call me your doctor
Call me your doctor call me your doctor
My hours can be flexible I'll never fail you girl
I'll lay my practice out at your feet
I don't have the skill to save the world
The national health is not my concern
But I'm legitimate ain't no cheat (then) chorus (then) instrumental verse
E a d g
Call me your doctor if you want I'll be there with bedside manners
E a bm g
I'd love to treat you baby treat you real good (then) repeat chorus
E a d g
Oooh ooh ooh ooh oooh uh uh uh uh oh yeah
E a d g
Call me your doctor oooh ooh ohh ay ay ay
E a d g
Call me your doctor oh oh oh yeah
E a d g
Call me your doctr (fade on whistling) /pre>
The lyrics of Graham Parker's "Call Me Your Doctor" are about a man who is offering himself as a personal physician to a woman. He tells her that she can call him her doctor and he will find a cure for whatever problem she has. The treatment will be administered before sleep, and he promises to be available whenever she needs him. He assures her that his hours are flexible, and he will never fail her, neither will he cheat her.
The song is written from the perspective of someone who is desperate for a relationship. He's offering himself as a cure for her loneliness, and it's clear that he's not just talking about treating illness. The lyrics are filled with double entendres – "Call out the thing you really want and I'll be there" – and there's a sense that the "cure" he's offering is more about emotional satisfaction than physical wellbeing. The chorus is a repeated plea to be called a doctor, implying that he wants to be seen as an authority figure, someone who can solve problems.
The song is a clever metaphor for the experience of falling in love – the rush of endorphins that feels like an instant cure for all of life's problems. But just like self-diagnosis can be dangerous, blindly accepting someone's cure can lead to disappointment. Parker seems to be aware of this, with a line that acknowledges his limitations: "I don't have the skill to save the world". Ultimately, he's offering to be a partner, not a savior.
Line by Line Meaning
Call me your doctor if you want, I'll get the cure out
If you need help, don't be afraid to ask me, I'll do my best to help you out of your troubles.
To be administered before sleep
Take my advice seriously, and it'll help solve your problem.
Call out the thing you really want and I'll be there
Tell me your true desires, and I'll do whatever I can to make them happen.
I'll make a housecall
I will come to take care of you, wherever you need me.
I'll find the problem's root no matter how deep
I will go to great lengths to solve your issue, even if it is deeply ingrained within you.
Call me your doctor call me your doctor
Don't hesitate to think of me as a trustworthy healer in times of need.
My hours can be flexible I'll never fail you girl
I will work around your schedule and not let you down.
I'll lay my practice out at your feet
I'll give you everything that I am and all that I know to help you.
I don't have the skill to save the world
I may not be able to make the whole world a better place, but I can help make your world a better place.
The national health is not my concern
I am not worried about politics or national issues, I am just here to help you.
But I'm legitimate ain't no cheat
I am trustworthy and an honest person, you can believe in me.
Call me your doctor if you want I'll be there with bedside manners
I will be there to comfort and help you like a good doctor should.
I'd love to treat you baby treat you real good
I will take care of you and make sure you are well-treated.
Oooh ooh ooh ooh oooh uh uh uh uh oh yeah
I am here and ready to help you out.
Call me your doctor oooh ooh ohh ay ay ay
I am ready to be the one to help you, don't hesitate to ask for my help.
Call me your doctor oh oh oh yeah
You can think of me as your personal doctor, I am here to help you.
Call me your doctor (fade on whistling)
I will always be here to help you in times of need, even if it's just a friendly listening ear.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: GRAHAM THOMAS PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind