From The Blog

Hey Lord, Don't Ask Me Questions

Posted by on February 14, 2008 in Music

Just downloaded High Times: The Best of Graham Parker and the Rumour. Graham Parker was a spiky little rat-faced fellow, kind of a cross between Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson. He released a couple of songs I liked back in the mid-70′s – New York Shuffle and Don’t Ask Me Questions.

Anyways, downloaded the album, added it to my iTunes library and got ready to rip it up like I was back in the Regent Theatre in Sydney after a disappointingly short Elvis Costello gig. (I’m probably the only person that remembers the Daily Mirror headline the next day – ‘Punks Wreck Regent’.)

The album is rubbish. Don’t Ask Me Questions is a live version – and a cod-Reggae one at that. I don’t recognise any of the other songs. And New York Shuffle is muffled and thin. It’s obviously an el-cheapo compilation slapped together by a label that couldn’t quite manage to get all the rights.

If I’d paid good money for it I’d be furious.

It’s lucky I didn’t I guess.

  1. Chris February 15, 2008 at 2:29 pm #

    Have you tried using Limewire to look for it? That’s where I try to feed my nostalgia itches

    Reply
  2. Peter February 16, 2008 at 8:45 am #

    Hi Chris,
    I’ve stayed clear of file sharing up to this point. My Russian pals reckon they’re passing a percentage of the pittance I pay them to the artists.

    Having said that, I’ve got this God-awful version of the song lodged in my brain and I suspect that only the original will wedge it out.

    Reply
  3. Graham February 21, 2008 at 12:16 am #

    The fact that we share the exact same name compelled me to buy “Stiffs and Demons” in a sale in HMV ages ago, and I was pretty impressed by some of the songs – but given my limited musical knowledge at the time, that can’t have been too hard!
    He also helped fuel some teenage paranoia when a teacher asked me if I knew about the Rumours…

    Reply
  4. Chris March 13, 2008 at 11:07 am #

    G’day
    I remember you talking about that Elvis gig at school. And the riot that followed. Half hour set or something?? I really like New york Shuffle.
    Cheers
    Rooty

    Reply
  5. Peter March 13, 2008 at 12:00 pm #

    Hey Rooty – yeah, I went with Angelo Benetatos. We both wore white shirts and thin black ties. And I think it was a 35 minute set.
    Re: New York Shuffle. I really like it too – that’s what made the purchase so disappointing!

    Reply

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