They began as a rock and roll freakbeat band called The Spectres. By 1967, with very little commercial success, they discovered psychedelia and changed their name to Traffic (later Traffic Jam, to avoid confusion with Steve Winwood's Traffic.) At this time the line-up also included organist Roy Lynes and drummer John Coghlan. Late in 1967 they recruited second guitarist Rick Parfitt and became The Status Quo, scoring Top 10 singles with Pictures Of Matchstick Men and Ice in The Sun. "Pictures of Matchstick Men" remains the only Top 40 hit single the group has ever charted in the United States. They have never achieved the same level of success there, that they have enjoyed in their home country.
After their second album Spare Parts they decided to change into a heavy boogie rock band. During the seventies they became one of the UK's leading rock bands, gaining a faithful following due to their excellent live gigs. They showed a great amount of energy during this decade and in the early 80s. They and are best known for songs from this era such as Paper Plane (1972), Caroline (1973), Down Down (1975), John Fogerty's Rockin' All Over The World (1977) and Whatever You Want (1979). Down Down topped the UK charts in January 1975 (their only British No. 1 single to date).
Lynes left in 1971, to be replaced initially by guest keyboard players on album, including Jimmy Horowitz and John Parker, and later on a more permanent basis on record and stage by ex-The Herd and Judas Jump member Andy Bown, though as he was contracted as a solo artist with EMI, he was not credited as a full-time member until 1982. Coghlan left in late 1981, to be replaced by Pete Kircher from 1960s band Honeybus. This short-lived lineup played its last gig in 1984 at the Milton Keynes Bowl, and reformed briefly to open the Live Aid charity event at Wembley in July 1985.
That year Rossi recorded and released two solo singles with longtime writing partner Bernie Frost. Parfitt was also working on a solo album which is still unreleased, although some tracks have been re-recorded by Status Quo and released as 'B' sides. Bass player John Edwards and drummer Jeff Rich, both ex-Judie Tzuke Band and Climax Blues Band, assisted Parfitt in the studio.
In the summer of 1985 Rossi, Parfitt and Bown, along with Edwards and Rich started work on a new album. Lancaster, who was living in Australia at the time, took out a legal injunction to stop the band using the Status Quo name on any records. The injunction was lifted after a court hearing in January 1986. Lancaster had had increasing musical differences with the group, notably during the sessions for the 1983 album Back to Back over two tracks which became hit singles for the group around that time. He had written Ol' Rag Blues, but was angered when the producers chose to release a version with Rossi singing lead vocal in preference to the one sung by himself, and he objected to Marguerita Time, which he thought unduly corny and too pop-oriented for them. He remained in Australia, forming a band called Party Boys, who had no success in Britain.
The commercially successful In The Army Now album was released in 1986, and the band continues to this day with the revised personnel. Rich left in 2000 and was replaced by Matthew Letley. Andrew Bown took a year off at the same time for family reasons and was replaced on stage by Paul Hirsh, formerly of Voyager.
According to Songfacts.com, Quo's 29th studio album, Quid Pro Quo, was released in a deluxe format exclusively at Tesco on 30 May 2011. The regular edition was released elsewhere a week later on 7th June. The LP debuted at #10 in the UK charts, the band's best chart placing for an original album since Don't Stop peaked at #2 in 1996.
Although Quo still release new material every few years, recent years have seen them release a series of greatest hits compilations and covers albums. One of the band's most recent original albums, Heavy Traffic, shows a return to classic form not seen since the late 1970s.
Status Quo have often been characterized, perhaps unfairly, as producing very simple songs, always in the same format: 4/4 rhythm, three chord structure. However, the recordings from their first decade demonstrate a diversity in musical style and complexity to rival most of the late 60s UK bands, and several of their singles and album tracks from later show considerable subtlety, not least the mainly acoustic 1979 single Living On An Island, and the 1980 album track, later a single, Rock'n'Roll, which is ironically one of the least rock'n'roll-like songs they have ever recorded.
They have a loyal group of fans in the United Kingdom, where they have enjoyed more hits than any other group in rock and roll history (over 60 as of mid-2005), as well as a big following in Europe, notably in The Netherlands.
In September 2005 a contestant on the long-running BBC television quiz programme Mastermind chose Status Quo as his specialist subject. That same year they took part in the long running ITV soap opera Coronation Street in a storyline which involved them being sued by the layabout Les Battersby.
In December 2005 it was announced that Parfitt was undergoing tests for throat cancer. All subsequent dates of the UK tour were cancelled as a result. However on 20th December it was further announced that the growths found in Parfitt's throat were benign and had been removed.
Quo have even been the subject of a Doctoral Thesis, purporting to demonstrate that their music composition skills could be favourably compared to the likes of the classical music composers, such as Beethoven!
