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.
Don't Get Excited
Graham Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a lonely occupation keeping others out of your hair
Fingers on all the switches talk in whispers talking soft
You know all my favourite bitches you know what gets me off
But try to reach a vital part of me My interest level's dropping rapidly
It's all excuses baby all a stall I just don't get excited
They put animals in cages specimens in jars
It's summer now there's no temptation and baby nails digging under skin
It don't give me the right sensation it's just another thing
You try to reach a vital part of me My attention span is dropping rapidly
It's all excuses baby all a stall We just don't get excited
Don't get excited No Don't get excited Don't get excited
[Bridge]
Talk about it talk about it all night long
Think about it think about it nothing's wrong
Don't get excited Don't get excited Don't get excited see
Don't get excited Don't get excited Don't get excited Don't get excited
Baby listen without thinking
In the song "Don't Get Excited" by Graham Parker, the lyrics depict a person who is guarded and keeps others at arms-length. The opening lines suggest that this person is intelligent and knows how to use certain advantages to their benefit, but they prefer to work alone. They maintain control over their environment with their fingers on all the switches and knowing all the right things to say to the people who matter to them. However, when someone tries to reach out to them emotionally, they resist and their interest level drops. They recognize that they're making excuses and stalling, but they can't help it. It's as though they're afraid of fully immersing themselves in a relationship and allowing themselves to feel excited or vulnerable.
The second verse echoes this same sentiment, as the singer reflects on how people are confined and restricted in cages and jars, and how even with the freedom and temptation of summer, they can't seem to connect with one another. The imagery of nails digging under skin conveys how uncomfortable and claustrophobic the singer feels in these situations. It's clear that this person has a difficult time opening up and experiencing anything beyond a surface-level connection.
The bridge suggests that the singer is aware of their own emotional detachment and is trying to push past it. They want to talk about their feelings all night long and examine what's wrong. But the refrain of "Don't get excited" keeps echoing, as though the singer is afraid to give in to their own emotions.
Overall, "Don't Get Excited" is a song about the fear of intimacy and the struggle to let oneself be vulnerable. It's a poignant exploration of how difficult it can be to break down one's own emotional walls and connect with others.
Line by Line Meaning
There is always some advantage to be wielded and brought to bear
People always have an advantage to use against others
It's a lonely occupation keeping others out of your hair
Trying to keep others away can be a lonely task
Fingers on all the switches talk in whispers talking soft
There are people in control who speak quietly but hold all the power
You know all my favourite bitches you know what gets me off
You know what I like, but that won't necessarily make me interested
But try to reach a vital part of me My interest level's dropping rapidly
Even if you try to connect with me, I'm not getting more interested
It's all excuses baby all a stall I just don't get excited
Everything I say is only an excuse; I'm just not feeling excited
I've been running round in circles and jump jump jumping out of cars
I've been wasting time and making the same mistakes repeatedly
They put animals in cages specimens in jars
People will put anything in captivity, including animals and humans
It's summer now there's no temptation and baby nails digging under skin
Even though it's summer, nothing feels tempting to me anymore, and everything is irritating or frustrating
It don't give me the right sensation it's just another thing
I'm not feeling anything from what's happening anymore, and it's just another mundane thing
You try to reach a vital part of me My attention span is dropping rapidly
Despite your attempts to connect with me, my attention is decreasing quickly
It's all excuses baby all a stall We just don't get excited Don't get excited No Don't get excited Don't get excited
Everything I'm saying is just an excuse, and we're both not feeling excited
[Bridge] Talk about it talk about it all night long Think about it think about it nothing's wrong Don't get excited Don't get excited Don't get excited see Don't get excited Don't get excited Don't get excited Don't get excited
We can talk about everything all night long, but none of it is really important. We shouldn't get too excited.
Baby listen without thinking
Just listen without overthinking or analyzing everything
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALEXANDRA PARKER, ROLF U LOVLAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind