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.
I Discovered America
Graham Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Poison burned my throat
But i said i'd keep on going
When everyone said don't
With my bony-chested t-shirt
Some stolen guitar licks
Navigating by dead reckoning
In 1976
Had me on the ropes
Everyone said quit now
That's when i found hope
So please don't tell columbus
Don't tell his queen for sure
That i had the accurate compass
And i discovered America
Well the guy in the five and dime store
Said it ain't anywhere around here
Take your business elsewhere
Along with your mad idea
So i looked inside your closet
And your broken tv set
You said that you were born here
But you hadn't found it yet
So please don't tell columbus
Don't tell his queen for sure
That i had the accurate compass
And i discovered America
Well i knew one day she'd let me in
I knew i'd get the girl
And live in a town called veteran
Pork capitol of the world
So please don't tell columbus
Don't tell his queen for sure
That i had the accurate compass
And i discovered America
Well they've dammed the yangtse river damn it
There'll be hell to pay
But i guess that's what you do
When the yangtse river gets in your way
But i had that positive feeling
I knew i was on the right track
When a flat earth society member
Told me i must turn back
He said i'd reach the abyss
And keep on going down
So i gave him my last pencil
And i flattened him to the ground
Then an army of christian soldiers
Broke through the ranks and charged
With their ice cream vendor buddies
And their milquetoast rearguard
They had wheelbarrows full of elastic
And paper mache hearts
And things i did not recognize
Impaled upon their darts
And when the mighty chains of darkness
Had me on the ropes
Everyone said quit now
That's when i found hope
Yeah that's when i found hope
So please don't tell columbus
Don't tell his queen for sure
That i had the accurate compass
And i discovered America
The lyrics of Graham Parker's song 'I Discovered America' tell the story of a person's journey to find their place in the world while dealing with various obstacles along the way. The lyrics are filled with metaphors that paint a vivid picture of the character's journey. The pervasive theme of the song is one of defiance, of pushing forward against odds that try to keep the singer down.
Starting with a description of a smoky atmosphere that engulfs the character, the lyrics suggest that they were against all odds, determined to make their way through life. Even when people around them told them to give up, they kept going, with little more than their bony-chested t-shirt and some stolen guitar licks to keep them going. As the song goes on, the character continues to face obstacles, such as someone telling them to "take their business elsewhere," alluding to the rejection that an artist can face in pursuit of their craft. Yet, despite all these difficulties, the character finds hope: "That's when I found hope," the character sings, noting that when they were on the ropes is when they fought back the hardest.
The song's title is an ironic twist and refers to the character's journey in the context of the broader idea of the discovery of America. It is a powerful commentary on the importance of persistence and doing what is necessary to get ahead in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
There was smoke up to my eyeballs
The environment was polluted and hostile
Poison burned my throat
The situation was difficult and dangerous
But i said i'd keep on going
I was determined to persevere through the obstacles
When everyone said don't
Despite being discouraged by others
With my bony-chested t-shirt
Wearing a meager outfit
Some stolen guitar licks
Playing music that was not originally mine
Navigating by dead reckoning
Moving forward without a clear plan
In 1976
During a specific year
And when the mighty chains of darkness
During a period of despair
Had me on the ropes
When I was close to giving up
Everyone said quit now
Others were urging me to give up
That's when i found hope
But I found a renewed sense of determination
So please don't tell columbus
Asking not to be compared to Columbus
Don't tell his queen for sure
And not to share my discovery with the authorities
That i had the accurate compass
That I had the knowledge and skills to explore the unknown
And i discovered America
And that I made a significant discovery
Well the guy in the five and dime store
Encountering disapproval from locals
Said it ain't anywhere around here
Being told that what I was searching for didn't exist
Take your business elsewhere
Being rejected by a local merchant
Along with your mad idea
And being ridiculed for my unconventional views
So i looked inside your closet
Searching for clues in my environment
And your broken tv set
Finding only useless items
You said that you were born here
Being told that I was a stranger in a familiar place
But you hadn't found it yet
But I had already found something valuable
Well i knew one day she'd let me in
Believing in future success
I knew i'd get the girl
Being confident in my romantic pursuits
And live in a town called veteran
Having a specific goal in mind
Pork capitol of the world
A place known for a specific product or industry
Well they've dammed the yangtse river damn it
Noticing environmental destruction in a distant land
There'll be hell to pay
Consequences for irresponsible actions
But i guess that's what you do
A cynical observation about human behavior
When the yangtse river gets in your way
When faced with a natural obstacle
But i had that positive feeling
But I remained optimistic
I knew i was on the right track
Feeling confident about my journey
When a flat earth society member
Encountering another unconventional thinker
Told me i must turn back
Who cautioned me about continuing forward
He said i'd reach the abyss
Who predicted my failure
And keep on going down
And a very bad outcome
So i gave him my last pencil
Reacting with sarcasm and defiance
And i flattened him to the ground
Physically overpowering my opponent
Then an army of christian soldiers
Encountering more opponents
Broke through the ranks and charged
Being violently attacked
With their ice cream vendor buddies
Even the most innocent people can become involved in conflicts
And their milquetoast rearguard
Encountering weak opposition
They had wheelbarrows full of elastic
And strange weapons that were difficult to understand
And paper mache hearts
Including objects that were sentimental or symbolic
And things i did not recognize
And things that were completely unfamiliar
Impaled upon their darts
And that could cause great harm or injury
And when the mighty chains of darkness
During times of hardship and distress
Had me on the ropes
When I was vulnerable and struggling
Everyone said quit now
Others were urging me to give up
That's when i found hope
But I found a renewed sense of determination
Yeah that's when i found hope
Emphasizing the importance of hope in difficult times
So please don't tell columbus
Asking not to be compared to Columbus
Don't tell his queen for sure
And not to share my discovery with the authorities
That i had the accurate compass
That I had the knowledge and skills to explore the unknown
And i discovered America
And that I made a significant discovery
Contributed by Elijah H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.