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.
Sharpening Axes
Graham Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(0ver) em dm7 (twice)
Em dm7
I'm not selling molasses I'm not pushing tea
Em dm7
I don't appeal to the masses and they don't appeal to me
Em dm7
Em dm7
I've got a predilection for the truth
Bridge number one
Am dm
I can't stand it any longer I can't suffer any more fools
Am dm
I'm gonna keep on sharpening axes till I've got the sharpest tools
See gm
I can't access information comin' down the mainframe
See gm bm a bm a
Those puerile incantations in couplets or quatrains
Watch it all run amok now watch those idiots score
Till you can't remember that they're idiots any more
Watch that stain increasing spreading out across the earth
Till you can't remember what anything is worth
Bridge number two
I can't stand it any longer I can't listen to any more words
I'm gonna keep on sharpening axes till they cut right through this dirt
I can't access information comin down the satellite beam
All I hear is psycho babble and I don't know what it means
Instrumental section, then
Bridge number one (1st half)
Verse number two (1st half)
Bridge number two (2nd half)
Bm a
Sharpening axes (3 times) /pre>
In "Sharpening Axes," Graham Parker expresses his frustration with modern society's obsession with mass market appeal and the lack of authenticity in media and communication. He rejects the idea of selling false narratives or superficial products, preferring instead to pursue and promote the truth. Parker feels overwhelmed by the constant bombardment of meaningless information and propaganda, and decides he must "sharpen his axes" in order to cut through the noise and find clarity.
In the first verse, Parker outlines his disdain for artificiality and consumer culture, distinguishing himself as someone who prefers to stay true to himself rather than pander to the masses. In the chorus or first bridge, Parker acknowledges his anger, and vows to keep sharpening his axes, symbolically representing his commitment to chipping away at the lies and obfuscation that pervade modern life. In the second verse, Parker critiques modern communication and information dissemination, with satirical jabs at the language and form of modern poetry, and culminates in another vow to keep sharpening his axes.
Through these lyrics, Parker advocates for the value of authenticity, truth, and resistance against the conformity that seems to dominate modern life. He uses the metaphor of "sharpening axes" to signify a commitment to cutting through the noise and finding what truly matters.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not selling molasses I'm not pushing tea
I am not trying to please everyone with my music or offer something sugary or mainstream.
I don't appeal to the masses and they don't appeal to me
My songs are not for the masses or targeted to a general audience.
I'm not peddling fiction I'm not packaging youth
I reject the idea of selling stories or branding young artists to make them successful.
I've got a predilection for the truth
I have a preference for being honest and expressing the real world.
I can't stand it any longer I can't suffer any more fools
I can't tolerate listening to people who are foolish or fake anymore.
I'm gonna keep on sharpening axes till I've got the sharpest tools
I will keep working on improving my skills and craft until I am the best that I can be.
I can't access information comin' down the mainframe
I cannot find any valuable or meaningful content in the mainstream or popular media.
Those puerile incantations in couplets or quatrains
The repetitive and meaningless lyrics or rhymes in songs are boring and uninspiring.
Watch it all run amok now watch those idiots score
The music industry is now filled with shallow and mindless music which is scoring huge rewards.
Till you can't remember that they're idiots any more
The people are so used to hearing bad music that they even forget that it's not worth it.
Watch that stain increasing spreading out across the earth
This trend of bad music and uninspired lyrics is spreading across the world and becoming more wide-spread
Till you can't remember what anything is worth
People are losing the sense of what is really valuable and worth paying attention to in music.
I can't listen to any more words
I cannot listen to any more empty or meaningless words.
I'm gonna keep on sharpening axes till they cut right through this dirt
I will keep working hard until my music can break through the noise and reach people.
All I hear is psycho babble and I don't know what it means
The lyrics in most music are meaningless and full of jargon that nobody understands.
Sharpening axes
Repeating the chorus.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: GRAHAM THOMAS PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind