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.
Stupefaction
Graham Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Another one I find easier to play with
Capo at 2. chords mapped out as if they were open.
Intro a d a d a d f# (twice)
A d a d
The sun is burning it never changes
The people look up with nothing in their eyeballs
A d a d
They stare at billboards as if for guidance
A d a d
There's something wrong here I can't but my finger on
E a d a
Same thing same way everyday stupefaction oh yeah
A d a d
Drive out on sunset but nothing's moving
A d a d
The lights are green or is that my imagination
A d a d
The people sit there cameras without action
A d a d
I can't see the point but I see the attraction
E a d a
Same thing same way everyday stupefaction oh yeah
D a d a
We're going to get clear outa this some day
F#m bm e a
Because the comfort's so appealing the bodies so revealing
D e
Just get to feeling like a wheel without traction
A d a
Stupefaction oh yeah
A d a d
I ask the landlord how much you making
A d a d
Don't you get tired of just taking and taking
A d a d
I ask the neighbour why are you so stupid?
A d a d
Giving us those dirty looks and tryin to murder cupid
E a d a
Same thing same way everyday stupefaction ah yeah
Instrumental verse (as intro)
D a d a
We're going to get clear outa this some day
F#m bm e a
Because the comfort's so appealing the bodies so revealing
D e
Just get to feeling like a wheel without traction
A d a
Stupefaction oh yeah
A d a d
Turn up the tv turn up the radio
A d a d
Turn up the volume nothing seems to matter
A d a d
Lay back and slumber bring out the number
A d a d
Ask the operator what spell we are under it's the
E a d a
Same thing same way everyday stupefaction ah yeah
A d
Stupid stupid stupid hey hey hey (6 times)
E a d a
Same thing same way everyday stupefaction ah yeah
A d
Stupid stupid stupid hey hey hey (repeat and fade) /pre>
The song Stupefaction by Graham Parker, portrays a weary and disillusioned view of the monotonous and mundane nature of everyday life as seen through the eyes of the singer who is constantly searching for something more meaningful. Parker laments that nothing ever changes, the sun keeps shining, and people look up with nothing in their eyes. They stare at billboards as if for guidance, yet there is “something wrong here,” and the singer can’t put his finger on it. He observes the people as they go about their mundane lives, with cameras without action, and dirty looks as they try to murder cupid. The singer believes they are functioning under the spell of Stupefaction, and hence, he feels frustrated and stuck in a rut.
Parker goes on to say that even driving out on sunset, which is supposed to be relaxing, feels like a chore since nothing is moving. They ask the landlord how much the rent is, but the landlord is only taking and not giving back. The neighbours seem dumb and murder cupid with their dirty looks. They turn up the TV and the radio, but nothing seems to matter, and they lay back and slumber, asking the operator what spell they are under. In summary, the song describes the repetitive and dull nature of everyday life, where people seem ensnared in a comfortable apathy that blinds them to the world's wonder and potential.
Line by Line Meaning
The sun is burning it never changes
Nothing ever changes or improves; everything remains the same
The people look up with nothing in their eyeballs
The people are disengaged and uninterested in their surroundings
They stare at billboards as if for guidance
The people are incapable of independent thought and rely on external sources for guidance
There's something wrong here I can't but my finger on
The singer senses that something is amiss but cannot identify the problem
Same thing same way everyday stupefaction oh yeah
A state of being mentally dulled or lethargic due to the oppressive monotony of everyday life
Drive out on sunset but nothing's moving
Despite making an effort to leave the monotony behind, the world remains unresponsive
The lights are green or is that my imagination
The world offers no discernible feedback or direction
The people sit there cameras without action
The people are mere observers, incapable of acting upon what they see
I can't see the point but I see the attraction
The singer recognizes the appeal of the stagnant environment despite his inability to understand it
We're going to get clear outa this some day
The singer hopes to escape the oppressive surroundings
Because the comfort's so appealing the bodies so revealing
Despite its flaws, the environment is enticing and comfortable to some degree
Just get to feeling like a wheel without traction
The singer feels aimless and without direction or purpose
Stupefaction oh yeah
A state of mental dullness or lethargy caused by oppressive monotony
I ask the landlord how much you making
The singer questions the motivations of those in power
Don't you get tired of just taking and taking
The singer questions the morality of those in power
I ask the neighbour why are you so stupid?
The singer questions the mentality of those who remain complacent
Giving us those dirty looks and tryin to murder cupid
The singer believes that those who are complacent are hostile to those who challenge the stagnant environment
Turn up the tv turn up the radio
The people attempt to distract themselves from the oppressive monotony with external stimuli
Turn up the volume nothing seems to matter
The external stimuli fails to provide any meaningful escape or direction
Lay back and slumber bring out the number
The people attempt to escape the oppressive monotony through inaction and idleness
Ask the operator what spell we are under it's the
The people attempt to rationalize and understand their oppression
Stupid stupid stupid hey hey hey (6 times)
The oppressive monotony is absurd and nonsensical
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Graham Parker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@markwinfield3376
I'm glad that I was able to enjoy this song for all those years before.
Without seeing this video.
@bpbeary8011
Haha that's just what I was thinking too.
@psmguy63
Year I graduated. Wore his albums out. Love his lyrical genius and sarcasm towards the mundane. Great era
@robdisner
It’s like he knew all this was coming!
@mondoenterprises6710
My life is like a wheel w/o traction! Stupefaction! Ye-ah!
@troysvisualarts
Only just discovered this song watching a 1980 episode of Aussie pop show Countdown, great song and I totally enjoy this video, early days of music videos are quite interesting and fascinating especially with all those artsy effects! 0:47 I noticed he was holding one big bulky camera, figured it was an ENG TV camera, didn't take long to identify it as a RCA TK-76 which was a great workhorse ENG camera of the 70s and 80s, I bet RCA TK-76 cameras was used in filming this video! Looking at the then technology featured shows how far we come seeing him with a CRT TV, telephone, radio as well as that big RCA TK-76 camera, today that's all condensed into a handheld cell phone with superior quality lol!
@OWR0406
best track of his 1980 album
@silverpairaducks
What a great summer song!
@OWR0406
Graham always kept his raw edge, where Elvis C. sometimes picked up mainstream soap
@johnweldon-xy3vl
Great music. Very underrated. Jj las vegas