Graham Parker (official thread)
- Thread starter dr wu
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In a Graham Parker mood.......
Get Started Start a Fire
The Mona Lisa's sister doesn't smile
She tried to pose, but only for a while
Leonardo sent her home
Since then, she has lived alone
With her few belongings and a copy
Of a painting of herself unhappy
She is going to burn it, when she's ready, ah
Get started
Start a fire
Get started
Start a fire
Marilyn was lying all alone
With an empty bottle by the phone
Kennedy was not around
She was cold when she was found [1]
But she'd gone where goddesses are sleeping
Where the molten tongues of flames are leaping
Or where the angel's hearts are beating, ah
Get started
Start a fire
Get started
Start a fire
Ooh, get started
Yeah, start a fire, hmm
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh (ah-ah)
Ooh-ooh, ah, ooh-ooh-ooh, start a fire
Joan of Arc was burning at the stake
Somebody had made a big mistake
She had lit a cigarette
In an airport where you get [1]
All your fingers taken off for smoking
Meanwhile, up the road, a factory's choking
The ones who killed her work there, I'm not joking, ah
Get started
Start a fire
Ah, get started
Start a fire, hmm
Oh, get started
Yeah, start a fire
Ooh, get started
Start a fire, ah (ah-ah) [1]
...
Get Started Start a Fire
The Mona Lisa's sister doesn't smile
She tried to pose, but only for a while
Leonardo sent her home
Since then, she has lived alone
With her few belongings and a copy
Of a painting of herself unhappy
She is going to burn it, when she's ready, ah
Get started
Start a fire
Get started
Start a fire
Marilyn was lying all alone
With an empty bottle by the phone
Kennedy was not around
She was cold when she was found [1]
But she'd gone where goddesses are sleeping
Where the molten tongues of flames are leaping
Or where the angel's hearts are beating, ah
Get started
Start a fire
Get started
Start a fire
Ooh, get started
Yeah, start a fire, hmm
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh (ah-ah)
Ooh-ooh, ah, ooh-ooh-ooh, start a fire
Joan of Arc was burning at the stake
Somebody had made a big mistake
She had lit a cigarette
In an airport where you get [1]
All your fingers taken off for smoking
Meanwhile, up the road, a factory's choking
The ones who killed her work there, I'm not joking, ah
Get started
Start a fire
Ah, get started
Start a fire, hmm
Oh, get started
Yeah, start a fire
Ooh, get started
Start a fire, ah (ah-ah) [1]
...
'Obsessed with Aretha'
You get a lot of girl singers obsessed with Aretha
You get a lot of little swingers wishin' they could be her
Some of those sisters can rock and roll
All God's children gotta little bit of soul
But not that much no no no not that much
You get a lot of fat Christians you want to throw to the lions
Put em in a barrel, roll em off the top of Mount Zion
Ignorant acceptance is their only aim
With Jesus your life'll be better they claim
But not that much no no no not that much
You get a lot of little monkeys swingin' from the treetops
You get a lot of little flunkeys singin' on Top of the Pops
Some of them appear in the gutter press Tellin' you their lives are a mess
But not that much no no no not that much
You get a lot of little stringers pullin' out their penknives
Cuttin' up history Jugglin' with lives
Bein' a reporter is a glamorous trade
You don't even have to tell the truth to get paid
Well not that much no no no not that much
You get a lot of little monkeys swingin' from the treetops
You get a lot of little flunkeys singin' on Top of the Pops
Some of them appear in the gutter press Tellin' you their lives are a mess
But not that much no no no not that much
Yeah but when you hear Aretha singing on some adver tise ment
Or with a big fussy band on some hall of fame concert
She's still got the lungs and the dress and the mink stole
You might even say the girl's still got soul
But not that much no no no not that much
Hey ay ay ay etc
You get a lot of girl singers obsessed with Aretha
You get a lot of little swingers wishin' they could be her
Some of those sisters can rock and roll
All God's children gotta little bit of soul
But not that much no no no not that much
You get a lot of fat Christians you want to throw to the lions
Put em in a barrel, roll em off the top of Mount Zion
Ignorant acceptance is their only aim
