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.
Just Like a Man
Graham Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just like a fool, making her suffer And stuffing her feelings with cotton wool
Well, forgive him, forgive him
Just like a man, carrying a picture but seeing in the negative
Just like a fool, all double standards baby do this but never do that
Well, forgive him, forgive him, forgive him
Climbing the wall, weeping like a weeping willow
Hands her a tissue he's already used
Just like a man, just like a man
Dragging her under for everything he'll never be
Ripping her asunder, said he didn't really love her anyway
Well, forgive him, forgive him
Just like a man, thrashing out blindly way out of his depth
Just like a fool, there's no device he won't employ
He even cries like a little boy
Well, forgive him, forgive him Forgive him
Just like a man, just like a man
Just like a man, just like a man
The song "Just Like a Man" by Graham Parker explores the idea of toxic masculinity and the harm that it can cause in relationships. In the first verse, Parker describes a man who uses his physical strength to intimidate his partner and ignores her emotional needs by stuffing her feelings with cotton wool. The chorus of the song urges the listener to forgive this man despite his harmful behavior.
Parker goes on to describe how this man carries around a picture of his partner but sees only negative things about her. He has double standards and expects his partner to do things he would never do himself. He makes her feel small and powerless to the point where she is weeping face down into her pillow. In the end, Parker reiterates the plea to forgive this man despite his damaging actions.
The song highlights the importance of recognizing and calling out toxic behavior, even if it comes from someone we love. It also shows the power of forgiveness and the hope for growth and change in individuals.
Line by Line Meaning
Just like a man, flexing his muscle and not really usin' it
The man is displaying his power but not putting it to any meaningful use.
Just like a fool, making her suffer And stuffing her feelings with cotton wool
He is causing emotional harm to her and pretending to care by using shallow, insincere gestures.
Well, forgive him, forgive him
Despite his faults, he should be forgiven.
Just like a man, carrying a picture but seeing in the negative
He is focusing on the negatives and flaws, rather than seeing the positive aspects.
Just like a fool, all double standards baby do this but never do that
He has hypocritical behavior and imposing unrealistic standards.
He makes her fall, face down into the pillow
He is causing her to feel despair and sadness.
Climbing the wall, weeping like a weeping willow
She is experiencing intense emotional pain and expressing it through tears and anguish.
Hands her a tissue he's already used
His small attempt at comfort is actually making things worse and showing his lack of genuine concern.
Dragging her under for everything he'll never be
He is bringing her down with his own inadequacies and limitations.
Ripping her asunder, said he didn't really love her anyway
He is destroying their relationship and acknowledging that he never truly loved her.
Just like a man, thrashing out blindly way out of his depth
He is acting recklessly and impulsively without understanding the consequences or limits of his actions.
Just like a fool, there's no device he won't employ
He is resorting to any tactic, even if it hurts others or himself, in order to get what he wants.
He even cries like a little boy
Despite his attempts to assert his strength and power, he is revealing his vulnerability and weakness.
Well, forgive him, forgive him Forgive him
Despite his flaws and negative behaviors, he should still be forgiven.
Just like a man, just like a man
He is exemplifying the worst stereotypes of men, with his selfishness and bad behavior.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GRAHAM THOMAS PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind