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.
Local Girls
Graham Parker Lyrics
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What's wrong with you, you stupid child, don't you think that I'm the one
You're waiting to see?
Don't talk too much 'cause she falls for the suckers, makes her feel
Everything is secure
Don't ever leave a footprint on the floor
Don't bother with the local girls, don't bother with the local girls
She's probably half-wit, she must be straight,
Or bound to have a mother who knows nothing but hate
Don't want to love her, I'd rather knock her down
Standing at the bus stop where she waits each morning
So isolated that she thinks that the army is the place where a man ought to be
Don't bother with them, they don't bother me
Don't bother with the local girls, don't bother with the local girls
They don't bother me
They got the walk, they got the talk, right down without a flaw
At 6:00 I got to stop my dreaming at the counter of the store
Don't bother with the local girls, don't bother with the local girls
They don't bother me
Without a doubt I got to intercept, must be time someone ran and shouted in
Their head
You look all right in the cheap print dress,
But every time you swish it 'round you make me disappear
I'm aware of exactly what I'm doing, making everything a mystery
Don't bother with it, it don't bother me
The lyrics to Graham Parker's song "Local Girls" convey a sense of detachment and cynicism towards local or ordinary girls. The singer sits by his window and wonders why the sun does not shine on him. He chastises himself for not being able to attract the attention of a particular girl, stating that he must not be the one she is waiting for. He warns against talking too much, as some girls fall for the suckers, men who make them feel secure. He cautions against leaving any trace of one's presence, implying that girls react negatively to clinginess.
The chorus, "Don't bother with the local girls, they don't bother me," reinforces the idea that the singer is uninterested in getting involved with ordinary girls. He describes one local girl as potentially being a half-wit or being straight because she has a mother who only knows hate. He declares that he would instead knock her down than love her. The girl stands alone at a bus stop, believing that being in the army is the only place for a man. The lyrics suggest that the singer is dismissive of the girl's ideas and thoughts.
He describes the local girls' walk and talk right down without a flaw, but he must stop his dreaming at the counter of the store at 6:00. He concludes by saying that he is aware of what he is doing, making everything a mystery, and warns against bothering with it because it doesn't bother him.
Overall, the song's lyrics are critical of typical girls, presenting a somewhat jaded perspective on relationships and love. The singer is portrayed as someone who prefers a superficial approach to women, with an emphasis on appearance and lack of depth.
Line by Line Meaning
Sit by my window and look outside, wonder why the sun don't shine on me
I feel isolated and alone, questioning why I can't seem to find happiness.
What's wrong with you, you stupid child, don't you think that I'm the one You're waiting to see?
I'm frustrated that others don't recognize my worth and value, feeling unappreciated.
Don't talk too much 'cause she falls for the suckers, makes her feel Everything is secure Don't ever leave a footprint on the floor
Women are attracted to the wrong type of men, and it's important to not reveal too much about yourself to protect your own interests.
Don't bother with the local girls, don't bother with the local girls They don't bother me
I don't see the value in pursuing relationships with the girls in my immediate area.
She's probably half-wit, she must be straight, Or bound to have a mother who knows nothing but hate Don't want to love her, I'd rather knock her down Standing at the bus stop where she waits each morning So isolated that she thinks that the army is the place where a man ought to be Don't bother with them, they don't bother me
I have little respect for the women in my area, finding them uneducated and unfriendly. I prefer to focus on tearing them down rather than pursuing them.
They got the walk, they got the talk, right down without a flaw At 6:00 I got to stop my dreaming at the counter of the store
The women in my area may be physically attractive, but they lack the depth and connection I'm looking for. I am reminded of this every day when I have to face them at work.
Without a doubt I got to intercept, must be time someone ran and shouted in Their head You look all right in the cheap print dress, But every time you swish it 'round you make me disappear I'm aware of exactly what I'm doing, making everything a mystery Don't bother with it, it don't bother me
I'm frustrated with the women around me, finding them vapid and uninteresting. I want to shake things up and change people's perceptions of what is attractive. I want to keep people guessing and not reveal too much about myself.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Graham Parker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind