I missed this song in Graham Parker’s discography. This is a good one and a cover of the Trammps song they released in 1975. The Trammps would later have some huge disco hits. This one was more Philly soul-sounding. Parker had already been bending R&B and soul into his own style with his first two albums, Howlin’ Wind and Heat Treatment.
It was released on the EP The Pink Parker in late ’77 (a live version was tacked onto the U.S. version of The Parkerilla in 1979). Graham’s version is raw and raucous, much more than the original. The Pink Parker peaked at #24 in the UK Charts and #58 on the Billboard 100 in 1977. He recorded this with his great backup band called The Rumour.
The Rumour would be Graham’s backing band for years. They also recorded their own albums separately and did three in all. They broke up in 1980 and then reformed and started to back Parker up again in 2011 and remain his backup band to this day.
The Pink Parker was an EP, and it basically functioned as a stealth single for Hold Back the Night. The track started getting serious airplay and attention.
Hold Back The Night
Hold back the nightTurn on the lightDon’t wanna dream about you babyHold back the nightTurn on the lightDon’t wanna dream about you baby
When you leftYou took the sunRight out of my skyYes you didWonder whyYou went awayAnd never told me why
When the sun go downThe moon is nearI’m scared to death‘Cause your face appear
Hold back the nightTurn on the lightDon’t wanna dream about you babyHold back the nightTurn on the lightDon’t wanna dream about you baby
LonelinessHolding meWhen I go to bed yes it isLike a characterIn a bookThat I have read
When the sun go downThe moon is nearI’m scared to death‘Cause your face appear
Hold it hold it hold it hold it
Hold back the nightTurn on the lightDon’t wanna dream about you babyI said hold back the nightTurn on the lightDon’t wanna dream about you baby
Hold back the nightTurn on the lightDon’t wanna dream about you babyHold back the nightTurn on the lightDon’t wanna dream about you babyHold back the nightTurn on the lightDon’t wanna dream about you babyHold back the nightTurn on the lightDon’t wanna dream about you babyHold back the nightTurn on the lightDon’t wanna dream about you babyHold back the nightTurn on the lightDon’t wanna dream about you babyHold back the nightTurn on the lightDon’t wanna dream about you baby
…
PowerPop... An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture 