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.
No More Excuses
Graham Parker Lyrics
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The chords appear to be em cmaj7 e see then em cmaj7 3 times
Em cmaj7 d em
Every street is a crowded place every crowd is too much to face
Em cmaj7 d
Every shoulder is something hard don't want to lean on
Every day we are running out our caps to catch in the pouring rain
Em cmaj7 d
Feel the loneliness and the doubt I have to shout for
Chorus
Em cmaj7 d
Hey no more excuses I made them enough
Em cmaj7 d
I said hey no more excuses it's time to get tough
Every step is another chance every moment slips through our hands
Every kiss is another flame I don't want to put out
Every night when I fall asleep I know I never want to wake up
Into a world where you're not around can't let you down
Chorus
Bridge
Em cmaj7 em cmaj7
Don't break down in this cold town where the people live in fear
Em cmaj7
There's a wheel in my hand but I can't steer
I never noticed you always win I never thought about how to live
I only took it for granted and like a fool let it all slip by
But if you forgive me of my mistakes I will try to find what it takes
In this soul there's a heart that aches to give me my lesson
Chorus
(then) using em cmaj7
Oh oh oh (then) bridge I can't steer then intro again
(then) bridge I can't steer I can't steer
Hey no more hey no more hey no more
Repeats and fades /pre>
The song "No More Excuses" by Graham Parker talks about the struggles of daily life and the importance of taking responsibility for one's actions. The lyrics describe the overwhelming feeling of living in a crowded place and the fear of leaning on someone else's shoulder. Parker emphasizes that every step is an opportunity to take charge and that every moment is precious and should not be wasted. The chorus calls for an end to excuses and the need to be strong and move forward.
In the bridge, Parker warns against breaking down in a cold town where fear consumes people's lives. The line "There's a wheel in my hand but I can't steer" emphasizes the feeling of being lost and needing guidance. The verse "I never noticed you always win I never thought about how to live" speaks to the idea of being self-centered and not considering the consequences of one's actions. The singer admits his mistakes and promises to learn from the past and move forward.
Overall, "No More Excuses" is a motivational song that encourages listeners to take control of their lives and make the most of every moment. It also emphasizes the importance of taking responsibility for one's actions and learning from mistakes to become a better person.
Line by Line Meaning
Every street is a crowded place every crowd is too much to face
I feel overwhelmed and find every place crowded, even the crowds themselves are suffocating.
Every shoulder is something hard don't want to lean on
I don't find anyone to rely on, and all those who lend me their shoulder seem unbearable.
Every day we are running out our caps to catch in the pouring rain
I feel like I'm chasing something every day, like a running out of resources while standing in the rain.
Feel the loneliness and the doubt I have to shout for
Emotions of loneliness and doubt have been growing inside me, and now I feel the urge to express them with a shout.
Hey no more excuses I made them enough
I realize I've made enough excuses and don't want to continue doing so anymore.
I said hey no more excuses it's time to get tough
I'm determined to stop making excuses now and be strong enough to face my problems.
Every step is another chance every moment slips through our hands
I believe that every step I take presents me with another opportunity, but at the same time, every moment is fleeting, and I have to make the most of it before it's gone.
Every kiss is another flame I don't want to put out
Every time I kiss someone, it ignites a flame inside me, and I don't want to extinguish it.
Every night when I fall asleep I know I never want to wake up
Sometimes I feel so comfortable in my dreams that I don't want to wake up and return to reality.
Into a world where you're not around can't let you down
I can't bear the thought of letting down someone I love in a world where they no longer exist.
Don't break down in this cold town where the people live in fear
I don't want to give up on myself in this unfriendly city where everyone is scared.
There's a wheel in my hand but I can't steer
I have control over my life, but I don't have the courage or skills to guide it in the right direction.
I never noticed you always win I never thought about how to live
I didn't realize how successful and happy you were until now, and I've never given thought to how to live my own life.
I only took it for granted and like a fool let it all slip by
I stupidly assumed good things would always be there and didn't appreciate them enough, letting them slip away.
But if you forgive me of my mistakes I will try to find what it takes
If you can forgive me for my errors, I promise to work hard to figure out what it takes to make things right.
In this soul there's a heart that aches to give me my lesson
I'm hurting because of my mistakes, and I know there's a lesson in it for me to learn from.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind