Status Quo is a British rock band (London, England) with strong boogie line… Read Full Bio ↴Status Quo is a British rock band (London, England) with strong boogie line. The group was founded by bassist Alan Lancaster and guitarist Francis Rossi in 1962.

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.

Ain't Complaining
Status Quo Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's nothing left, there's nothing right
There's nothing left, there's nothing right
There's nothing left, right left right
Up down up down up down up down

All right all right
You wind me up, you bring me down
Your reputation is all over the town

So long as you come home to me
I ain't complaining

You fool around, we scream and fight
The way you are treating me, you know it ain't right
But when you are making out with me
I ain't complaining

All right all right
You're out all night, you sleep all day
When I get home you're going out to play
Oh, woman give me some time and everything's fine
I ain't complaining

You just don't care, we are in a Mess
And the company you keep ain't the best
But when you're lying there with me
I ain't complaining

It ain't no use, you playing it loose
And thinking it don't matter to me
It ain't fair at all
You only have to call my name
And I'll come running to you

But when the chips are down
A man can only take so much fooling around
And if you don't come home to me
I'll be complaining

All right
There's nothing left, there's nothing right
Our situation ain't looking too bright
'Cause I have taken all I'm Gonna take
Without complaining

It ain't no use playing it loose
And thinking it don't matter to me
It ain't fair at all
You only have to call my name
And I'll come running to you

But when the chips are down
A man can only take so much fooling around
And if I don't come home to you
You'll be complaining

All right all right all right all right
All right all right

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Status Quo’s song Ain’t Complaining depict a complicated relationship between two people. The first verse repeats the line “there’s nothing left, there’s nothing right” which suggests a sense of hopelessness in their situation. The next verse discusses the singer’s partner’s reputation around town and how it affects their relationship. However, the chorus of the song provides a contradictory message – “so long as you come home to me, I ain’t complaining”. The singer seems to be able to overlook any issues in the relationship as long as they are together, even when they fight or the partner stays out all night. The bridge of the song suggests that the partner is not taking the relationship seriously and is fooling around, but the singer still holds on. The final verse suggests that the singer has had enough and if their partner does not come home, they will be complaining.

The lyrics of Ain’t Complaining portray a complex relationship dynamic in which the singer is willing to overlook a number of faults in their partner. They are able to look past their partner’s actions because of their strong desire to be together. However, the final verse suggests that there is a limit to the singer’s patience and compromise.

Line by Line Meaning

There's nothing left, there's nothing right
Things are not going well and there are no clear solutions or directions to take in this situation.

There's nothing left, right left right
There is no clear path to take, and things seem to be going in circles without any real forward progress.

Up down up down up down up down
There is a sense of being pulled in different directions, with no clear way out or resolution.

All right all right
Despite all the chaos and confusion, the singer tries to remain positive and hopeful.

You wind me up, you bring me down
The singer's partner has a rollercoaster effect on their emotions, sometimes lifting them up and at other times bringing them down.

Your reputation is all over the town
The singer's partner's actions and reputation are widely known to others and affect the way people see them as a couple.

So long as you come home to me
Despite the challenges in the relationship, the singer will try to stick it out as long as their partner is still committed to being with them at the end of the day.

I ain't complaining
The singer is trying to convey that they are okay with the situation, even though it is far from ideal.

You fool around, we scream and fight
The singer's partner cheats, and it causes tension and arguments in the relationship.

The way you are treating me, you know it ain't right
Despite their efforts to remain positive, the singer recognizes that their partner's behavior is hurtful and unfair.

But when you are making out with me
Despite their partner's infidelity, when they are physically intimate, the singer is willing to overlook their faults and try to make things work.

You're out all night, you sleep all day
The singer's partner is not dependable or reliable, often staying out late and sleeping during the day.

When I get home you're going out to play
The singer's partner doesn't prioritize spending time with them, preferring to go out and have fun instead.

Oh, woman give me some time and everything's fine
The singer believes that if their partner would spend more time with them and focus on the relationship, things could improve.

You just don't care, we are in a mess
The singer feels neglected and disregarded, and this has put their relationship in a difficult situation.

And the company you keep ain't the best
The singer does not approve of the people their partner spends time with, which causes more tension and conflict.

But when you're lying there with me
Despite all the challenges they face, the singer ultimately values the moments they share with their partner and is willing to overlook some of the negative aspects of their relationship.

It ain't no use, you playing it loose
The singer recognizes that their partner is not taking the relationship seriously and is not fully invested in making things work.

And thinking it don't matter to me
Despite their partner's lack of commitment, the singer still cares about the relationship and wants it to succeed.

It ain't fair at all
The singer feels that their partner's actions are unfair and hurtful.

You only have to call my name
The singer is still willing to be there for their partner if they need them, despite everything that has happened.

And I'll come running to you
The singer is still hopeful that they can make things work with their partner, and is willing to put in the effort to try.

But when the chips are down
Despite their best efforts, there may come a time when things have gone too far and there is no turning back.

A man can only take so much fooling around
The singer recognizes that there is only so much they can tolerate and forgive, and eventually, they may need to walk away from the relationship.

And if you don't come home to me
The singer's partner needs to show that they are committed to being in the relationship, and if they don't, it may be the end.

I'll be complaining
If their partner does not step up and work to make the relationship better, the singer will not continue to tolerate their behavior without making their discontent known.

Our situation ain't looking too bright
Despite their best efforts to make things work, the singer recognizes that things are not going well and there may not be an easy solution to their problems.

'Cause I have taken all I'm gonna take
The singer has reached their limit, and cannot continue to put up with their partner's behavior without seeing a real effort to make things work.

Without complaining
Despite the difficulties they face, the singer is trying to show that they will continue to be patient and positive for the sake of the relationship.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RICHARD JOHN PARFITT, PIP WILLIAMS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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