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.
Manoeuvres
Graham Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Be e g a
C7 f7 c7 f7
C7 f7 see g7
C7 f7
You let me in and I'll help you win
C7 g7
C7 f7
You buy the time I sold you all mine
C7 g7
No-one knows the d. j.'s bent
C7 f7
I don't care if someone gets hurt
C7 g7
When I lose it feels like dirt
C7 f7
Other records, they get played,
C7 g7
Kick some heads in you get paid
F see f see
Man - oeu - vres, man - oeu - vres
See f g see f g
Baby don't ever make me wait fools and angels hesitate
Em g f c7 f7 c7 f7
My whole life is one more move too late
C7 f7
Here comes a man you just got to meet,
C7 g7
Shake his hand and kiss his feet
C7 f7
He claims the time is coming soon,
C7 g7
The first pop music on the moon
C7 f7
The agent of the devil's a hip shakin fool,
C7 g7
If he don't like you that ain't cool.
C7 f7
He's left already that's ok
C7 g7
We don't need him anyway
F see f see
Man - oeu - vres, man - oeu - vres
See f g see f g
Baby don't ever don't make me wait fools and angels hesitate
Em g f see
My whole life is one more move too late
Bm e g a bm
Man-oeu----vres,
E g a bm
Man-oeu----vres, man-oeu----vres,
E g a bm
Man-oeu----vres, man-oeu----vres,
E g a bm
Man-oeu----vres, man-oeu----vres,
C7 f7
Downtown l.a. madam wong's,
C7 g7
Someone puts a tape on a couple of songs
C7 f7
Advertising the place next door
C7 g7
Madam finds out she'll sure gets sure
C7 f7
Out come the coolies, swinging their lead
C7 g7
Get those rockers, take their heads
C7 f7
Those poor souls must pay the price
C7 g7
They wind up in tomorrow's fried rice
F see f see
Man - oeu - vres, man - oeu - vres
See f g see f g
Baby don't ever don't make me wait fools and angels hesitate
Em g f c7
My whole life is one more move too late
F see f see
Man - oeu - vres, man - oeu - vres
See f g see f g
Baby don't ever don't make me wait fools and angels hesitate
Em g f c7
My whole life is one more move too late
F7 c7
Too late /pre>
The lyrics to Graham Parker's song "Manoeuvres" can be interpreted as a commentary on the music industry's cutthroat nature, where success often depends on dubious tactics and manipulations. The verses describe a world of backstabbing DJs, shady agents, and violent competition between bands. However, the chorus seems to speak more broadly about the human condition of always being one step behind, always making the wrong decisions or waiting too long to act.
The opening lines of the song seem to set the tone for what's to come. They suggest a transactional relationship where someone provides help and the other person seeks to benefit from it. However, the next line hints at a sense of desperation on the part of the person seeking help. They see this opportunity as "heaven sent." The phrase "no one knows the DJ's bent" implies that even trusted sources can be corrupt or unreliable.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "manoeuvres" four times in a row, emphasizing the importance of strategy and maneuvering in the music industry. The following lines suggest impatience and a sense of missed opportunities, as the singer admonishes someone not to "make me wait fools and angels hesitate." The final line of the chorus, "my whole life is one more move too late," seems to encapsulate the entire song's sense of frustration and futility.
Line by Line Meaning
C7 f7
You need my help to succeed
C7 g7
This opportunity is heaven-sent
C7 f7
You buy my time, I've sold you all of mine
C7 g7
Nobody knows the DJ's true intentions
C7 f7
I don't care if others get hurt
C7 g7
When I lose, it feels awful
C7 f7
Other records may do well
C7 g7
If you cause enough chaos, you'll get paid
F see f see
Maneuvers, maneuvers
See f g see f g
Don't make me wait, time is precious
Em g f c7 f7 c7 f7
My whole life is just one more missed opportunity
C7 f7
There's someone here who you really should meet
C7 g7
He's the key to success
C7 f7
He's promising big things coming soon
C7 g7
The first pop music on the moon
C7 f7
The devil's agent is just a dancing fool
C7 g7
If he doesn't like you, it's not cool
C7 f7
But he's left already, that's alright
C7 g7
We don't need him anyway
Bm e g a bm
Maneuvers, maneuvers
E g a bm
Maneuvers, maneuvers
C7 f7
Madam Wong's in Downtown LA
C7 g7
Someone puts on a tape of a couple of songs
C7 f7
Advertising the place next door
C7 g7
Madam Wong finds out and she's sure to get revenge
C7 f7
Out come the coolies swinging their weight
C7 g7
Get those rockers and take their heads
C7 f7
Those poor souls must pay the price
C7 g7
They'll wind up in tomorrow's fried rice
F7 c7
Too late
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John LaStrada
This song always reminded me of Mick Jagger and the Stones for some reason. It may be Parker's pronunciation of certain words and how he uses inflection. Very Jagger inspired. If the Rolling Stones were to cover a Graham Parker song this one would be it. Parker, of course, is one very under-rated artist. Prolific, and usually excellent every time out of the gate.
The Roybert
Memories of art school. Director James Mangold (Logan, Copland, Walk the Line, etc.) my roommate, turned me on to Graham Parker.
Marcos
Es un tema 5 * * * * *. Tiene fuerza para parar un tren ... de criticos ignorantes que llenan paginas sosas de revistas sosas.