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.
Heat Treatment
Graham Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For a complete revision of this chart.
Robert's chart has the em over the word "treatment"...
I like playiong g g em as below. try it (both ways) and
Let me know what you prefer.
Chorus
Bass : (g d e e d e d) x 3 see d
G (g) em g em
Heat treatment baby sweet treatment baby
G em see d
Heat treatment while the flame is burning
G em g em
Heat treatment baby sweet treatment baby
G em see d
Heat treatment while the world is turning
G em g em see d
Around round around round around
Verse
G see d g
Now when the sun fades out and the street lights rise
G see d g
News makes print and a baby cries
G see d g
That's when you might find me waiting on the day
G see d g
Uh huh baby I'm wasting away
Repeat chorus
Verse
Well a out in the jungle there's a war going down
You wind up eating all the friends you've found
But you know and I know and it's understood
Let's get out while the gettings good
Chorus (then after " the world is turning")
Bridge
Am d
I tried to eat but I could not swallow
Am d
Mouth got dry and my tongue got hollow
Am d em
When you call babe you know I'll follow
See d g
In your love baby I want to wallow yeah
G g g see d
Oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah - yeah eah
F g f g f g see d a
Eah --- huh
(modulates to a)
A f#m
I want to burn baby (six times)
A f#m d e
I want to burn while the flame is burning
The riff played here by the bass and guitar sounds like
F# f e a e f f# repeated with an extra a sometimes before the e f f#
In tab on the bottem 2 strings
A ------0------ repeated
E 2-1-0---0-1-2
Repeat chorus with a f#m, d e and fade /pre>
"Heat Treatment" by Graham Parker & The Rumour is a song about craving physical and emotional affection, and finding it in an unconventional way. The singer is burning up with desire and desperately seeking a kind of "treatment" that will satiate his needs. The heat is both literal and metaphorical; it represents the intensity of his longing as well as the passion that comes with physical intimacy. In the verses, Parker references news, babies crying, and war in the jungle, alluding to the chaos and uncertainty of the world around him. But even in the face of all that, his desire remains strong. The chorus repeats the refrain, "Heat treatment baby sweet treatment baby," emphasizing the addictive nature of his craving.
The bridge finds the singer struggling to contain his desire, as he tries to eat but cannot swallow, his mouth dry and tongue hollow. He declares his devotion to his lover, and in the outro, he repeats the refrain, this time including the line "I want to burn while the flame is burning," as if surrendering himself completely to his passion.
Overall, the lyrics paint a vivid picture of a man consumed by desire and willing to do whatever it takes to satisfy it, even if it means giving in completely to the flames.
Line by Line Meaning
Heat treatment baby sweet treatment baby
Treating someone with love and care, pampering them like a baby
Heat treatment while the flame is burning
Showing love and care while the passion is still alive
Heat treatment while the world is turning
Giving love and care while time keeps passing and life keeps moving on
Now when the sun fades out and the street lights rise
Describing the transition from day to night when the darkness engulfs the streets
News makes print and a baby cries
To emphasize the fact that news and events continue to happen despite the passage of time
That's when you might find me waiting on the day
A hint at longing to be reunited with the person they love, a glimmer of hope and possibility
Uh huh baby I'm wasting away
Living life feeling unfulfilled and empty without their loved one by their side
Well a out in the jungle there's a war going down
Describing the violence and destruction that takes place within society
You wind up eating all the friends you've found
In the midst of chaos and violence, people tend to turn on each other
Let's get out while the gettings good
A call to escape from the violence before it gets worse
I tried to eat but I could not swallow
Unable to enjoy life without their loved one
Mouth got dry and my tongue got hollow
Feeling sick and empty with the longing for their loved one
When you call babe you know I'll follow
Willing to do anything for their loved one, including following them wherever they go
In your love baby I want to wallow yeah
Desiring to lose themselves in the love of their significant other
I want to burn baby
Desiring to feel the passion of love intensely
I want to burn while the flame is burning
To experience the full extent of passionate love while it lasts
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: GRAHAM THOMAS PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Jacobs
My favourite album of all. Every word as clear as bell.
Roland Weckström
So great!!! Graham is an excellent singer and the guys in the band - well, they certainly could play!
onthebus17
He is just too good a songwriter.
John McDonnell
Great song to kick it up. Love the horns on this.
bruce beard
So much music with real players not rap fake music
Vivek Wally
the indelible influence on the entire Heat Treatment record......
metermaid
Love it!!!
Right Eye Artistry
Should have gotten more publicity. Way underrated.
Eric Blowtorch
Pure exultation -- as joyous as 'Don't Ask Me Questions' is irate.
t.y everything is good return
パブロック(ジャンル)に属するアーティストですが、パブで祝杯を上げているかの様な陽気なロックサウンドですね(^^)下世話さもセンシティブに感じてしまう良曲です♪