His eighties hits were promoted by particularly striking award winning videos, featuring an all-female, black-clad backing band. The memorable videos, directed by Terence Donovan, featured heavily on MTV and played a large part in his transatlantic success.
His eighties success was kickstarted by his participation in supergroup The Power Station, along with Andy Taylor and John Taylor of Duran Duran and Tony Thompson of Chic.
Robert Palmer died on September 26, 2003 in Paris, France, while staying at the Warwick de berri Hotel. The cause of death was of a heart attack. He was in Paris promoting his Drive CD which had been released in May of 2003. He was joined there by his longtime friend, Jack Bruce. He was survived by his parents, Anna and Leslie Palmer, his brother, Mark Palmer, and his children, James, Jane, Anna, Anthony and Martin. He is interred in London, England.
Solo Albums:
Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley (1974)
Pressure Drop (1975)
Some People Can Do What They Like (1976)
Double Fun (1978)
Secrets (1979)
Clues (1980)
Maybe It's Live (1982) (live)
Pride (1983)
Riptide (1985)
Sweet Lies (1987) (single)
Heavy Nova (1988)
Addictions Volume I (1989) (compilation)
Don't Explain (1990)
Addictions Volume II (1992) (compilation)
Ridin' High (1992)
Honey (1994)
Very Best Of Robert Palmer (1995) (compilation)
Woke Up Laughing (1998) (compilation)
Very Best Of Robert Palmer (1997) (re-release of the 1995 compilation feat: "Addicted To Love '97)
Rhythm & Blues (1999)
Best Of Both Worlds: The Robert Palmer Anthology (1974-2001) (2002) (compilation)
Drive (2003)
At the BBC (2010)
Albums by the group Power Station (Feat: Robert Palmer):
Power Station (1985)
Living in Fear (1997)
The Best of The Power Station (2002)
Albums by the group Vinegar Joe (Feat: Robert Palmer):
Vinegar Joe (1971)
Rock n Roll Gypsies (1972)
Six Star Generals (1973)
Six Star Gypsies (1994) (Compilation)
Speed Queen of Ventura: An Introduction to Vinegar Joe (2003) (Compilation)
Albums by The Alan Bown Set (Feat: Robert Palmer on vocals)
The Alan Bown (1969) (Only the UK release featured Palmer on vocals)
Listen (1970) (although was re-recorded with Gordon Neville on vocals when Palmer left)
Pride
Robert Palmer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well you'll have to wait
She's in the gymnasium
Reducing weight
In shorts of a leotard
Despite her age
The girl's gonna exercise
Your life away
Sister don't you run it all off
Sister don't you jog it all away
Sister don't you rough it all up
What an idea of fun
To get it on the run
I don't know why you do
What has come over you?
The style in the discotheque
Is cheap and nice
Please tell Ms Fonda
To reduce her price
Anorexia nervosa mannequin
All this physicality
Will wear you thin
Hey Olivia Newton-John
What you say?
Hey Olivia Newton-John
What you say?
She used to yield like flesh
Now it's all muscle
She used to yield like flesh
Now it's all muscle
I don't know why you do
What has come over you
What an idea of fun
To get it on the run
Roller skates and vitamins and diet plans
Academic discipline will ruin your hands
We used to ride tandem and have lots of fun
But bicycles for exercise are made for one
The lyrics to Robert Palmer's song "Pride" are a critique of the obsession with physical fitness and appearances in American culture during the 1980s. The song addresses a woman who is so focused on exercise and weight loss that she has little time for anything else. The first verse describes her in the gymnasium, working out in shorts and a leotard despite her age. The chorus includes repeated pleas to the woman to stop her excessive exercise, with lines such as "Sister don't you jog it all away" and "Sister don't you rough it all up." The second verse mentions celebrities like Jane Fonda and Olivia Newton-John as examples of the damaging pressure to maintain a certain standard of physical perfection. The final verse laments a loss of fun and camaraderie that comes with the exclusive focus on fitness at the expense of other activities, such as biking.
The lyrics to "Pride" reflect the cultural trends of the 1980s, which saw a rise in popularity of health clubs and exercise programs. Aerobics and weight training became fads, and the ideal body shape for women became slender and toned. The song critiques this beauty standard and the extreme methods some women would go to in order to achieve it, such as developing eating disorders or becoming obsessed with exercise. The song also critiques the narrowness of the fitness craze, suggesting that it takes away from other activities that could be enjoyed with friends and loved ones.
Line by Line Meaning
You want her attention
You desire her focus
Well you'll have to wait
You will need to be patient
She's in the gymnasium
She is currently at the gym
Reducing weight
Trying to lose some pounds
In shorts of a leotard
Wearing a combo of shorts and leotard
Despite her age
Regardless of how old she is
The girl's gonna exercise
She will work out her body
Your life away
She'll spend countless hours exercising
Sister don't you jog it all away
Please don't exercise too much
Sister don't you run it all off
Don't try to lose all your weight
Sister don't you jog it all away
Please don't exercise too much
Sister don't you rough it all up
Don't damage your body through exercise
What an idea of fun
How odd to consider this enjoyable
To get it on the run
To exercise or be physically active
I don't know why you do
I fail to comprehend your motivations
What has come over you?
What has influenced/changed you like this?
The style in the discotheque
The atmosphere in the club
Is cheap and nice
Is low-cost yet pleasant
Please tell Ms Fonda
Inform Jane Fonda
To reduce her price
To make her workout videos cheaper
Anorexia nervosa mannequin
Someone who is overly thin and may have an eating disorder
All this physicality
All this physical exercise and/or activity
Will wear you thin
Will exhaust you and make you too thin
Hey Olivia Newton-John
Hello, Olivia Newton-John
What you say?
What's your opinion/view?
Hey Olivia Newton-John
Hello, Olivia Newton-John
What you say?
What's your opinion/view?
She used to yield like flesh
She used to be soft/curvy
Now it's all muscle
Now she is completely toned
She used to yield like flesh
She used to be soft/curvy
Now it's all muscle
Now she is completely toned
I don't know why you do
I fail to comprehend your motivations
What has come over you
What has influenced/changed you like this?
What an idea of fun
How odd to consider this enjoyable
To get it on the run
To exercise or be physically active
Roller skates and vitamins and diet plans
Various items suggested for healthy living
Academic discipline will ruin your hands
Too much studying can cause harm to your hands
We used to ride tandem and have lots of fun
We used to ride together and have great times
But bicycles for exercise are made for one
Bicycles used for exercise don't typically seat two people
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROBERT PALMER, MONTY NEUBLE, MARTY MISCHKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@stantheworld
The soulful voice, the music, the choreography, his demeanor, his style >. ...
Robert Palmer was a class act!
@edmundrand261
Spot on, equals Darryl Halls achievements any day
@GreasyFilms-qc1xo
One of the most underrated artists of the 70s/80s.
@naturesfinest4871
That's a truly unoriginal thing to say about anyone....everyone says an artist is SO underrated.... LMAO! Robert Palmer is not underrated...he's a true legend and always will be even though he's no longer with us.
@quincycooper79
Yes he was.Robert had a beautiful Baritone voice.
@baronmeduse
Double Grammy and MTV Music award winning Robert Palmer? Who sold millions of records. Yeah, underrated.
@nickavenoso7851
@@baronmeduse He’s mostly only known by casual fans for “Addicted To Love” and “Simply Irresistible”. A lot of his work is underrated, like Pride and Clues, Some People Can Do What They Like and others.
@barringtongilbert9230
Coolest guy in music...and from SCARBOROUGH of all places!
@scottshelton9660
He was Simply one of the mist talented singer/performer. PERIOD
@synthrodriguez7518
One of my favorite songs of all time. A poignant expression of existential separation.
Miss him. :(
And for the ladies, don't you run it all off...