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.
Short Memories
Graham Parker Lyrics
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D a
They took their kids in their teenage years
D g
Fitted them out with combat gear,
D a bm g
Filled their hearts with mortal fear and sent them away
D a
D g
Some came home in bits and pieces
D a g d
The president made a lot of speeches and went fishing for the day
D a d g
'cause they have short memories, they forget it all so quickly
D a bm g
They have short memories, now it's gone
D a d g
They have short memories, it disappears just like quicksilver
D a g d
They have short memories, now it's gone
My daddy was in nicosea, egypt and north korea
He came back to a good career, shovelling coal
I was just the village lout I never got my finger out
I never wanted for anything still I broke and entered and stole
[bridge]
Em
You can't stop a train or catch the rain drops
D a g
As they come falling
Em
Sure there'll be another war
D a
Sure as sure the call-up will come calling
D a
They took their kids in their teenage years
D g
Gave them a God that they could fear
D a bm g
Said they could kill but not drink beer
Bm g
And sent them away
D a
Some came home in a body bag
D g
Some came home wrapped in a flags
D a g d
And on each toe there hung a tag saying there'll be more someday
[repeat first chorus]
G em d
...now it's gone, now it's gone, now it's gone /pre>
Graham Parker's song "Short Memories" is a scathing critique of war and the way society forgets the sacrifices made by those who have served. The opening lines set the scene for the entire song, referring to parents who send their children to war without considering the gravity of the situation, letting their own fears about the world shape their children's future. Parker highlights the hypocrisy of politicians, who make speeches but do nothing to stop wars. The chorus is a reflection on how society, as a whole, forgets the past so quickly. They have short memories, and are unable to remember the sacrifices made by those who died or were injured in service.
In the second verse, Parker refers to his own father's time in the military, but he himself was unable to find work and resorted to crime. The bridge offers a bleak outlook for the future, suggesting that war is inevitable, and society will be unable to avoid the call to arms. The final verse returns to the parents who send their children to war, only this time, they are considered to have given their children unrealistic expectations. Parker suggests that the government tells young soldiers they can kill, but not drink beer, which is a powerful metaphor for the way society sets up expectations that are impossible to meet. The song ends with a repeated chorus, suggesting that society will continue to forget the lessons of the past and ignore the sacrifice of those who have given their lives in service.
Line by Line Meaning
They took their kids in their teenage years
Parents sent their children to the military while they were still teenagers.
Fitted them out with combat gear,
The children were equipped with military gear.
Filled their hearts with mortal fear and sent them away
The parents instilled fear in their kids and sent them off to war.
Some came home their pants in creases
Some soldiers returned safely from the war.
Some came home in bits and pieces
Some soldiers returned home severely injured.
The president made a lot of speeches and went fishing for the day
The president made speeches in support of the war but didn't do enough to make a real difference.
'cause they have short memories, they forget it all so quickly
People forget the horrors of war too easily due to their short memories.
They have short memories, now it's gone
People forget about the war quickly.
My daddy was in nicosea, egypt and north korea
The singer's father fought in multiple wars.
He came back to a good career, shovelling coal
The singer's father had a good career after returning from the war.
I was just the village lout I never got my finger out
The singer didn't achieve much in his life.
I never wanted for anything still I broke and entered and stole
The singer resorted to criminal activities despite having everything he needed.
Sure there'll be another war
There will always be more wars in the future.
Sure as sure the call-up will come calling
The government will inevitably call for citizens to fight in the war.
Gave them a God that they could fear
The government used religion to scare soldiers into fighting.
Said they could kill but not drink beer
The government allowed soldiers to kill but not indulge in vices like drinking.
Some came home in a body bag
Some soldiers perished in the war.
Some came home wrapped in a flag
Some soldiers were brought back home after their death.
And on each toe there hung a tag saying there'll be more someday
Even after so many deaths, there will be more wars in the future.
...now it's gone, now it's gone, now it's gone
War is over, and people forget about it quickly.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: GRAHAM THOMAS PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind