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.
Sun Is Gonna Shine Again
Graham Parker Lyrics
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Someday we will cross a bridge, someday we will see
E be c#m a
That I can lean on you and you can put your weight on me
A e a e g#m a be
And every man will get a chance to be what a man wants to be
A e a e g#m a be
And every woman will look at her child and know that he's growing up free
Chorus 1
E a c#m e a c#m
The sun is gonna shine again we'll make it around that bend
E a g#m7 c#m
I'll walk one more mile with you 'cause you're my friend
A a e
The sun is gonna shine again
Someday we will ride a train that only seats one class
To a destination that feels like home at last, oh I
Know it seems impossible now, I know it seems like a joke
But if there's no purpose, if there's no love
We hang at the end of a rope
Chrus 2
And the sun is gonna shine again we'll make it around that bend
We'll walk together, I swear 'cause you're my friend
The sun is gonna shine again
Instrumental break over g#m / g#m / a / a / g#m / g#m / a / be
I have had my mind made up and I have been in doubt
But sometimes even I can see the light that - that will not be put out
And every man will hold up his head and know it won't get beaten back down
And every woman will be not afraid to walk on the very same road
And the sun is gonna shine again we'll make it around that bend
We'll walk together, I swear 'cause you're my friend
A a e be
The sun is gonna shine again
We'll walk together, I swear 'cause you're my friend
A a e
The sun is gonna shine again [song ends with ] a am e
With thanks to kirk anderson /pre>
In Graham Parker's "The Sun Is Gonna Shine Again," the lyrics convey a sense of hope and optimism in the midst of struggle and hardship. The opening verse suggests that the future holds the promise of mutual support and a sense of shared responsibility. The singer imagines a world in which people can lean on each other and work together to achieve their goals. The sentiment is echoed in the chorus as the singer confidently declares that the sun will shine again, and that they will make it through whatever challenges lie ahead as long as they have each other.
The second verse touches on themes of class and equality, as the singer imagines a future in which everyone has the opportunity to thrive and feel at home. They acknowledge that this may seem like an impossible dream in the current moment, but they refuse to give up hope. The final verse is perhaps the most powerful, as the singer asserts that even in the face of adversity, they will not be beaten down. They affirm their belief that everyone has the right to hold their head up high and walk their own path.
Overall, the lyrics of "The Sun Is Gonna Shine Again" are uplifting and inspiring, urging listeners to believe in a better future and to support one another along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
Someday we will cross a bridge, someday we will see
We will transcend and overcome current difficulties and problems
That I can lean on you and you can put your weight on me
We will rely on each other equally to face what is to come
And every man will get a chance to be what a man wants to be
Everyone will have the freedom to pursue their dreams and become their true selves
And every woman will look at her child and know that he's growing up free
All mothers will watch their children grow up with the liberty to be themselves
The sun is gonna shine again we'll make it around that bend
Things will get better and we will overcome this
I'll walk one more mile with you 'cause you're my friend
I will stand by you no matter what because you are my friend
Someday we will ride a train that only seats one class
We will rid ourselves of inequality and discrimination
To a destination that feels like home at last, oh I
We will reach a point of comfort and happiness
Know it seems impossible now, I know it seems like a joke
I acknowledge that current circumstances may appear bleak and discouraging
But if there's no purpose, if there's no love
If we don't have meaning or compassion in our lives
We hang at the end of a rope
We feel like life is hopeless and we're at our wit's end
And the sun is gonna shine again we'll make it around that bend
We will emerge from this darkness
We'll walk together, I swear 'cause you're my friend
We will get through this together because of our strong bond
I have had my mind made up and I have been in doubt
I have been unsure and conflicted
But sometimes even I can see the light that - that will not be put out
I can see hope even when things seem hopeless
And every man will hold up his head and know it won't get beaten back down
Everyone will have confidence and not be pushed down by others
And every woman will be not afraid to walk on the very same road
All women will have the courage to face the same struggles as men
The sun is gonna shine again we'll make it around that bend
We will eventually see the light and overcome
We'll walk together, I swear 'cause you're my friend
Our friendship will guide us through this
The sun is gonna shine again
Hope is on the horizon
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: GRAHAM THOMAS PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
sundar mann
The sun just shone through.............