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.
The Heat in Harlem
Graham Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
C#m
I ain't stopping fingers keep bopping
F#m be e
Swing band rocking from the street to the bar
C#m
West coast's dated music's overrated
F#m a be
Chorus
E a be d e d be a
The heat in harlem the heat in harlem, yep
E a be d be
The heat in harlem the heat in harlem
A be
And the heat of the soul
Ring that number hear that timbre
Watch my senses go right out the door
Born on the pavement that's where it happens
Rocking the apartment on the fifteenth floor
Chorus
Bridge
F#m a e
And when the heat burns your feet, got to jump to save your skin
F#m a
And when you jump the water pump
Be f#m
The water just rushes away in the burning heat
A e f#m a be
Ooh yep, save your skin, uuh
We've been screaming, screaming through a jukebox
Screaming at someone that don't even care
Born on the pavement that's where it happens
Feel like fire in the midnight air
Chorus twice
Slow bridge em a em a em (alternaties like this with sometimes a em taking over)
A em a em dm em dm em
Look at the heat wave got everybody, got everybody under it's spell
Sit back and wonder stand or go under, or feel the thunder starting to swell
The heat in harlem, the heat in harlem the heat in harlem punches then rolls
No big decision no aircondition the heat in harlem is the heat of the soul
Mamma is crying daddy is trying brother is working for everything you own
Sister is dreaming, dreaming of broadway around the corner a million miles from home
The heat in harlem the heat in harlem the heat in harlem punches then rolls
No big decision no aircondition the heat in harlem is the heat of the soul
The heat of the soul the heat of the soul the heat of the soul the heat of the soul
Down in the heatwave, yeah down down in the heatwave down in the heatwave, yeah
Down in the heat, heat, yeah watch the moon come down in the heat down in harlem town
Watch it all come down in the heat down in harlem town
The heat of the soul the heat of the soul
Watch it all come down in the heat down in harlem town
Watch the moon come down in the heat down in harlem town
Down in the heatwave, yeah down in the heatwave, yeah
Take it down in the heat heat yeah the heat of the soul
The heat of the soul
Down in the heat heat yeah down in the heat heat yeah
The heat of the soul the heat of the soul
Down in the heat heat yeah down in the heat heat uh uh
Down in the heat heat yeah down in the heat heat yeah
Down in the heat heat uh uh down in the heat heat yeah fades
/pre>
The Heat in Harlem by Graham Parker is a song that presents the energy and chaos of New York City. The lyrics convey the sense of heat and the feeling of being crowded into a small space with the lines "the heat in Harlem, the heat in Harlem, and the heat of the soul." The song has a strong sense of rhythm that keeps the listener engaged and energized. The verses talk about the music scene and sound of Harlem being different from the West Coast and how much more vibrant and captivating it is. The chorus seems to capture the resilience of Harlem and its people in the face of oppression and struggle. The bridge touches on the idea that when the pressure and chaos gets to be too much, one can jump to save oneself, but the water just rushes away in the burning heat.
The song successfully encompasses all the elements that make Harlem the cultural hub that it is, with its music, its struggle, and its soul. It captures the relentlessness of the city's energy, the heat of summer, and the bustling street life. The song is an ode to the people, their grit, and their fight.
Line by Line Meaning
I ain't stopping fingers keep bopping
I can't help moving to the music and tapping my fingers to the beat
Swing band rocking from the street to the bar
There's a great swing band playing music loudly that can be heard from the street all the way to the nearby bar
West coast's dated music's overrated
The West Coast's old-fashioned music is not as good as what we have here in Harlem
Hear it on the radio in every car
Our music is so good that it's even played on the radio in every car
The heat in harlem the heat in harlem, yep
Harlem is known for its heat and energy
And the heat of the soul
The heat that people feel in Harlem is not just physical, but also comes from their passion and emotion
Ring that number hear that timbre
The phone is ringing and the sound is so distinct and inviting
Watch my senses go right out the door
The music is so intoxicating that I lose my senses and just focus on enjoying the sound
Born on the pavement that's where it happens
Life in Harlem is tough and often takes place out in the open, on the streets
Rocking the apartment on the fifteenth floor
Even in the higher floors of apartments, the music is so loud and powerful that it can be felt throughout the building
And when the heat burns your feet, got to jump to save your skin
When the heat in Harlem becomes too much to bear, you have to take action to protect yourself
And when you jump the water pump
When you try to cool down, you have to jump into the water
The water just rushes away in the burning heat
The water never stays cool for long because of the intense heat in Harlem
Screaming at someone that don't even care
Sometimes in Harlem, people are so focused on themselves that they don't care about the struggles of others
Feel like fire in the midnight air
The spirit and energy in Harlem is so intense that it feels like there's a fire burning in the air
Look at the heat wave got everybody, got everybody under it's spell
The heat in Harlem is so powerful that it affects everyone and captures their attention
Sit back and wonder stand or go under, or feel the thunder starting to swell
You have to choose whether to give in to the heat and energy of Harlem or resist it and risk getting overwhelmed
Mamma is crying daddy is trying brother is working for everything you own
Life in Harlem is tough and everyone has to work hard just to survive
Sister is dreaming, dreaming of broadway around the corner a million miles from home
Despite the struggles, people in Harlem still have dreams and ambitions for a better life
The heat in harlem punches then rolls
Harlem's heat and energy can be overwhelming and powerful
No big decision no aircondition the heat in harlem is the heat of the soul
There may not be any easy solutions to dealing with the heat in Harlem, but it's what makes the soul of the community so vibrant and strong
Down in the heatwave, yeah down down in the heatwave down in the heatwave, yeah
The heat in Harlem is so intense that it feels like a heatwave
Take it down in the heat heat yeah the heat of the soul
Despite the struggles and difficulties, people in Harlem continue to thrive and be uplifted by the energy and soul of the community
The heat of the soul the heat of the soul
Harlem's heat is not just physical, but also comes from the passion and emotion of its people
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: GRAHAM THOMAS PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind