Ray Erskine Parker, Jr. (born May 1, 1954), is an American guitarist, songw… Read Full Bio ↴Ray Erskine Parker, Jr. (born May 1, 1954), is an American guitarist, songwriter, producer and recording artist. Parker is known for writing and performing the theme song to the motion picture Ghostbusters, for his solo hits, and performing with his band Raydio as well as the late Barry White.
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)
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)
It Wasn't Me
Ray Parker Jr. Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'It Wasn't Me' by these artists:
303. Shaggy ft. Ricardo RikRo Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) My …
Akon As life goes on I'm starting to learn more and…
Anouk Can you tell me how you feel When you turn on…
April & Dr. Rum Family problems, it ain't easy handling those needs (Sometim…
Audio Crisis It wasn't me that started this war It wasn't me that…
Beatles vs. Shaggy Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) My …
Bedouine I saw him shutting away from the pain Like some cold…
Britney Spears Do you know what it's like? Come on, come on Baby tell…
Charming Horses & Lotus & Felix Schorn (Alright) Honey came in and she caught me red-handed Creepin…
Chuck Berry It wasnรฆ?ยฐ me, baby, no it wasnรฆ?ยฐ me, baby. It must…
Cockney Rebel It wasn't me who wrote the epitaph I only burned the…
D-Fyant If it wasn't for you... Do I believe in the resurrection…
Dr. Feelgood (nick lowe/gypie mayo) I stand accused of late night crim…
Dr. Rum Family problems, it ain't easy handling those needs (Sometim…
Drake You said fuck me, and I was like, "Cool" So now…
Ducent Ricardo "RikRok"/Shaggy Honey came in and she caught me red-handed Creeping with th…
E.D. Sedgwick Ludacris: Wooo! Ah! Disturbing tha peace in this mu`fucka,ma…
Eden's Crush Na na, na, na, na, na Na, na, na, na, na,…
Evidence [www.Mp3Boxx.Com] Uh, about to tell you who I are Came a long…
Felix & The Katz Verse: My bed feels colder today I smell your perfume on my…
George Thorogood Well, he was cold, tired and hungry Came a-beggin' for brea…
Graham BLVD What's the matter with the clothes I'm wearing? Can't you te…
It Wasn't Me It wasnt me…
J. Weav Your girlfriend's lyin' baby, it wasn't me Your girl said…
Jahtones Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) My …
Jaymz Bee & The Deep Lounge Coalition Let's go Hov! Uh huh, Hov' You, are, not, ready Hov', unstop…
Jenny Lewis It wasn't me, I wasn't there I was just watching…
Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins/Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins It wasn't me, I wasn't there I was just watching from…
John Cale & Lou Reed/John Cale & Lou Reed It wasn't me who shamed you, it's not fair to…
Korzus Isolated from the world I was imprisoned It is not fair I…
Lou Reed It wasn't me who shamed you, it's not fair to…
Miss Bix and the Blues fix There was someone you were holding as you were holding…
Mitch Ryder Someone stole the Princes' Royal past It wasn't me, oh…
Nas [Intro: Nas] Uh huh, a love story, but not your ordinary…
Nelly Is it going, is it going, is it going, is…
Now That's What I Call Music Vol. 6 You've been holding me down, thinkin' that I would not figu…
Nucci Rey O Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) …
Nucci Rey O/Ricardo Girl, you're such a bad thing Standing there all alone Looki…
Nucci Rey O/Ricardo "RikRok" Ducent/Shaggy/Wiz Dinera Yo, man Yo Open up, man What do you want man? My girl ju…
O-ne I didn't know him but I guess he had it…
og ron c All my thugs and thugettes Walk where I walk, see what…
Postmodern Jukebox ft. Ariana Savalas I had a dream we were sipping whiskey neat Highest floor,…
Reed (Lou) & John Cale It wasn't me who shamed you, it's not fair to…
Ricardo Girl, you're such a bad thing Standing there all alone Looki…
Ricardo "RikRok" Ducent Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) …
Ricardo "RikRok" Ducent/Shaggy Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) My …
Ricardo "RikRok" Ducent; Shaggy Honey came in and she caught me red-handed Creeping with the…
Ricardo Ducent Feat. Shaggy Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) …
Ricardo Ducent Shaggy (Yo', man) Yo' (Open up, man) What do you want, man? (My…
Rik Rok Yo, man yo Open up, man yo, what do you want,…
Rik Rok & Shaggy Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) My …
Rik Rok ft. Shaggy Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) …
Rik Rok Shaggy Yo, man yo Open up, man yo, what do you want,…
Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox & Ariana Savalas I had a dream we were sipping whiskey neat Highest floor,…
Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox feat. Ariana Savalas Honey came in and she caught me red-handed Creeping with the…
Shaggy Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) My …
Shaggy Ricardo Ducent Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) …
Shaggy & Rayvon Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) My …
Shaggy & Ricardo "RikRok" Ducent Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) …
Shaggy & Ricardo 'RikRok' Ducent Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) My …
Shaggy (feat. Rayvon) Damn You let her catch you? Well you say what you always…
Shaggy (feat. Ricardo Girl, you're such a bad thing Standing there all alone Looki…
Shaggy (Feat. Ricardo Ducent) Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) …
Shaggy (feat. Ricardo"RikRok" Ducent) Honey came in and she caught me red-handed Creeping with the…
Shaggy - Topic Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) My …
Shaggy / Rik Rok Yo, man yo Open up, man yo, what do you want,…
Shaggy and Ricardo "RikRok" Ducent Honey came in and she caught me red-handed Creeping with the…
Shaggy and Ricardo Ducent Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) My …
Shaggy and The Beatles (Yo', man) Yo' (Open up, man) What do you want, man? (My…
Shaggy feat Nucci & Wiz Dinero Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) My …
Shaggy feat Ricardo 'Rikrok' Ducent Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) …
Shaggy feat Ricardo Rikrok Ducent Honey came in and she caught me red-handed Creeping with the…
Shaggy Feat. Brian & Tony Gold Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) My …
shaggy feat. rik rok Rikrok: Yo, man. Shaggy: Yo. Rikrok: Open up, man. Shaggy…
Shaggy featuring Ricardo Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) My …
Shaggy featuring Ricardo "Rikrok" Ducent Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) …
Shaggy featuring Ricardo Ducent Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) My …
Shaggy Featuring Ricardo Rikrok Ducent Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) …
Shaggy ft Ricardo Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) My …
Shaggy ft Ricardo "RikRok" Ducent Honey came in and she caught me red-handed Creeping with the…
Shaggy ft. Hans Teeuwen Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) My …
Shaggy Ft. Ricardo 'rikrok' Ducent Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) …
Shaggy [Feat. Ducent Ricardo "RikRok"] Honey came in and she caught me red-handed Creeping with the…
Shaggy/LosGarcia Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) My …
Shaggy; RikRok Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) …
Shaggy;Ricardo Ducent Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) My …
Sitti Honey came in and she caught me red-handed Creeping with the…
Solรฉ 1 - (j. weav) Your girlfriend's lyin' baby, it wasn't me Y…
Sole [Chorus x 2] Your girlfriend's lyin', baby; it wasn't me You…
Solรฉ Feat. Ginuwine OOooohh.. red zone, sole, ginuwine..uh huh.. Ginuwine- Your…
Solรฉ Feat. J. Weav [Chorus x 2] Your girlfriend's lyin', baby; it wasn't me Y…
Soleโ feat. J. Weav Your girlfriend's lyin' baby, it wasn't me Your girl said…
Stan Webb's Chicken Shack Well, if you hear somebody knockin' on your door If you…
Steve Harley It wasn't me who wrote the epitaph I only burned the…