With Jesus your life'll be better they claim
But not that much no no no not that much
You get a lot of little monkeys swingin' from the treetops
You get a lot of little flunkeys singin' on Top of the Pops
Some of them appear in the gutter press Tellin' you their lives are a mess
But not that much no no no not that much
You get a lot of little stringers pullin' out their penknives
Cuttin' up history Jugglin' with lives
Bein' a reporter is a glamorous trade
You don't even have to tell the truth to get paid
Well not that much no no no not that much
You get a lot of little monkeys swingin' from the treetops
You get a lot of little flunkeys singin' on Top of the Pops
Some of them appear in the gutter press Tellin' you their lives are a mess
But not that much no no no not that much
Yeah but when you hear Aretha singing on some adver tise ment
Or with a big fussy band on some hall of fame concert
She's still got the lungs and the dress and the mink stole
You might even say the girl's still got soul
But not that much no no no not that much
Hey ay ay ay etc
Dont Let It Break You Down
Now don't get bent out of shape
Don't start tearing out your hair
One a sweet little angel
That stuff's nowhere
When the bombs go off on Oxford Street
And the kids beat up old people
It's just a soundtrack for your life
It's just everyday evil
But don't let it break you down
Don't let it break you down
Don't let it break you down
Some people are in charge of pens
That shouldn't be in charge of brooms
They have the nerve to rip up a man's life
In a paragraph or two
And the aeroplanes get hijacked
And all the Americans get killed
And the children are all addicted
To a sugar-coated pill
But don't let it break you down
Don't let it break you down
Don't let it break you down
Well you get sent out on the racetrack
You get spurs dug in your cheeks
You'll see a winning post in the distance
That you'll never ever reach
And there's a hole in the atmosphere
Gets bigger every time you spray your hair
And someone's drilling down through the earth
Just to see what's there
But don't let it break you down
Don't let it break you down
Don't let it break you down
But don't let it break you down
Don't let it break you down
Don't let it break you down
Now don't get bent out of shape
Don't start tearing out your hair
One a sweet little angel
That stuff's nowhere
When the bombs go off on Oxford Street
And the kids beat up old people
It's just a soundtrack for your life
It's just everyday evil
But don't let it break you down
Don't let it break you down
Don't let it break you down
Some people are in charge of pens
That shouldn't be in charge of brooms
They have the nerve to rip up a man's life
In a paragraph or two
And the aeroplanes get hijacked
And all the Americans get killed
And the children are all addicted
To a sugar-coated pill
But don't let it break you down
Don't let it break you down
Don't let it break you down
Well you get sent out on the racetrack
You get spurs dug in your cheeks
You'll see a winning post in the distance
That you'll never ever reach
And there's a hole in the atmosphere
Gets bigger every time you spray your hair
And someone's drilling down through the earth
Just to see what's there
But don't let it break you down
Don't let it break you down
Don't let it break you down
But don't let it break you down
Don't let it break you down
Don't let it break you down
E-Z
Senior Member
Not a band that I would normally bother listening to (and I never do) and I only know of them through a slight connection with Thin Lizzy back around 1977-78 especially when 'Lizzy' played Dancing in the Moonlight and Philo would announce from the stage after the 'Saxophone break' "From the Graham Parker band John Earl on saxophone!!" also the band gets a mention in the Phil Lynott & Thin Lizzy book by Mark Puttiford and according to Graham 'Thin Lizzy and especially Phil were a big help to them on tour to give them a break!.
Buckeye Randy
Junior Member
I suppose I qualify as a casual fan of Graham Parker. I think the album "Squeezing Out Sparks" by GP & The Rumor is super solid, I still play it a couple times a year. I also like several bands that generally fall under the umbrella of pub rock and Stiff Records. I'll be seeing Nick Lowe later this year.
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