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.
Mercury Poisoning
Graham Parker Lyrics
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The company is crippling me
the worst trying to ruin the best, the best
Their promotion's so lame
They could never ever take it to the real ball game
Maybe they think I'm a pet
Well I've got all the diseases
I'm breaking out in sweat, you bet, because
I got, Mercury poisoning
It's fatal and it don't get better
I got, Mercury poisoning
The best kept secret in the west, hey the west
The boys and me are getting real well known around town
But every time we try to spread the action
Someone always brings it down, down
I ate the orange and I don't feel well
For them it's inconvenience for me it's hell
The geriatric staff think we're freaks
They couldn't sell kebabs to the Greeks, the geeks
Inaction speaks, and
I got, Mercury poisoning
It's fatal and it don't get better
I got, Mercury poisoning
The best kept secret in the west, hey the west
Is this a Russian conspiracy, no it's just idiocy
Is this a Chinese burn
I gotta dinosaur for a representative
It's got a small brain and refuses to learn
Their promotion's so lame
They could never ever take it to the real ball game
Listen I ain't a pet
I ain't a token hipster, in your monopoly set G
You bet because
I got, Mercury poisoning
It's fatal and it don't get better
I got, Mercury poisoning
The best kept secret in the west, hey the west
Yeah the best kept secret in the west The best kept secret in the west
The lyrics of Graham Parker's song "Mercury Poisoning" are a commentary on corporate greed, environmental degradation, and the struggles of artists in a world that values profit over creativity. Parker sings about feeling trapped and stifled by a company that is "crippling" him and trying to "ruin the best." He compares himself to an "albatross" that is dying in its nest, a symbol of a beautiful and majestic creature that is being destroyed by human activity. The singer feels like he is being treated as a "pet" by the company, and he is frustrated that they are more concerned with their own profit margins than with the health and well-being of the people and the planet.
The singer's frustration comes to a head when he realizes he has been poisoned by mercury, a toxic element that can cause a range of serious health problems. He believes that this is the result of the company's disregard for environmental regulations and their willingness to cut corners in order to make a profit. The singer feels like he has been betrayed by a system that values profit over people, and he is angry that the dangers of mercury poisoning are not more widely known. Throughout the song, Parker uses vivid and powerful imagery to convey his message, painting a picture of a world that is both beautiful and dangerous, and of people who are struggling to survive in a world that is increasingly hostile to their creativity and their humanity.
Line by Line Meaning
No more pretending now, the albatross is dying in its nest
The situation is deteriorating rapidly and cannot be ignored anymore.
The company is crippling me
The company is causing extreme suffering.
the worst trying to ruin the best, the best
The company is trying to sabotage the best employees.
Their promotion's so lame
The company's marketing strategy is ineffective.
They could never ever take it to the real ball game
The company is not capable of competing in the real marketplace.
Maybe they think I'm a pet
The company treats its employees like pets or possessions.
Well I've got all the diseases
The singer is suffering from many problems caused by the company.
I'm breaking out in sweat, you bet, because
The situation is getting worse and is causing physical problems.
I got, Mercury poisoning
The artist is suffering from mercury poisoning caused by the company.
It's fatal and it don't get better
The condition is life-threatening and cannot be cured or improved.
The boys and me are getting real well known around town
The singer and his friends are becoming popular in the area.
But every time we try to spread the action
Whenever they try to expand their influence, something goes wrong.
Someone always brings it down, down
Someone always sabotages their efforts.
I ate the orange and I don't feel well
The singer consumed something that is making them sick.
For them it's inconvenience for me it's hell
The company does not take the singer's suffering seriously.
The geriatric staff think we're freaks
The older staff members do not understand or respect the artist and his friends.
They couldn't sell kebabs to the Greeks, the geeks
The older staff members are incompetent and unable to sell anything to anyone.
Inaction speaks, and
The company's lack of action is causing problems.
Is this a Russian conspiracy, no it's just idiocy
The problems are not a conspiracy, just a result of incompetence.
Is this a Chinese burn
The artist is experiencing pain like a Chinese burn (a type of childhood game).
I gotta dinosaur for a representative
The company's representative is outdated and ineffective.
It's got a small brain and refuses to learn
The representative is stupid and will not improve.
I ain't a token hipster, in your monopoly set G
The singer is not a fake employee used to promote the company's image.
Yeah the best kept secret in the west The best kept secret in the west
The fact that the company is causing problems is not well-known but should be.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GRAHAM THOMAS PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind