Squeezing Out Sparks

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Squeezing Out Sparks
Studio album by Graham Parker
Released	March 1979
Recorded	Lansdowne Studios, London
Genre	Rock
Length	37:18
Label	Vertigo Records Mercury Records
Producer	Jack Nitzsche
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Robert Christgau (A) link Rolling Stone (not rated) link Trouser Press (Very favorable) link
Graham Parker chronology
The Parkerilla (1978) Squeezing Out Sparks (1979) The Up Escalator (1980)

Squeezing Out Sparks is a 1979 album by Graham Parker and The Rumour. Attuned to the punk rock energy of the period, with a hard-rocking sound and intense lyrical concerns, the album drops the group's previous R&B inflections, creating their generally most acclaimed work. It is Parker's most popular album in the US, and it appears on many lists of the greatest rock albums.

Squeezing Out Sparks was reissued in the UK in 2001 on Vertigo/Mercury, with two bonus tracks. In addition, in 1996, Polygram issued Squeezing Out Sparks + Live Sparks with the original ten tracks followed by live versions of the same songs, in the same order, plus "I Want You Back (Alive)" and "Mercury Poisoning" live.

"Live Sparks" had originally been released only as a limited edition, promotional picture disc LP. Studio versions of "I Want You Back" (a Jackson 5 cover) and "Mercury Poisoning" were originally issued on a 45rpm 7" single which was included with early copies of the album.

In 2003, the album was ranked number 335 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Contents 1 Track listing 1.1 Bonus Tracks (2001 Reissue) 2 Personnel 3 Charts

[edit] Track listing

All songs written by Graham Parker.

1. "Discovering Japan" – 3:32
2. "Local Girls" – 3:44
3. "Nobody Hurts You" – 3:42
4. "You Can't Be Too Strong" – 3:21
5. "Passion Is No Ordinary Word" – 4:26
6. "Saturday Nite Is Dead" – 3:18
7. "Love Gets You Twisted" – 3:02
8. "Protection" – 3:54
9. "Waiting for the UFOs" – 3:08
10. "Don't Get Excited" – 3:04

[edit] Bonus Tracks (2001 Reissue)

1. "Mercury Poisoning" – 3:09
2. "I Want You Back" – 3:26

[edit] Personnel

• Graham Parker – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
• Brinsley Schwarz – guitar, backing vocals
• Martin Belmont – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Bob Andrews – keyboards, backing vocals
• Steve Goulding – drums, backing vocals
• Andrew Bodnar – bass

[edit] Charts

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1979	Billboard Pop Albums	40