Steve Harley, Cockney Rebel Harley It wasn't me who wrote that epitaph I only burned th…
tenchi Yo, man (Yo) Open up, man (Yeah, what do you want, man?) My …
The Lounge-O-Leers I didn't know him but I guess he had it…
Trin-i-tee 5:7 ๏ปฟ๋น์ค๋ ๋๋๊ฐ์ ์ ๋ ๋ ธ์ ์ง์ด์ง๋ฉด ํ๋ฌ๋ณด๋ธ ๋ด ์ฒญ์ถ์ด ๋๋ฌผ์์ ๋ ์ค๋ฅธ๋ค ํ๋ง์ ๋ฐํ์์…
Various Artists (feat. Ricardo Ducent) (Yo man) Yo (Open up man) What do yo…
Wemba G. and Friends Standing so close I can hear all your whispers I'm playing w…
๏ปฟChuck Berry It wasnรฆ?ยฐ me, baby, no it wasnรฆ?ยฐ me, baby. It must…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Ray Parker Jr.:
A Woman Needs Love Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo Mmm-mmm-mmm A woman needs a love (just …
Bad Boy I've been a Bad Boy Now I want to come back…
Christmas Time Is Here Hang up the mistletoe And turn the lights down low Let's fee…
Don't Think That Man Should sleep Alone I don't think that man should sleep alone I don't think…
Ghost Busters Ghostbusters If there's something strange in you neighborho…
Ghostbuster Ghostbusters! If there's something strange in you neighborh…
Ghostbusters (Ghostbusters) If there's something strange In your neighbor…
Ghostbusters (From Ghostbusters! If there's something strange In your neigh…
Ghostbusters (Instrumental Version) GHOSTBUSTERS If there's something strange in your neighborh…
Girls Are More Fun Girls are more fun, ooh, ooh Girls are more fun The party…
I Don't Think That Man Should Sleep Alone I don't think that man should sleep alone I don't think…
I Got You I'm all confused And I don't know what to do Cause I…
I Still Can I'm all confused and I don't know what to do Cause…
I Still Can't Get Over Loving You I'm all confused And I don't know what to do Cause I…
In The Heat Of The Night He promises you things'll be different If you just give him…
Intro It's neither touch nor taste But silvery lines, the cute fr…
It's Time to Party Now Everybody* up it's time to party now Turn up the music…
Jack and Jill Jack (Jack)- wanting someone to feel (feel) Sat upon the hil…
Jamie Jamie used to be my girl She used to be my…
Let Her Go We've been goin' out for awhile now baby We've had…
Loving You I'm all confused And I don't know what to do Cause I…
Old Pro (Oooooo) Loving you, was everything I needed and more But li…
Over You I'm all confused And I don't know what to do Cause I…
So Into You "So Into You" All my life Iโฒve elected To keep my feelings …
That Old Song A good song and a love affair Go hand in hand…
The Other Woman Oh, yeah I'm in love (I'm in love) With the other woman My…
The Past I was wrong when I hurt you Did you have to…
The People Next Door I wanna bang on the walls Rock on the floor I wanna…
Two Places At The Same Time Doo, doo, doo Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo First time…
Woman Out Of Control Mmm I've got a woman out of control A woman…
You Can Mm, hm Honey, I'll always love you I promise I'll always lo…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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freelancerAM
Backstage at the Emmys, Ray Parker Jr. saw Jordan Peele and approached him. He told him in person how funny he thought this skit was. He later commented on an interview that he thought Jordan looked nervous when he first approached, as if he wasn't sure how Ray would react. Turns out Ray thought the whole thing was hilarious.
itsjemmabond
How did you know?
Critical Political Thinking
He dosent
itsjemmabond
@Critical Political Thinking I Googled it, it's actually true. Ray confirmed it himself, and they took a selfie together that night.
PC
Thanks for sharing that
PC
@Critical Political Thinking i just googled it and found the photo of the two them together smiling
Eric Astrum
I heard all the dislikes are from the highest level of industry decision makers
takforce06
๐คฃ
The Mighty Wooosh
was going to like, but I'll just leave the likes at 404
Vintage Thrifter
I heard the dislikes are from the few people that actually bought the set.