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.
Durban Poison
Graham Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The Injuns are launching a counter attack
The funeral pyre's burning as I strike a match
And everything goes up in smoke again, oh
Durban Poison, oh oh oh oh, Durban Poison
Durban Poison, oh oh oh oh, Durban Poison
Somewhere between British and Boer
Says if you hate somebody lock them up, but I can't be sure
If I'm just dreaming, I'm dreaming of
Durban Poison, oh oh oh oh, Durban Poison
Durban Poison, oh oh oh oh, Durban Poison
A choir is singing their voices ring out
A child is bouncing on her mother's knee
The cradle of mankind is waking at last
Seeds grow where nothing ever grew before,
Durban Poison, oh oh oh oh, Durban Poison
Durban Poison, oh oh oh oh, Durban Poison
Durban Poison, oh oh oh oh, Durban Poison
Durban Poison, oh oh oh oh, Durban Poison
Durban Poison, oh oh oh oh, Durban Poison
Durban Poison, oh oh oh oh, Durban Poison
The lyrics to Graham Parker's song Durban Poison are heavily influenced by the social and political climate of South Africa in the late 1980s. The first verse references the rising up of the Zulu people from their shanty towns, likely a nod to the political unrest that led to the formation of the Inkatha Freedom Party in 1975. The mention of the "Injuns" launching a counterattack could refer to the perceived threat that the white minority government felt from the black majority population. The funeral pyre burning as the singer strikes a match could be interpreted as a metaphor for the destruction wrought by apartheid and the struggle for freedom.
The second verse brings in the twisted accent of a white man, likely a reference to the oppressive government and its policies of segregation and control. The line "Says if you hate somebody lock them up, but I can't be sure" is a commentary on the inhumane treatment of political prisoners and activists by the government. The singer questions whether he is just dreaming of Durban Poison, a reference to the potent strain of marijuana that originated in Durban, South Africa. The final verse speaks to the hope and resilience of the people, with the choir singing and the child bouncing on her mother's knee. The cradle of mankind waking up could be a reference to the potential for positive change and growth in South Africa.
Line by Line Meaning
The Zulus are rising from their shanty towns
The Zulu people are emerging from their impoverished living conditions
The Injuns are launching a counter attack
Indigenous people are fighting back against their oppressors
The funeral pyre's burning as I strike a match
A symbolic act of rebellion against societal injustice
And everything goes up in smoke again, oh
The cycle of rebellion and societal decay continues
Durban Poison, oh oh oh oh, Durban Poison
The drug Durban Poison is a metaphor for societal decay and rebellion
A white man is talking in a twisted accent
A representation of the colonial oppressors who have created societal injustice
Somewhere between British and Boer
The oppressor's identity is somewhere in between British and Boer
Says if you hate somebody lock them up, but I can't be sure
The oppressor's words indicate a lack of certainty and understanding of the situation
If I'm just dreaming, I'm dreaming of
The reality of the situation is unclear
A choir is singing their voices ring out
A contrast of hope and despair
A child is bouncing on her mother's knee
A representation of innocence and hope for the future
The cradle of mankind is waking at last
A representation of human evolution and progress
Seeds grow where nothing ever grew before
New growth and progress is possible even in seemingly impossible situations
Contributed by Jordyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.