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 Was Wrong
Graham Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They gave me my fifteen minutes then they pulled the knife
It was just another deal it was just another reel
On a tape that keeps on turning in the dark in another world
I thought I was right I was wrong
I thought I had something I was wrong
I was wrong I was wrong (then) instrumental over verse
I had been replaced by a man who had no face
And who could not be traced to an address just a better place
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh oh
I was wrong I was wrong I was wrong I was wrong I was wrong I was wrong
The song "I Was Wrong" by Graham Parker is about the feeling of disillusionment and disappointment that comes when a person realizes that their dreams of fame and fortune may not come true. The lyrics describe a dream in which Parker was given his "fifteen minutes" of fame, only to have it taken away from him just as quickly. The dream represents Parker's hope for success, which is dashed when reality sets in and he realizes that he may not be as special as he thought he was.
The line "it was just another deal, it was just another reel" refers to the music industry and the way it operates. For many artists, success is not based on talent or creativity but on deals made with record labels and producers. The metaphor of the "tape that keeps on turning in the dark in another world" suggests the insidious nature of the industry, which can be both alluring and dangerous.
The chorus repeats the phrase "I was wrong" and expresses the disappointment and regret that comes with realizing that one's dreams may not come true. The line "I must have been dreaming all along" suggests that Parker's hopes were simply illusions, rather than achievable goals. The second verse describes how Parker has been replaced by someone else, symbolizing the way in which the music industry constantly churns out new stars and discards old ones.
Overall, "I Was Wrong" is a powerful evocation of the disillusionment and disappointment that comes with chasing after fame and fortune. It is a reminder that success is not always what it seems and that dreams can often turn into nightmares.
Line by Line Meaning
I dreamed I was someone special in another life
I thought I was more important than I truly am, imagining a different identity in a past existence.
They gave me my fifteen minutes then they pulled the knife
I received a brief moment of attention and recognition, only to have it taken away without warning or reason.
It was just another deal it was just another reel
The situation was just a transaction, a meaningless exchange, and part of a cycle of repetition.
On a tape that keeps on turning in the dark in another world
The memory or experience is continuing to replay in another realm, but it is unknown and disconnected from the present.
I thought I was right I was wrong
I believed I was correct in my thoughts or actions, but I made a mistake or had a false impression.
I thought I had something I was wrong
I believed that I possessed or accomplished something important, but I was mistaken about it.
I must have been dreaming all along
It is likely that what I thought was reality was just a figment of my imagination.
I had been replaced by a man who had no face
Someone, or perhaps something, has taken my place or position without any identifiable features or qualities.
And who could not be traced to an address just a better place
This being or change cannot be located or identified, but it is presumed to be in a more desirable state or environment.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh oh
Non-lyrical sound effects that convey a sense of emotion or urgency.
I was wrong I was wrong I was wrong I was wrong I was wrong I was wrong
Repetition of the chorus to emphasize the idea that I was mistaken or misguided.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BENNY CARTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind