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)
Riptide
Robert Palmer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When silver moonlight beams
And then a new love beckoned me
Wrecking the ship of my dreams
Riptide caught in a riptide, torn between two loves
The old and the new
Riptide lost in a riptide
My heart is tossed on a sea of emotion
One love offers romance
The other devotion
A new love is calling
The old love is pleading
I'm caught in a riptide what shall I do?
Riptide caught in a riptide, torn between two loves
The old and the new
Riptide lost in a riptide
Where will it take me what shall I do?
My heart is tossed on a sea of emotion
One love offers romance
The other devotion
A new love is calling
The old love is pleading
I'm caught in a riptide what shall I do?
In Robert Palmer's song "Riptide," the singer describes being torn between two loves as being caught in a riptide. At the start of the song, his life is calm and uneventful like a summer sea illuminated by moonlight, until he meets someone new who catches his eye. This new love becomes a source of tension, causing the ship of his dreams to wreck. He is then caught in a riptide of emotions, struggling to choose between his old love and new love.
The chorus of the song repeats the idea of being caught in a riptide, torn between the old and the new, and not knowing which direction to take. The singer's heart is tossed on a sea of emotions, with one love offering romance and the other offering devotion. He is caught in a dilemma, with the new love calling to him while the old love is pleading to keep him.
The song presents a familiar theme of being caught between old and new love and not knowing which to choose. The use of the metaphor of a riptide creates a sense of urgency and danger, highlighting the importance of the decision. The lyrics are a heartfelt plea for guidance on how to navigate the situation, as the singer asks: "what shall I do?"
Line by Line Meaning
Live was as calm as a summer sea
Everything in my life was peaceful and content.
When silver moonlight beams
Under the light of the moon.
And then a new love beckoned me
Someone new appeared in my life and caught my attention.
Wrecking the ship of my dreams
But their arrival caused my long-term plans to be thrown into chaos.
Riptide caught in a riptide, torn between two loves
I'm stuck in a difficult situation with conflicting emotions for two different people.
The old and the new
One person from my past and another from my present.
Riptide lost in a riptide
I feel like I'm struggling and lost in my emotions and desires for both people.
Where will it take me what shall I do?
I'm unsure where my choices will lead me and what decisions to make.
My heart is tossed on a sea of emotion
My feelings are turbulent and unpredictable.
One love offers romance
One person satisfies my need for passion and excitement.
The other devotion
The other person gives me loyalty and commitment.
A new love is calling
The new person is tempting me to explore new possibilities.
The old love is pleading
The person from my past wants me to choose loyalty and commitment over passion.
I'm caught in a riptide what shall I do?
I'm feeling trapped and anxious about making the right decision.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GUS KAHN, WALTER DONALDSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
James Madura
Truly a talent - never knew how remarkable he was until he was gone. I'm sad thinking of what was lost......
Dietpepsivanilla
My life is a Robert Palmer song at the moment. I'm truly caught in a Riptide. But I believe I know what I'm going to do.
Dori Queen
he will be missed! he made great music! RIP Robert! and working with such beautiful ladies!
Laura Kenney
I'm transported to a more romantic place when I hear his slow songs...yeah, I miss Robert Palmer! 💝
shoegalmi
miss his soulful voice...love ya
bunsomatic
I miss you Robert Palmer. When I get up to heaven I hope we can meet. ♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫
Donna Drejza
Happy Birthday in heaven Robert.
hyphen pearce
So underrated!!? ;-)
Colin McMahon
AcK! .O