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.
Weekend's Too Short
Graham Parker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
E e eadd9 e7 e6 e (use the pinkie)
Get your car out of the parking lot,
N.y. city's getting much too hot
Way down island there's a real cool breeze,
Bridge
Baby get ready, the pressure's off, your body's hot, you got a good personality,
A e a bm
My hand goes down your heart beat's up I can't go back to reality
Chorus
E eadd9 e eadd9 e7 e6 e
The weekend's too short, ooh yeah
The weekend's too short, ooh yeah
Instrumental
Bless that bible, let the liquor run (the weekend's too short, ooh)
Before they raise the drinking age to 21 (the weekend's too short, ooh)
Two days time it's going back to the grind (the weekend's too short, ooh)
Bridge
And the party's all over,
The time goes fast, our love will last, can't past the test of reality
My hand goes down your heart beat's up I said with some finality
Repeat chorus then instrumental with solo
Get your car out of the parking lot, n.y. city's getting much too hot
Way down island there's a real cool breeze, baby get ready,
The pressure's off, your body's hot, you got a good personality,
My hand goes down your heart beat's up I can't go back to reality
Repeat chorus (three times) /pre>
The song "The Weekend's Too Short" by Graham Parker & The Shot is a lively and upbeat representation of the feeling of longing for the freedom and fun of the weekend to last longer. The opening lines "Get your car out of the parking lot, N.y. city's getting much too hot" set the scene of a busy city where people are desperate to escape and have a good time. The following lines about a cool breeze and getting ready for some fun suggest that the weekend is the perfect time to let loose and have some fun.
The bridge then goes on to describe the feelings of being in the moment, where the pressure is off and the body is hot, and the excitement of being with someone special. The chorus repeats the title phrase, emphasizing the idea that the weekend is always over too soon, and a sense of disappointment and nostalgia. The verses also touch on the idea of indulging in vices like liquor before they become restricted, and the inevitability of the return to reality and the daily grind.
Overall, the song captures the feeling of wanting to escape from the stress of everyday life and make the most of the time off during weekends. The upbeat and rock-influenced sound of the song reflects the idea of letting loose and having fun during the limited time of freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
Get your car out of the parking lot
Let's leave this place and go somewhere else
N.y. city's getting much too hot
The city is uncomfortable and overwhelming
Way down island there's a real cool breeze
If we go to the island, we'll feel refreshed and relaxed
Baby get ready, the pressure's off, your body's hot, you got a good personality
You can let loose and be yourself without any stress. You're attractive and have a great personality
My hand goes down your heart beat's up I can't go back to reality
When we touch, we feel alive and can't go back to our mundane lives
The weekend's too short, ooh yeah
The time off is too brief, and we want it to last longer
Bless that bible, let the liquor run (the weekend's too short, ooh)
We'll drink and have a good time, despite what others might think is appropriate
Before they raise the drinking age to 21 (the weekend's too short, ooh)
Young people are increasingly getting restricted, and we need to enjoy ourselves while we can
Two days time it's going back to the grind (the weekend's too short, ooh)
After these two days of fun, we'll have to return to our work routine
And the party's all over,
The celebration is coming to an end
The time goes fast, our love will last, can't past the test of reality
Even though time flies, our connection will endure. However, it might not stand the test of the outside world
My hand goes down your heart beat's up I said with some finality
I feel your pulse race when I touch you, and I know that this feeling won't last forever.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: GRAHAM THOMAS PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind