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.
See Things My Way
Graham Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So many I lose count
But sometimes that's the fun of me
That's what I'm all about
But I'll be there for you
And you know that that's true
I just can't guarantee
See things my way
(Come on) See things my way
(Can you) See things my way
See things my way
And all the pieces fit
Like pieces in a puzzle do
The joins are jagged the edges rough
But the heart is straight and true
Well this one's fragile this one's tough
This one's kind of blue
This one has a lot of things that
Remind me of you
See things my way
(Come on) See things my way
(Can you) See things my way
See things my way, my way, my way, my way
A brighter shade of red
Like sunshine on my bed
But everybody's head
Is filled with more than just one soul
See things my way
(Can you) See things my way
(Will you) See things my way
See things my way, my way, my way
See things my way
(Can you) See things my way
(Will you) See things my way
See things my way, my way, my way
See things my way
…
In "See Things My Way," Graham Parker explores the idea of having multiple personalities or different sides to oneself. He acknowledges that there are many versions of himself that he loses count of, but this is what makes him unique and interesting. Although he acknowledges this complexity within himself, he assures his love interest that he will be there for her and be true to her. However, he cannot promise which version of himself will show up in any given situation.
The song is characterized by its upbeat and playful tune, which contrasts with the complexity of the lyrics. Parker uses the metaphor of puzzle pieces to describe the different aspects of himself, emphasizing that although they may not fit perfectly together, they all make up who he is as a person. He also references a "brighter shade of red" as a positive aspect of one of his personalities, perhaps suggesting that some of his multiple selves are more positive or easy to live with than others. Ultimately, he asks his love interest to see things his way and accept him for who he is, without judgment or fear.
Line by Line Meaning
There is more than one of me
I have multiple sides to my personality
So many I lose count
I can't even keep track of all my different sides
But sometimes that's the fun of me
My different sides can make life interesting
That's what I'm all about
Having multiple sides is a defining trait of my character
But I'll be there for you
I will support you when you need it
And you know that that's true
You can trust me to be there for you
I just can't guarantee
However, I can't promise which side of me will appear at any given time
Which one of me it's going to be so
It's all dependent on the situation
And all the pieces fit
Despite my multiple sides, I am still one complete person
Like pieces in a puzzle do
These pieces all come together to form a complete picture, just like in a puzzle
The joins are jagged the edges rough
Sometimes these different sides of me don't fit together perfectly
But the heart is straight and true
But my core values and beliefs are unwavering
Well this one's fragile this one's tough
Some of my sides are more vulnerable, while others are resilient
This one's kind of blue
I have sides that are melancholy or sad
This one has a lot of things that remind me of you
I have a side of me that thinks about you a lot
A brighter shade of red
I have a side that is brighter and more enthusiastic
Like sunshine on my bed
This side is like the joy of waking up to sunlight streaming through the window
But everybody's head
Everyone has different sides to themselves
Is filled with more than just one soul
We are all complex individuals with multiple aspects to our personalities
See things my way
Try to understand my perspective
(Can you) See things my way
Do you have the ability to empathize with me?
(Will you) See things my way
Are you willing to try to see from my point of view?
See things my way, my way, my way, my way
This is a repeated plea for understanding
See things my way
Again, the singer wants someone to view the situation from his perspective
Contributed by Annabelle V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.