In Autumn 2008 German techno legend Scooter released new single Jump that rock together with Status Quo.
On 1 February 2016, it was officially announced that Status Quo, in addition to the spring and summer dates already scheduled, would tour Europe starting in October. The final dates would take place in the UK towards the end of the year, after which the group would retire from playing 'electric' tours.
On 28 October 2016, Rick Parfitt permanently retired from live performances after suffering a heart attack earlier the same year. On 24 December 2017, he died in hospital in Marbella, Spain as a result of severe infection, after suffering an injury to his shoulder. Parfitt's funeral was held at Woking Crematorium on 19 January 2017. Irish guitarist Richie Malone, who had substituted for Parfitt during some 2016 live shows, took his place on rhythm guitar.
A Mess Of Blues
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I swear I'm going crazy, sitting here all alone
Since you gone I got a mess of the blues
Whoops there goes a tear drop, a-rolling down my face
And if you cry when you're alone it's surely no disgrace
I ain't slept a wink since Sunday, I can't eat a thing all day
Since you gone I got a mess of the blues
Whoops there goes a tear drop, a rolling down my face
And if you cry when you're alone it's surely no disgrace
I gotta get myself together before I lose my mind
I'm gonna catch-a the next train going, and leave my blues behind
Since you gone I got a mess of the blues
I gotta get myself together before I lose my mind
I'm gonna catch-a the next train going, and leave my blues behind
Since you gone I got a mess of the blues
Since you gone I got a mess of the blues
Since you gone I got a mess of the blues
The lyrics to "Mess of Blues" by Status Quo describe the pain and loneliness felt by a person who has been left behind by a loved one. The singer has just received a letter from their beloved saying they can't come home, and they are struggling to cope with the solitude. The lyrics emphasize the emptiness that's felt since their loved one has left, with the repetition of the phrase "since you're gone, I got a mess of blues." The singer is clearly struggling with the absence of their loved one in their life, as indicated by their inability to eat, sleep or function normally.
The song's lyrics also convey a sense of vulnerability and emotional openness, with the singer expressing his vulnerability and allowing himself to cry out of heartbreak and loss. Despite the pain they are facing, the singer recognizes that crying is not a disgrace - "And if you cry when you're alone it's surely no disgrace."
Overall, the song conveys a powerful message about the emotional toll of heartbreak and the importance of acknowledging and accepting the pain that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
I just got your letter baby, too bad you can't come home
I recently received a letter from you that expresses your inability to return home.
I swear I'm going crazy, sitting here all alone
The solitude I am forced to endure is causing me to lose my mind.
Since you gone I got a mess of the blues
Your absence in my life has resulted in me feeling sad and melancholic.
Whoops there goes a tear drop, a-rolling down my face
My eyes are welling up with tears and one just fell down my cheek.
And if you cry when you're alone it's surely no disgrace
It is understandable to cry when no one is around and you are feeling emotional.
I ain't slept a wink since Sunday, I can't eat a thing all day
I am unable to sleep and have lost my appetite since Sunday.
And every day is just blue Monday since you've been away
Each day feels like a Monday and I am constantly feeling down since you left.
I gotta get myself together before I lose my mind
I need to regain control of my emotions before I completely lose my sanity.
I'm gonna catch-a the next train going, and leave my blues behind
I plan to board the next train and physically remove myself from this emotional state.
Since you gone I got a mess of the blues
Your absence in my life has resulted in me feeling sad and melancholic.
Since you gone I got a mess of the blues
Your absence in my life has resulted in me feeling sad and melancholic.
Since you gone I got a mess of the blues
Your absence in my life has resulted in me feeling sad and melancholic.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jerome Pomus, Mort Shuman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@stephanesaigne2711
Far to be the best Status Quo's LP...
@victorrosales4760
ITS ONLY ROCKNROLL.. STATUS QUO.. THE BEST BAND IN THE WORLD.. UN SALUDO A TODA LA BANDA ROCKER EN EL MUNDO.. 🕶️🇲🇽🇬🇧🎸🍺
@user-ex3cc6yj6i
Dammm! This song Is great man! This Is music ❤
@johndavies2591
My Nan bought this album for me i was 14.... so many memories
@kristianyrjola
This is one of the BEST ALBUMS IN THE WORLD!!!
@statusquo-all6370
https://www.facebook.com/groups/489354311102647/
@scrutz
It’s not
@stephenparker3291
Great song great group
@loboestepariodoce
Excelente música
@Tomyelectronic
With this album they did the "End of the Road Tour" were i first saw them live on stage. Although the gig (Hannover/Germany) was great this album was only average. Back than i liked it. But this song for exemple is just run of the mill. It got old to me very fast. It's nice to listen to it after decades (2022) - but i played it to death. "Woops...there goes a teardrop".....Terrible! Greetings from germany.