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.
Miracle A Minute
Graham Parker Lyrics
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When you put your arms around me, the doctor has to operate
We get so stuck on each other we just can't separate, too late
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute, baby
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute
Your touch fees like magic fingers on my head
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute, baby
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute, baby
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute
It only takes me a second to call you on the phone
You always lift the receiver up I never get a busy tone, cause you're home
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute, baby
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute
it's a miracle
it's a miracle
it's a miracle
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute, baby
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute
Immaculate conception, revelations come,
It only takes a miracle and you're the only one, the one that's
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute, baby
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute, baby
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute
The lyrics to Graham Parker's "Miracle A Minute" are expressing the intensity and power of a romantic relationship. When the singer is with their partner, they feel as if they are experiencing a miracle every minute. The lyrics "When you put your arms around me, the doctor has to operate / We get so stuck on each other we just can't separate, too late" express how much the singer and their partner are connected and entwined with each other, to the point where even doctors couldn't separate them. The singer continues with "Your touch feels like magic fingers on my head / Your kiss is an invitation, an invitation that I read, I'm in debt to" to describe the physical and emotional intensity they feel when with their partner.
The lyrics also suggest that this kind of intense love is rare and special, as shown by the line "It only takes a miracle and you're the only one." The singer may be portraying the relationship as a gift or a divine intervention, as suggested by the phrase "immaculate conception, revelations come." Overall, the lyrics are a celebration of the intense connection between the two lovers, emphasizing the power and awe-inspiring nature of their love.
Line by Line Meaning
When you put your arms around me, the doctor has to operate
Our love is so intense that it feels like we physically become one - to the point where it's as if a surgical procedure is necessary to separate us.
We get so stuck on each other we just can't separate, too late
Our relationship has become so intertwined that it feels impossible to break the bond we have created - we are beyond the point of no return.
Your touch fees like magic fingers on my head
The sensation of your touch on my body is electrifying and feels almost mystical - like a healing power.
Your kiss is a invitation, an invitation that I read, I'm in debt to
Every time we kiss it feels like an invitation to dive deeper into our love and relationship - I am indebted to you for this overwhelming feeling of love and desire.
It's a miracle a minute, it's a miracle a minute, baby
Our love is constantly full of amazing and unexplainable moments - we are experiencing miracles all the time.
It only takes me a second to call you on the phone
Our love and connection is so strong that it only takes me a moment to reach out to you and connect - it's effortless and easy to stay in touch with you.
You always lift the receiver up I never get a busy tone, cause you're home
You are always there for me and ready to answer my call - I know I can count on you and that you will always be available to me.
Immaculate conception, revelations come,
Our love is so powerful that it feels miraculous and beyond explanation - like something divine is bringing us together.
It only takes a miracle and you're the only one, the one that's
Our relationship was built on an unbelievable, mystical love that defies logic and explanation - you are the only one who I can share this indescribable bond with.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: GRAHAM THOMAS PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind