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.
Empty Lives
Graham Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The capo is at 4. chords mapped out as if they were open.
Intro em cmaj7 em cmaj7
Esus4 em cmaj7
I'm just a tick in a box on a questionnaire
Esus4 em cmaj7
Esus4 em cmaj7 see
A brand name on a pill that get's you there, ah ah ah ah
Esus4 em cmaj7
I'm getting nothing and expecting oblivion
Esus4 em cmaj7
The past ain't even worth livin in
Esus4 em cmaj7 see d7
Its just a nail that keeps being driven in ah ah ah ah
Esus4 em cmaj7
I'm cold blooded and completely relaxed
Esus4 em cmaj7
I'm breaking legs and avoiding the facts
Esus4 em cmaj7 see
On the up escalator going down all the cracks, yeah ah ah ah ah
Esus4 em cmaj7
You are the dummies of another frightened nation
Esus4 em cmaj7
I am a candidate for elevation
Em dsus4 see
But when I woke up this morning I'd lost all sensation
D7
All sensation
Em see am
So get them, get him, but don't get me
Bm em see
Ah uh ah ah can't hear your cries
Am bm see
So don't get me to fill up your empty lives
Em cmaj7 em
I I I I ives empty lives
Cmaj7 em cmaj7 em cmaj7
Your empty lives empty lives
Esus4 em cmaj7
Be obedient, there is no escape
Esus4 em cmaj7
Forms to fill, time to kill love death and rape
Esus4 em cmaj7 see
Sleep baby sleep, don't let nothing awaken you ahhhhhhhh
Esus4 em cmaj7
Don't look for tomorrow, it's given you the slip
Esus4 em cmaj7
That's all contained on a silicon chip
Em dsus4 see
I'm losing shape for the eighties feeling everybody's grip slip
D7
Everybody's grip slip
Em see am
So get them, get him, but don't get me
Bm em see
Ah uh ah ah can't hear your cries
Am bm see
So don't get me to fill up your empty lives
Em d
I I I I ives empty lives
see
Just there waiting to be filled
D
With someone else's stronger will
Am see
Just can't reason to survive with empty empty
D
You got the empty empty, you got the empty empty, empty lives!
Yeah! (solo)
Esus4 em cmaj7
Bring me water, bring me cocaine
Esus4 em cmaj7
Bring me something lethal, something that leaves a stain
Em dsus4 see
But please don't make me feel that emptiness again
D7
Feel the emptyness again
Em see am
So get them, get him, but don't get me
Bm em see
Ah uh ah ah get fat it's your size but
Am bm see
Don't get me to fill up your empty
Am bm see
Don't get me to fill up your empty
Am bm see
Don't get me to fill up your empty lives
Em cmaj7 em
I I I I I I I ives your empty lives
Cmaj7 em
Your empty lives
Repeat andfade with ad libbing on "don't get me" to end on chorus
/pre>
In "Empty Lives," Graham Parker paints a bleak picture of a society where people are reduced to ticking boxes on questionnaires, taking pills, living in the past, and being obedient to the system that offers them no escape. The lyrics suggest a sense of emptiness, purposelessness, and dehumanization. The singer, who seems to have a critical and ironic distance from the situation, describes himself as a detached observer, a cold-blooded leg-breaker, and a candidate for elevation, but also acknowledges his own loss of sensation and shape. Despite his apparent toughness and indifference, he still resists being used by others to fill up their empty lives. The song is a critique of consumerism, conformity, and oppression, and a call to awaken from the numbness and to resist the forces that deny our humanity.
The opening chords and intro of "Empty Lives" create a somber and haunting mood that sets the stage for the lyrics to unfold. The verses are built on a simple chord progression of G-Em-Cmaj7, with occasional variations and the use of suspended and fourth chords to add tension and release. The chorus features a repetitive melody and a descending chord progression of Em-Cmaj7-Em-Cmaj7, emphasizing the emptiness and repetition of the lives being described. Parker's vocals are restrained but expressive, conveying both the detachment and the anger of the singer. The guitar solo in the middle of the song adds some energy and intensity, but also a sense of desperation and frustration.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm just a tick in a box on a questionnaire
I am a small, insignificant part of a survey or system that does not value my humanity or individuality.
