Early Work
In the mid-1970s he was a sideman in Barry White's "Love Unlimited Orchestra", before creating Raydio, an R&B group, in 1977, with Vincent Bohnam, Jerry Knight, and Arnell Carmichael. Parker appeared briefly in the 1974 film "Uptown Saturday Night" as a guitar player. Parker also wrote songs and did session work for The Carpenters, Rufus and Chaka Khan,Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Leon Haywood, Temptations, The Spinners, Boz Scaggs, Rhythm Heritage, and Gladys Knight and the Pips.
Raydio
The group scored their first big hit, with Arista Records, "Jack and Jill" off of their self-titled album in 1978. The song was # 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, earning a Gold record in the process.
Their successful follow-up hit, "You Can't Change That" was released in 1979, off of the Rock On album. The song was a Top 10 hit, making it up to # 9 on the Billboard charts during the same year it was released.
In 1980, the group became known as Ray Parker Jr. and Raydio, and the group released two more albums: Two Places at the Same Time in 1980 and A Woman Needs Love in 1981.
During the eighties Ray Parker Jr. and Raydio had two Top 40 hits ("Two Places at the Same Time" - # 40 in 1980 and "That Old Song" - # 21 in 1981) and their last and biggest hit "A Woman Needs Love," released in 1981, went to # 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts, and # 1 on the R&B Charts for two weeks in 1981.
The Solo Years and Ghostbusters
Raydio broke up in 1981, while Ray Parker Jr. continued with his solo career, scoring six Top 40 hits, including the hit single "The Other Woman" (Pop # 4) in 1982 and "Ghostbusters" in 1984.
Parker was one the first black artists to venture into the then-fledgling world of music videos. He actually made two different videos for his hit "The Other Woman". The first was Halloween-themed and centered around a haunted castle with dancing corpses and vampires. The second was more performance-oriented, with Parker performing the song against a outer space background with backup singers. MTV initially refused to air either video because, at the time, no videos for black artists were shown and, in the case of the "haunted castle" video, Parker was depicted as having interracial relationships, which MTV didn't want to promote.
"Ghostbusters" was a title track of the Gold-selling soundtrack of the hit movie Ghostbusters (but the song has now sold upwards of 28 million units internationally according to Parker in 2007)[citation needed], starring Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd. The single was at #1 for three weeks on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, and at #1 for two weeks on its Black Singles chart. The song was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1984 but lost to Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called to Say I Love You" from The Woman in Red.
He also made an acting appearance on the 1980s sitcom Gimme a Break starring Nell Carter.
Controversy surrounding Ghostbusters
Parker was accused of plagiarizing the melody from Huey Lewis & the News song "I Want a New Drug" for his 1984 #1 hit theme to Ghostbusters, released only six months after Lewis' hit reached #6 in the Billboard Hot 100. This ended with Lewis suing Parker, and the pair settled out of court in 1995.
They returned to court once again in 2001, as Parker sued Lewis for breaching a confidentiality agreement forming part of their original out of court settlement which prohibited either side from speaking about it publicly. Lewis had revealed in a VH1 Behind The Music special that Parker had paid a financial settlement as part of the original agreement.
Continued Songwriting
Ray Parker Jr. also wrote and produced hits for New Edition ("Mr. Telephone Man"), Randy Hall, Cheryl Lynn ("Shake It Up Tonight"), Deniece Williams ("I Found Love") and Diana Ross. He also performed guitar on several songs on La Toya Jackson's 1980 debut album.
Raydio Discography
* Raydio (1978) #27 US
* Rock On (1979) #45 US
* Two Places at the Same Time (1980) #33 US
* A Woman Needs Love (1981) #13 US
* Greatest Hits (1982)
Ray Parker Jr. Discography
* The Other Woman (1982) #11 US
* Woman Out of Control (1983) #45 US
* Ghostbusters (Soundtrack) (1984) #6 US
* Chartbusters (1984) #60 US
* Sex and The Single Man (1985) #65 US
* After Dark (1987) #86 US
* I Love You Like You Are (1991)
* I'm Free (2006)
Intro
Ray Parker Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But silvery lines, the cute friendly face
I'll stand
You'll withdraw
Take me and I'm right on
What words sound the best to use?
What verse could possibly catch you?
