Graham Parker – Discovering Japan

The first Graham Parker album I listened to was his debut, Howlin’ Wind. I went in order, and this one was his fourth studio album, and I have enjoyed his albums. I still need to listen to his 90s output. This is one of my favorite albums by him, no doubt. It’s full of great songs like Local Girls, Saturday Nite is Dead, and Protection is just a few of them.

This song was one of the many standout tracks from Squeezing Out Sparks, released in 1979 by Graham Parker and The Rumour. By that point, Parker had already built a reputation as one of the stronger British songwriters to come out of the pub rock era. The song was reportedly inspired by Parker’s fascination with Japanese women and culture during a period when Japan was becoming more visible. Parker later admitted the title and lyrics were partly tongue-in-cheek.

The Rumour was the perfect band for Parker’s vocal style. Guitarist Brinsley Schwarz helped drive the track with sharp rhythm. The producer Jack Nitzsche gave the album an edgy sound that kept the focus on the band. The sessions for Squeezing Out Sparks took place at a time when Parker was frustrated with the music business. He kept getting overlooked commercially compared to some of his contemporaries.

Over the years, this song became one of the songs most associated with Graham Parker. It was never a major hit single, but it became an FM radio favorite and a live staple. Many fans and critics still point to Squeezing Out Sparks as Parker’s strongest album. The album did well as it peaked at #40 on the Billboard Album Charts, #79 in Canada, and #18 in the UK. The album was helped out by the single Local Girls that got a lot of play on MTV but failed to chart.

This video is an entire concert, but I pasted it with Discovering Japan on the time stamp. It’s worth watching the entire concert, but when you click play, you will hear this song.

Discovering Japan

Her heart is nearly breaking
The earth is nearly quaking
The Tokyo taxi’s braking
It’s screaming to a halt
There’s nothing to hold on to
When gravity betrays you
And every kiss enslaves you
She knows how hard a heart grows
Under nuclear shadows

She can’t escape the feeling
Repeating in her head
When after all the urges
Some kind of truth emerges
He felt the deadly surges

Discovering Japan
Discovering Japan

The G.I.’s only used her
They always ran right through her
Giving an Eastern promise
That they could never keep
Seeing a million miles
Between their jokes and smiles
She heard their heart denials

As the tears run sideways down her face, face
Ah, with the time in the tune of a different race, race

And as the flight touches down
My watch says eight oh two
That’s midnight to you
Midnight to you
Midnight to you

I dreamed of long collisions
In Cadillac Panavisions
I shouted sayonara
It didn’t mean goodbye
But lovers turn to posers
Show up in film exposures
Just like in travel brochures

Discovering Japan
Discovering Japan
Discovering Japan
Discovering Japan
Discovering Japan
Discovering Japan

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

25 thoughts on “Graham Parker – Discovering Japan”

  1. Pingback: Graham Parker – Discovering Japan – MobsterTiger

  3. Graham Parker is my equal favourite vocalist. (With Alex Harvey.)I like him in part because he’s one of very few, perhaps even the only, rock star who is smaller than me! **

    I was lucky enough to see him play with The Rumour in the small Strathclyde University Students Union on 21st April 1978. One of my top shows. 🙂 ** Damn you AI! (Just doe a quick verification check and find GP is actually 1″ taller than me! Sheesh! I must be tiny! ) 😂

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    1. lol…I saw Peter Frampton in an airport before…I thought he was small…but yea…Graham has him beat on shortness…and you apparently! I’m only 5.7 or so.
      I dont’ understand why he didn’t more well known….like Costello did.

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  4. Too punk for pop fans, too pop for punkers? Something just never clicked for Graham in terms of commercial success.
    I’m running a bit behind on my end today…

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      1. true. Costello wasn’t really much for sales here either, but he sure was in the UK, and at least notched two or three hit songs on this side of the ocean

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      1. Back when word of mouth was harder to come by, Springsteen at one time said that GP was one of his favorite live shows. Can’t argue with him. I caught Parker and the Rumour and they were lights out. Listening to this song brings back fond feelings. A great time in my music listening journey. Goulding pounds the skins on that live cut.

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      2. Yea they certainly clicked live…I so wish I could have seen them. I would gladly see him now as well. After hearing that debut album…yea I’m a fan.

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  8. While I have listened to Graham Parker’s music from various of his albums and dig what I’ve heard to date, I’ve yet to explore him in a more systematic fashion. “Local Girls,” which I love, is the song I knew. “Discovering Japan” didn’t ring a bell and sounds great as well.

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