Another moment that flashes into nowhere
Life feels fleeting and meaningless, with fleeting moments that disappear into nothingness.
A brand name on a pill that get's you there, ah ah ah ah
People rely on consumerist culture and instant gratification, resorting to medication as a quick fix for their problems.
I'm getting nothing and expecting oblivion
I am receiving nothing from life and feel that my eventual fate is to disappear into nothingness.
The past ain't even worth livin in
The past holds nothing of value for me and does not bring me any satisfaction in the present.
Its just a nail that keeps being driven in ah ah ah ah
The past is a constant source of pain and suffering that continues to affect me.
I'm cold blooded and completely relaxed
I am disengaged from my emotions and feel a sense of apathy towards everything.
I'm breaking legs and avoiding the facts
I am actively harming others and refusing to acknowledge the truth of my actions or the world around me.
On the up escalator going down all the cracks, yeah ah ah ah ah
I am constantly moving towards success and achievement, but am met with adversity and obstacles that make it difficult to get there.
You are the dummies of another frightened nation
You are being controlled and manipulated by a government or society that is driven by fear and insecurity.
I am a candidate for elevation
I am capable of rising above the societal norms and limitations that bind others.
But when I woke up this morning I'd lost all sensation
Despite my potential, I feel nothing and lack any sense of connection or purpose in life.
So get them, get him, but don't get me
I do not want to be associated with or affected by the problems and emptiness of others.
Ah uh ah ah can't hear your cries
I am indifferent to the suffering and struggles of others and refuse to acknowledge them.
So don't get me to fill up your empty lives
I do not want to be relied upon to bring meaning or purpose to the lives of others who are empty or unfulfilled.
Just there waiting to be filled
People are constantly searching for purpose and fulfillment to fill the emptiness in their lives.
With someone else's stronger will
They turn to others and society to dictate their sense of purpose and identity.
You got the empty empty, you got the empty empty, empty lives!
People are stuck in a cycle of emptiness and unfulfillment that they cannot escape from, despite their efforts.
Bring me water, bring me cocaine
I will turn to anything, even destructive substances, to fill the void and emptiness in my life.
Bring me something lethal, something that leaves a stain
I am willing to resort to self-destructive behaviors and actions that will have permanent negative consequences on my life.
Don't get me to fill up your empty lives
I refuse to be a pawn in the cycle of emptiness and unfulfillment that others are trapped in.
I I I I I I I ives your empty lives
I am describing the lives of others as empty and unfulfilled, but do not want to be a part of that cycle.
Your empty lives
The repetitive cycle of emptiness and unfulfillment that people are trapped in.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Graham Parker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Joe Fabian
Brinsley at his finest. Graham never sounded better. Killer track from a great band. RRHF material
jjsudlow
Incendiary performance, incredible musicianship, enduring quality.
iesus68
Sensational rendition. Graham Parker we love you.
DylanDream
One of the greatest artists of our time!
Elton Costello
I love Graham Parker ... one of my favorite artists of all time... and here hs is... in his prime.. awesome..
Joe Fabian
What a band. Brin is just F**king KILLING it ! GP never sounded better. Tell me you have seen a better live performance and I will call you a liar !
David James
GRAHAM AT HIS PUNKIEST AND THE RUMOUR ARE SETTING THE WOODS ON FIRE LIVE WITH THIS GREAT LIVE TRACK!!! FROM 1980 FRIDAYS TV ABC LATE NIGHT!!
Eric Ricci
Love his music, energy, tonality, edge, on and on....you get it, right?
drmilktruck
Brinsley and Martin Belmont were a killer guitar combo. While BS played the lead most often, MB was no slouch and sometimes handled the solos. Sadly GP dumped the Rumour after this album, chasing stardom for a few flaccid albums. Saw him the next year with the next collection of musicians. Best material wasn't the new stuff.
Outta Thyme567
What a freakin talent