Tell me why my arteries cease to work
Show me to the sharpest, the right one so plangent
Strike out, the memories first
Tell me why your heart sends sick, mixed messages
Tell me why my arteries cease to work
Show me to the sharpest, the right one so plangent
Cause I look to you, I bathe in the earth
As I look to you, I bathe in the earth
As I look to you, I bathe in the earth
The lyrics of Ray Parker Jr.'s song "Intro" are enigmatic and obscure, but they convey a sense of longing and confusion. The first stanza introduces the idea of something that is not tangible, neither touch nor taste. It could be a feeling or an emotion that is represented by silvery lines and a cute friendly face. The singer seems to be standing while another person withdraws, but they are willing to be led by them. The second stanza contains a series of questions addressed to the other person, asking why their heart sends mixed messages and why the singer's arteries cease to work. They want to be shown to the sharpest, most intense experience and to erase the memories that stand in the way. The final lines repeat the idea of looking to the other person as a source of guidance and renewal, as if they were a mystical force or a loved one who has passed away.
The meaning of "Intro" is open to interpretation and may vary depending on the listener's mood and associations. Some may see it as a romantic ballad about a person who is entranced by another and seeks their approval. Others may read it as a meditation on spiritual emptiness and the search for enlightenment. The lyrics create a dreamlike and hypnotic atmosphere, enhanced by Parker's smooth voice and the sparse instrumentation. The song was released in 1987 on the album "After Dark", which was a commercial success and earned Parker a Grammy nomination.
Line by Line Meaning
It's neither touch nor taste
It's something intangible and indescribable
But silvery lines, the cute friendly face
It's something abstract like lines and emotions that make you feel good
I'll stand
I'm ready to face whatever comes my way
You'll withdraw
You're hesitant and unsure, maybe even retracting from the situation
Take me and I'm right on
If you just lead me, I'll follow and do what's needed
What words sound the best to use?
What should I say to you to get the desired reaction?
What verse could possibly catch you?
What could I say or do to make you interested or intrigued?
Tell me why your heart sends sick, mixed messages
Why are you sending me conflicting signals about your feelings?
Tell me why my arteries cease to work
Why does my body feel numb or paralyzed in your presence?
Show me to the sharpest, the right one so plangent
Guide me to the person who is the best fit for me emotionally
Strike out, the memories first
Get rid of the past memories that are hindering your forward progress
Cause I look to you, I bathe in the earth
I rely on you for emotional support and grounding
As I look to you, I bathe in the earth
Being with you makes me feel more stable and connected to my surroundings
As I look to you, I bathe in the earth
I feel more grounded and in touch with myself when I'm with you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANTONIO JESUS CABRERA GUTIERREZ, JAIME GANDIA QUESADA, JOSE MARIN TORRES, JUAN CARLOS GOMEZ PARRILLA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rosebyanyname
All non-GB cameos:
1:16 - Chevy Chase
1:25 - Irene Cara (RIP!)
1:58 - John Candy (RIP!)
2:23 - Melissa Gilbert
2:31 - Ollie E. Brown
3:24 - Jeffrey Tambor
3:29 - George Wendt
3:34 - Al Franken
3:42 - Danny DeVito
3:46 - Carly Simon
3:51 - Peter Falk (RIP!)
3:54 - Teri Garr
3:58 - bonus - Chevy Chase nearly swallowing a cigarette
@COMODORO29
1:16 Chevy Chase
1:25 Irene Cara
1:58 John Candy
2:23 Melissa Gilbert
2:31 Ollie E. Brown
3:21 Cindy Harrell Horn
3:26 Jeffrey Tambor
3:29 George Wendt
3:34 Al franken
3:42 Danny DeVito
3:46 Carly Simon
3:50 Peter Falk
3:55 Teri Garr
3:59 Chevy Chase
@yungspookers
BUSTIN MAKES ME FEEL GOOD is definitely a line for the ages
@SuperSlayTbh
Ikr
@adnanjamil7271
bustin makes me feel good......an invisible man sleepin on your bed.....these lines have different meaning as an adult 😄 🤣 😂
@blackman9008
he knew what he was doing
@androsgreene9824
😂😂
@whiteeye2121movalik
what does the line mean?
@sambazparlak1445
I swear this song ruled the world for a while. this never gets old
@carloshinojosa4351
It always comes back for Halloween. And now that we’re having a ghostbusters movie we might actually see some costumes start to pop up again.
@LLVideomaker
@@carloshinojosa4351 hope so!
@dennismullany4755
It its the spot a sound