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.
Dark Days
Graham Parker Lyrics
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The earth just tilted on its axis
The demon lies in his lair
And licks at the Goddess Abraxas
Volcanoes long, long dormant
Send up plumes of gas
An India and Pakistan
In these dark days, dark
Let's walk to the nearest cliff
Let's walk to the river
But there's been a seismic shift
I felt the whole earth quiver
Let's hold the party we said we would
I'm always whole
And me with their blood on my hands
And you with their gold
In these dark, dark, dark days
In these dark days, um dark
Your conscience is worthless here
Go peddle it under the street lights
The hubris of love you carry
Is attracting a swarm of meat flies
Brandish, brandish your weapon, baby
Sharpen your sharpest knives
If you're not the king or the queen
You're just a working for the hive
In these dark, dark, dark days
In these dark, dark days
Dark, dark, dark
Dark, dark, dark days
Well, well, well
The sun has a solar flare
The earth just tilted on its axis
The demon lies in his lair
These lyrics from Graham Parker's song Dark Days paint a picture of a world on the brink of chaos. The first stanza describes natural disasters and political tension, with the sun having a solar flare and the earth tilting on its axis, while India and Pakistan are "talking trash." The demon in his lair licking at the Goddess Abraxas adds a sense of foreboding to the mix. In the second stanza, the singer suggests going to the nearest cliff or river, but acknowledges that there has been a seismic shift and the whole earth seems to be quivering. Despite this, the singer still wants to hold a party, even though both they and their companion are carrying some sort of baggage ("their blood on my hands, and you with their gold").
The third stanza takes a cynical turn, with the singer proclaiming that conscience is worthless in these dark days and to "go peddle it under the street lights." The hubris of love is attracting a swarm of meat flies, suggesting that any purity or good intentions are being corrupted. The final stanza ends with a call to arms, with the singer telling listeners to brandish their weapons and sharpen their knives, but emphasizing that if they aren't the king or the queen, they're just "working for the hive."
Overall, the lyrics suggest a world on the brink of collapse, where even the natural order seems to be breaking down. The political tensions between India and Pakistan are just one manifestation of the strife and chaos that seem to be pervading the world. Despite this, there's a note of defiance, with the singer suggesting that even in these dark days, they will still hold a party, and calling on others to fight back against the forces of darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
The sun has a solar flare
The world is facing a dangerous and unstable situation, akin to a solar flare that has the potential to cause widespread chaos and devastation.
The earth just tilted on its axis
The world is experiencing a monumental shift that is destabilizing everything and causing great upheaval.
The demon lies in his lair And licks at the Goddess Abraxas
Evil forces are at work, threatening to unleash chaos and destruction upon the world. The demon and Goddess Abraxas are symbolic embodiments of this danger.
Volcanoes long, long dormant Send up plumes of gas An India and Pakistan Start talking trash
Even seemingly dormant forces are coming to life and beginning to have a profound effect. The volatile situation between India and Pakistan is just one example of this.
In these dark days, dark
The times we are living in are exceptionally bleak and difficult, and there seems to be little hope in sight.
Let's walk to the nearest cliff Let's walk to the river But there's been a seismic shift I felt the whole earth quiver
The world is changing rapidly, and even simple activities like walking are uncertain given the seismic shifts taking place. The singer feels the tremors of this upheaval deeply.
Let's hold the party we said we would I'm always whole And me with their blood on my hands And you with their gold
Despite the chaos and instability around them, some people are still going about their lives as if nothing has changed. Others, however, know that they are complicit in the violent and greedy systems that are causing so much suffering in the world.
Your conscience is worthless here Go peddle it under the street lights The hubris of love you carry Is attracting a swarm of meat flies
In this harsh and unforgiving world, moral principles and conscience are of little value. Love and caring can even be seen as weaknesses that attract scorn and violence.
Brandish, brandish your weapon, baby Sharpen your sharpest knives If you're not the king or the queen You're just a working for the hive
In a world where power is all that matters, individuals must be ruthless and cunning to survive. Those who do not hold positions of authority are mere pawns in a larger game.
In these dark, dark, dark days In these dark days, um dark
The darkness and uncertainty of these times looms large, and there seems to be little hope for improvement or change.
Dark, dark, dark Dark, dark, dark days
The darkness and chaos of these times is all-encompassing and inescapable, leaving little room for hope or optimism.
Well, well, well The sun has a solar flare The earth just tilted on its axis The demon lies in his lair
The world continues to face unprecedented upheaval and danger, as symbolized by the solar flare, tilting of the earth, and lurking presence of the demon.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: GRAHAM THOMAS PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind