Hold Back The Night

Lately we've been listening to young British rockers demolishing songs they love (or hate, as the case may be). And here's another example for you.

It's Graham Parker and The Rumour again, but this time they're about to ruin some "Philadelphia soul".

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. First we must observe the original (which was a hit for The Trammps in 1973):



Now we can survey the wreckage (left in the wake of Graham Parker and The Rumour, beginning in 1977). We have multiple examples.

First they demolished it in the studio:



Then they showed how it was done, on stages all around the world! This clip is from Top of the Pops:



This is probably even better:



Many other live clips are available, and sometimes it seems as if Parker doesn't quite remember the words. But that's never mattered much to the people who came out to hear him sing. And it certainly doesn't make any difference to those of us who came out to see Andrew Bodnar play.

Yes! The big guy in the gold suit is a monster, a fabulous player. And it's no wonder they've got him right in the middle of all the action because he's driving! Having fun doing it, too!

Hold back the night, turn on the lights
Don't wanna dream about you, baby
(dream about you, baby)
Hold back the night, turn on the lights
Don't wanna dream about you baby

When you left you took the sun right out of the sky
(yes you did)
Wonder why you went away and never told me why
When the sun goes down and the moon is clear
I'm scared to death 'cause your face appears

Hold back the night, turn on the lights
Don't wanna dream about you baby
(dream about you baby)
Hold back the night, turn on the lights
Don't wanna dream about you baby

Loneliness is haunting me when I go to bed
(oh yes it is)
Like a character in a book in a book that I have read
When the sun goes down, the moon is clear
I'm scared to death 'cause your face appears

Hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it

Hold back the night, turn on the lights
Don't want to dream about you baby
Hold back the night, turn on the lights
Don't want to dream about you baby
Hold back the night, turn on the lights
Don't want to dream about you baby

Once again we've landed on the same conclusion. We didn't realize how lame the original was until some brash young lads took the lameness out of it. That left some gaping holes, of course. And they filled those holes with passion and energy, as was their wont.

"Sing it like you mean it!"

said nobody to Graham Parker, ever!

"Play it like you mean it!"

said nobody to The Rumour.