Stick to the Status Quo
High School Musical Cast feat. David Lawrence Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You can bet there's nothin' but net
When I am in a zone and on a roll
But I've got a confession, my own secret obsession
And it's making me lose control

Everybody gather around

"If Troy can tell his secret then I can tell mine"
"I bake"
"What?"
"I love to bake, strudels, scones, even apple pandowdy"

Not another sound

"Someday, I hope to make the perfect crème brûlée"

No, no, no
No, no, no
Stick to the stuff you know
If you wanna be cool
Follow one simple rule
Don't mess with the flow, no no
Stick to the status quo

Look at me and what do you see?
Intelligence beyond compare
But inside I am stirring, something strange is occurring
It's a secret I need to share

Open up, dig way down deep

"Hip-hop is my passion"
"I love to pop, and lock, and jam, and break"
"Is that even legal?"

Not another peep

"It's just dancing"
"Sometimes, I think it's even cooler than homework"

No, no, no
No, no, no
Stick to the stuff you know
It's better by far
To keep things as they are
Don't mess with the flow, no no
Stick to the status quo

Listen well, I'm ready to tell, about a need that I cannot deny
Dude there's no explanation for this awesome sensation
But I'm ready to let it fly

Speak your mind and you'll be heard

"Alright if Troy wants to be a singer then I coming clean"
"I play the cello"
"Awesome"
"What is it?"
"A saw"
"No dude, it's like a giant violin"

Not another word

"Do you have to wear a costume?"
"Coat and tie"

No, no, no, no
No, no, no
Stick to the stuff you know
If you wanna be cool
Follow one simple rule
Don't mess with the flow, no no
Stick to the status quo, oh

No, no, no
No, no, no
Stick to the stuff you know
It's better by far
To keep things as they are
Don't mess with the flow, no, no
Stick to the status quo

This is not what I want
This is not what I planned
And I just got to say
I do not understand

Something is really
Something's not right
Really wrong
And we gotta get things back where they belong

We can do it
Gotta play
Stick with what you know

We can do it
Hip-hop hooray
She has got to go

We can do it
Crème Brûlée
Keep your voice down low

Not another peep (no)
Not another word (no)
Not another sound (no)
Everybody quiet

"Why is everybody staring at you?"
"Not me, you"
"Because of the call backs?"
"I can't have people staring at me, I really can't"

No, no, no, no
Stick to the stuff you know
If you wanna be cool
Follow one simple rule
Don't mess with the flow, no no
Stick to the status quo

No, no, no
Stick to the stuff you know
It's better by far
To keep things as they are
Don't mess with the flow, no no
Stick to the status




Stick to the status
Stick to the status quo

Overall Meaning

"Stick to the Status Quo" is a song in the "High School Musical" movie. It is performed by the cast and David Lawrence. The song advocates for following the norm and not expressing individual passions to avoid ridicule or isolation. Despite the surface level message, the song reveals the characters' hidden talents and desires.


The song starts with Zeke expressing his passion for baking, which is typically considered a feminine hobby. He feels ashamed and believes that baking is not cool, so he never shares it with anyone. However, when he finally reveals his talent to the group, they accept him for who he is. The song goes on with other characters sharing their hidden desires, such as Ryan's interest in hip-hop and Martha's classical cello playing.


Overall, the song shows that people should embrace their true selves and not hide behind societal norms. It encourages acceptance and validates individuality.


Line by Line Meaning

You can bet there's nothin' but net
I'm really good at basketball


When I am in a zone and on a roll
I perform at my best when I'm focused


But I've got a confession, my own secret obsession
I have a secret hobby that I really enjoy


And it's making me lose control
I can't stop thinking about it and it's affecting me


"If Troy can tell his secret then I can tell mine"
I'm inspired to share my secret because others are doing the same


"I bake"
My secret hobby is baking


"What?"
Others are surprised by my hobby


"I love to bake, strudels, scones, even apple pandowdy"
I enjoy baking a variety of desserts


Not another sound
Everyone is now listening carefully


"Someday, I hope to make the perfect crème brûlée"
I have a goal for my baking skills


"No, no, no No, no, no Stick to the stuff you know If you wanna be cool Follow one simple rule Don't mess with the flow, no no Stick to the status quo"
Don't deviate from what is expected if you want to fit in


Look at me and what do you see?
I may appear a certain way on the outside


Intelligence beyond compare
I'm very intelligent


But inside I am stirring, something strange is occurring
I'm hiding a secret internal struggle


It's a secret I need to share
I need to express my true self


"Hip-hop is my passion"
I am passionate about hip-hop dancing


"I love to pop, and lock, and jam, and break"
I enjoy various hip-hop dance techniques


"Is that even legal?"
Others don't understand or approve of my hobby


"It's just dancing"
I see dancing as a form of self-expression


"Sometimes, I think it's even cooler than homework"
I enjoy it more than academic work


Listen well, I'm ready to tell, about a need that I cannot deny
I'm ready to reveal my true desires


Dude there's no explanation for this awesome sensation
I have a strong feeling that I can't explain


But I'm ready to let it fly
I'm ready to express myself freely


"Alright if Troy wants to be a singer then I'm coming clean"
I'm inspired to share my secret because others are doing the same


"I play the cello"
My secret hobby is playing the cello


"Awesome"
Others are positive about my hobby


"What is it?"
Others don't immediately recognize the cello


"A saw"
I jokingly pretend the cello is actually a saw


"No dude, it's like a giant violin"
I explain the proper name and function of the cello


"Do you have to wear a costume?"
I am asked about the dress code for playing the cello


"Coat and tie"
I explain the dress code for cello players


No, no, no, no No, no, no Stick to the stuff you know If you wanna be cool Follow one simple rule Don't mess with the flow, no no Stick to the status quo
Follow the status quo if you want to be popular and accepted


This is not what I want This is not what I planned And I just got to say I do not understand
I'm struggling with understanding and accepting the expectations placed on me


Something is really Something's not right Really wrong And we gotta get things back where they belong
Something is off and we need to correct it


We can do it Gotta play Stick with what you know We can do it Hip-hop hooray She has got to go We can do it Crème Brûlée Keep your voice down low
We need to stick with what is expected and ignore those who deviate from the norm


Not another peep (no) Not another word (no) Not another sound (no) Everybody quiet
Everyone needs to be silent and follow the rules


"Why is everybody staring at you?" "Not me, you" "Because of the call backs?" "I can't have people staring at me, I really can't"
One person is concerned with being the center of attention


No, no, no, no Stick to the stuff you know If you wanna be cool Follow one simple rule Don't mess with the flow, no no Stick to the status quo
Reiteration of the importance of following expectations in order to be popular


No, no, no Stick to the stuff you know It's better by far To keep things as they are Don't mess with the flow, no no Stick to the status quo
Sticking with the status quo is the better choice for everyone




Writer(s): Lawrence David N, Greenberg Faye L

Contributed by Alexandra M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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