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.
Cruel Stage
Graham Parker Lyrics
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Take me from this abyss and put me back in touch
Though I have strayed from you though I have fallen from grace
I am back on higher ground up from that lonely place
Chorus
'cause I have found the going tough and you have suffered long enough
And I am undoin' this cruel stage that I've been going through
These words they come hard I've tried to make them live
I carve them from a humbleness I'm not familiar with
And though I have built a world made out of panes of glass
I won't shatter yours no more with a pain that lasts
Chorus
And I have found the going tough
But I will find the strength enough
And I am undoin' this cruel stage
That I've been going through
I didn't mean to hurt you
No that's not what I meant
Now I mean to alert you of my true intent
Take me for what I'm worth though it may not amount to much take me from this abyss and put me back in touch
Repeat 1st chorus
In Graham Parker's song "Cruel Stage", the lyrics suggest a person who has lost their way but is now making an effort to reconnect with someone they have hurt. The individual is aware that they have made mistakes ("Though I have strayed from you, though I have fallen from grace"), and is looking to make amends by saying, "I am back on higher ground up from that lonely place."
The chorus indicates that the person recognizes the pain they have caused and the difficulties they, and the person they have hurt, have endured. However, they have decided to undo the negativity and cruelty that they have been experiencing ("And I am undoin' this cruel stage that I've been going through").
The final verse expresses a change in intention, as the singer recognizes that they have caused harm unintentionally but are now actively seeking to repair it. They are asking the other person to take them for who they are and not for what they have done, hoping to rebuild the relationship.
Overall, "Cruel Stage" is a song of redemption, about taking responsibility for mistakes and choosing to mend damaged relationships. It's a message about growth and the process of learning from one's actions to become a better person.
Line by Line Meaning
Take me for what I'm worth though it may not amount to much
Accept me as I am, even though I may not have much to offer
Take me from this abyss and put me back in touch
Rescue me from my difficult situation and help me reconnect with reality
Though I have strayed from you though I have fallen from grace
Although I have gone astray and lost your favor
I am back on higher ground up from that lonely place
I have risen from my loneliness and despair to a better place
'cause I have found the going tough and you have suffered long enough
I've had a hard time, but you have suffered too much because of me
And I am undoin' this cruel stage that I've been going through
I am trying to end the difficult time that I have been going through
These words they come hard I've tried to make them live
It's difficult for me to express myself, but I'm doing my best to make my words meaningful
I carve them from a humbleness I'm not familiar with
I'm trying to create something meaningful, even though I'm not used to being humble
And though I have built a world made out of panes of glass
I have created a fragile world that can be easily broken
I won't shatter yours no more with a pain that lasts
I won't hurt you in the same way anymore, causing long-lasting pain
But I will find the strength enough
I will gather the strength I need
I didn't mean to hurt you
I didn't have the intention of causing you pain
No that's not what I meant
I hope you understand that wasn't my intention
Now I mean to alert you of my true intent
I want to make you aware of my genuine intentions from now on
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GRAHAM THOMAS PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind