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.
Hold Back The Night
Graham Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't wanna dream about you baby (dream about you baby)
Hold back the night, turn on the light
Don't wanna dream about you baby (dream about you baby)
When you left you took the sun right out of my sky, yes you did
Wonder why you went away, and never told me why
When the sun go down, the moon is near
I'm scared to death 'cause your face appear
Don't wanna dream about you baby (dream about you baby)
Hold back the night, turn on the light
Don't wanna dream about you baby (dream about you baby)
Loneliness, haunting me when I go to bed yes I do
Like a character in a book, that I have read
When the sun go down, the moon is near
I'm scared to death 'cause your face appear
Hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it
Hold back the night, turn on the light
Don't wanna dream about you baby (dream about you baby)
I said hold back the right, turn on the light
Don't wanna dream about you baby (dream about you baby)
Hold back the night, turn on the light
Don't wanna dream about you baby (dream about you baby)
Hold back the night, turn on the light
Don't wanna dream about you baby (dream about you baby)
Hold back the night, turn on the light
Don't wanna dream about you baby (dream about you baby)
Hold back the night, turn on the light
Don't wanna dream about you baby (dream about you baby)
Hold back the night,
Turn on the light
Hold back the night, turn on the light
The lyrics of "Hold Back the Night" by Graham Parker and The Rumour depict the emotions of a person who can't stop thinking about their past lover. The singer is haunted by his memories of his former partner and cannot bear to dream about her anymore. The imagery in the song is powerful, where the absence of the lover has left the sky devoid of the sun that once brightened the singer's life. The moon now scares the singer because it reminds him of his lost love who appears in his dreams. The loneliness that he feels is like a character in a book that he has read and cannot forget.
The repetition of the phrase "Hold back the night, turn on the light" is like a mantra that the singer uses to fight off those haunting memories. He wants to stop dreaming about his former partner and bring light back into his life. The lyrics are raw and honest, the pain of a broken heart is palpable.
The song has a catchy beat and a rock sound that complements the heartfelt lyrics. It was one of Graham Parker and The Rumour's most successful singles in the UK, reaching #22 on the UK charts. The song was also featured in the movie "The Warriors" and was included in the soundtrack.
Line by Line Meaning
Hold back the night, turn on the light
I don't want to dream about you, so I need to hold back the darkness by turning on the light
Don't wanna dream about you baby (dream about you baby)
I don't want to think about you in my dreams, but I can't help it
When you left you took the sun right out of my sky, yes you did
Ever since you left, everything in my life has felt dark and gloomy
Wonder why you went away, and never told me why
I'm still trying to figure out why you left without any explanation
When the sun go down, the moon is near
Nighttime is not a happy time for me, because that's when I start to miss you the most
I'm scared to death 'cause your face appear
When I see your face in my dreams, it scares me because I can't have you in real life
Loneliness, haunting me when I go to bed yes I do
Even though I try not to think about you, loneliness still haunts me every night when I go to sleep
Like a character in a book, that I have read
My feelings for you are like a character in a book that I can't forget, no matter how hard I try
Hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it
I need to take control of my thoughts and feelings before they consume me
Hold back the night
I need to try my best to stop thinking about you and let myself move on
Turn on the light
By shedding light on my emotions, I can gain a clearer understanding of them and learn to let go
Contributed by Charlotte J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sharon Young
Loads of great versions of this over the years. This one's the best. Love it.
Anthony Donnelly
I have to say I love this version of this track...better than the original.
Kuya Kevs
I heard Graham Parker & the Rumour with Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes at The Palace, Manchester in 1976 (I think) and it was the best concert of my life. Rock on, GP!
james triarsi
Us too, NYC, Palladium.......Awesome
SUN RISE
I saw them live in 1977, and they were brilliant.
Vic Someone 🏴
@Jean-Pierre Morant saw them twice in Glasgow in the past 4 years. Once with the original Rumours then just Graham and Brinsley Schwarz. Parker is awesome live.
Jean-Pierre Morant
@Rippi Zarsoff same in Brussels. Then they kind of vanished....
Rippi Zarsoff
I too saw them in concert( in Sydney) , and they were UNREAL !!!
Ian Robins
Classic, nothing more to say
Nathan Sheppard
one of first albumns i bought as a teenager still sounds fresh