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.
Stick to Me
Graham Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Em see f see
Every last drop will go into this now, don't want to miss now
Em see f see
I don't know when to stop I just pump and pump till that's all there is
Chorus
Em g g am d /em
Em g g am d
You better stick to me that's what to do now
Race against time is what I'm into, pay now and get through
On the hard line are people's voices, screaming the choices
Repeat chorus
Bridge 1
(horns over em see am em d see g d em em em )
Em g am see em
If you stick to me when the vampires bite and their teeth come down
Em g am see em
If you stick to me on the sinking sea, we won't drown
Bridge 2
See em see em see em see g am see
We won't drown, we won't drown, we won't drown oh
(guitar over em see em c)
Yeah I've seen it happen people cracking under the weather
Buried beneath the rooftops the weight of the sky coming down on them
Repeat chorus
Repeat bridge 1
Em g g am d
Yeah stick to me just like glue now
Em g g am d
You better stick to me that's what to do now
Em d see em
You better stick to me (repeat to end) /pre>
The song "Stick to Me" by Graham Parker and The Rumour explores the idea of perseverance and the importance of sticking together. The lyrics depict a sense of urgency and an intense desire to succeed- "Every last drop will go into this now, don't want to miss now." The singer expresses his inability to stop and his determination to keep pushing until he has given everything he has. The chorus reinforces the idea of sticking together and relying on each other for support- "You better stick to me just like glue now, you better stick to me that's what to do now." The song can be interpreted as a call to action for unity and resilience in the face of adversity.
Throughout the song, there are references to difficult times and obstacles to overcome- "Race against time is what I'm into, pay now and get through." The bridge provides a sense of comfort and reassurance for the listener- "If you stick to me when the vampires bite and their teeth come down, if you stick to me on the sinking sea, we won't drown." The use of the metaphor of vampires and sinking sea highlights the idea of facing challenges and the need for support in order to overcome them.
Line by Line Meaning
Every last drop will go into this now, don't want to miss now
I am fully committed to this and won't stop until it's done perfectly.
I don't know when to stop I just pump and pump till that's all there is
I have a tendency to work tirelessly until everything is done to my satisfaction.
You better stick to me just like glue now
You need to stay close and loyal to me, no matter what challenges we face.
Race against time is what I'm into, pay now and get through
I am committed to working hard and pushing through to meet tight deadlines.
On the hard line are people's voices, screaming the choices
There are many opinions and options out there, but we need to stay focused on our own path.
If you stick to me when the vampires bite and their teeth come down
When things get tough and threatening, you need to stick by my side and not give up.
If you stick to me on the sinking sea, we won't drown
If we stay together and support each other, we can make it through even the toughest situations.
Yeah I've seen it happen people cracking under the weather
I've witnessed people give up or fail when faced with difficult circumstances.
Buried beneath the rooftops the weight of the sky coming down on them
They feel completely overwhelmed and unable to cope with the pressures placed on them.
You better stick to me that's what to do now
I am emphasizing the importance of staying loyal and committed to each other in the face of adversity.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: GRAHAM THOMAS PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rory McLauchlan
Had to be seen live to fully appreciate how good they were. Superb!
Chasbo Daniels
Their few live shows on YouTube are musical treasures.
Andrew Bowers
OMG this whole album KILLS! There's not one track that's lacking. :D
Tyler Raleigh
Yes indeed - wonder why the Graham Parker topic channel doesn't have this album?
Peter Jarvis
Yes, his best imo. ... live in the studio ...
rik foster
You are not wrong my friend. Up to about album 9. Incredible work ❤❤❤❤
Darryl Wiggins
The arrangement and delivery of this song is pure genius.prove me wrong.
wont do
I had this on 8-track, cassette, LP and now on CD. It never got old in the 37 years since it came out
MegaTurkeylips
omg thanks for giving this back to me to enjoy again. Graham and the Rumour are so friggin incredible together. I love Ellen Foley's cover of this song and also her 'Thunder and Rain' cover.
TighelanderII
Did she have a song on the Ghostbusters soundtrack?