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.
Dancing For Money
Graham Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I'm looking for a fight you don't punch my lights out
Sometimes they say love is invincible
I wouldn't go as far as to say that
One thing I know one thing is certain honey
We're not dancing for money ooh ooh
When I ask you for a buck you don't call me deer
Sometimes when I'm blind drunk I see it all
But I can't do anything about it
I fall on my face and jerk like a puppet honey
Just like dancing for money (then) instrumental verse
Familiarity breeds contempt so I turn off the radio
From life's pain I'm not exempt I'm just lucky I can go
Some other place where there's a sun up high
Right in my face for once in a lifetime
I'm not a slave, I'm not a captain honey
I'm not dancing for money
I'm not a slave, I'm not a captive
I'm not in chains or nailed to a cross
One thing's for sure one thing is certain honey
I'm not dancing for money I'm not dancing for money
Ooh not dancing for money
Ooh not dancing for money
Ooh not dancing for money
Ooh not dancing for money
In Graham Parker's song "Dancing For Money," the lyrics describe a relationship in which the singer asks for things like a light or a buck, and the other person doesn't respond with anger or violence. The singer acknowledges that love is typically seen as invincible, but in this case, they wouldn't go that far. The chorus repeats the phrase "we're not dancing for money," which suggests that the relationship is not based on material gain or transactional behavior, but rather something deeper and more genuine.
The second verse continues the theme of the first, with the singer noting that their partner doesn't respond with violence even when the singer is trying to push their luck. The line "Sometimes when I'm blind drunk I see it all / But I can't do anything about it" speaks to a sense of helplessness and lack of control, as if the singer knows that their behavior is self-destructive but is unable to stop themselves. The instrumental verse following this section reinforces a feeling of chaos and confusion, perhaps reflecting the emotional state of the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
When I ask you for a light you don't turn the lights out
You don't ignore me when I need you
When I'm looking for a fight you don't punch my lights out
You don't hurt me even if I provoke you
Sometimes they say love is invincible
People believe that love conquers all
I wouldn't go as far as to say that
But I am not sure if that's entirely true
One thing I know one thing is certain honey
I am certain about one thing
We're not dancing for money ooh ooh
It's not about money, it's about love
When I ask you for a buck you don't call me deer
You don't belittle me, even if I need financial help
When I try to push my luck you don't twist my ear
You don't punish me when I do something wrong
Sometimes when I'm blind drunk I see it all
Sometimes in my drunken state, I understand everything
But I can't do anything about it
But I am powerless to change anything
I fall on my face and jerk like a puppet honey
I feel like I am being controlled
Just like dancing for money (then) instrumental verse
Like being forced to perform, like a paid dancer
Familiarity breeds contempt so I turn off the radio
Knowing something too well can make you dislike it, so I avoid it altogether
From life's pain I'm not exempt I'm just lucky I can go
I am not immune to suffering, but I am fortunate enough to be able to escape from it
Some other place where there's a sun up high
Somewhere bright and warm
Right in my face for once in a lifetime
A moment when things are going well
I'm not a slave, I'm not a captain honey
I am not controlled by anyone else
I'm not dancing for money
I am not being forced to perform for money
I'm not a slave, I'm not a captive
I am not being held against my will
I'm not in chains or nailed to a cross
I am not being punished for something I did not do
One thing's for sure one thing is certain honey
There is one thing that I am sure of
I'm not dancing for money I'm not dancing for money
I am not being forced to dance for money, I am free
Ooh not dancing for money
Not being controlled by anyone or anything
Ooh not dancing for money
Not being forced to do something against my will
Ooh not dancing for money
Not being controlled by someone else's desires
Ooh not dancing for money
Free to make my own choices and live my own life
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: GRAHAM THOMAS PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind