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.
Can't Be Done
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm sure to see a face I know, someone who doesn't earn
That's all I ever get to hear is other people's woe
Let's climb into a rocket and we'll press the one and go
Although they say, it can't be done
Don't say to me it can't be done
The things we hoped that future held but always wanted more
If God had meant for man to fly, he would have given wings
He didn't, so we have to make the best of everything
So let's not say it can't be done
Although they say it can't be done
Don't say to me everybody says it can't be done
That there ain't no chance at all
Anybody can be right or wrong
When there ain't no chance at all
Half the world is in a mess, the other half as well
I've got a feelin' strange to me I wish that I could tell
It won't be long before we push the button I am sure
So throw away the key when I am locked behind the door
You're telling me it can't be done
Stop telling me it can't be done
Don't say to me everybody says it can't be done
That there ain't no chance at all
Anybody can be right or wrong
When there ain't no chance at all
Half the world is in a mess, the other half as well
I've got a feelin' strange to me I wish that I could tell
It won't be long before we push the button I am sure
So throw away the key when I am locked behind the door
You're telling me it can't be done
Stop telling me it can't be done
Let's pray and pray it can be done
Just pray and pray it can be done
It can be done
It can be done
It can be done
It can be done
The song "Can't Be Done" by Status Quo is a powerful call to action. The lyrics paint a picture of a world where people are stuck in ruts, constantly lamenting their problems instead of taking action. The singer of the song is tired of hearing other people's complaints and wants to break out of the cycle of negativity. He suggests leaving Earth entirely in a rocket to make a fresh start. The song is a plea to see the world with a broader perspective and to not give up on making positive changes, even in the face of difficulty.
The song starts off by describing how he comes across someone he knows everywhere he goes. He is constantly reminded of people's struggles and problems they earn which brings him down. He wishes to escape these problems and start anew. He believes that there are problems which are yet to be solved, but he refuses to stand back and say that it can't be done. He calls for a change in the mindset that assumes something cannot be done without honestly trying.
The song calls for hope and perseverance in the face of problems. Instead of accepting defeat, the singer urges his listeners to keep trying and to never give up. He believes that, even if others say that something is impossible, it is still worth striving for. The message of the song is a call for change and a reminder that anything can be achieved if one is determined enough.
Line by Line Meaning
Everywhere I dare to go, the corners that I turn
I see familiar faces wherever I go
I'm sure to see a face I know, someone who doesn't earn
I see people who are struggling to make ends meet
That's all I ever get to hear is other people's woe
All everyone talks about is their problems
Let's climb into a rocket and we'll press the one and go
Let's escape from this world and go on an adventure
Although they say, it can't be done
People say it's impossible
Don't say to me it can't be done
Don't tell me it's impossible
Looking how we used to be, the way and what we wore
Remembering how things used to be
The things we hoped that future held but always wanted more
We had high hopes for the future but were always greedy for more
If God had meant for man to fly, he would have given wings
If something is meant to be, it will happen naturally
He didn't, so we have to make the best of everything
We have to work with what we have
So let's not say it can't be done
Let's not say it's impossible
Don't say to me everybody says it can't be done
Don't tell me what everyone else is saying
That there ain't no chance at all
That there is absolutely no hope
Anybody can be right or wrong
Anyone can be right or wrong about what is possible
When there ain't no chance at all
When there is no hope at all
Half the world is in a mess, the other half as well
The world is in chaos
I've got a feelin' strange to me I wish that I could tell
I have a strange feeling that I can't explain
It won't be long before we push the button I am sure
It won't be long before we destroy ourselves
So throw away the key when I am locked behind the door
Lock me away when the world ends
You're telling me it can't be done
You're saying it's impossible
Stop telling me it can't be done
Stop saying it's impossible
Let's pray and pray it can be done
Let's hope it's possible
Just pray and pray it can be done
Keep hoping it's possible
It can be done
It is possible
It can be done
It is possible
It can be done
It is possible
It can be done
It is possible
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BERNARD FROST, FRANCIS ROSSI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Oscar G.
Los Maestros del rock Hecho En Inglaterra🤴👸
Kristian Yrjölä
HYVÄ biisi TODELLA HYVÄLTÄ LP:ltä!!!
Daniel Lucena
Everywhere I dare to go, the corners that I turn
I'm sure to see a face I know, someone who doesn't earn
That's all I ever get to hear is other people's woe
Let's climb into a rocket and we'll press the one and go
Although they say it can't be done
Don't say to me it can't be done
Looking how we used to be, the way and what we wore
The things we hoped the future held but always wanted more
If God had meant for man to fly he would have given wings
He didn't, so we have to make the best of everything
So let's not say it can't be done
Although they say it can't be done
Don't say to me everybody says it can't be done
That there ain't no chance at all
Anybody can be right or wrong
When there ain't no chance at all
Half the world is in a mess, the other half as well
I've got a feelin' strange to me I wish that I could tell
It won't be long before we push the button I am sure
So throw away the key while I am locked behind the door
You're telling me it can't be done
Stop telling me it can't be done
Don't say to me everybody says it can't be done
That there ain't no chance at all
Anybody can be right or wrong
When there ain't no chance at all
Half the world is in a mess, the other half as well
I've got a feelin' strange to me I wish that I could tell
It won't be long before we push the button I am sure
So throw away the key while I am locked behind the door
You're telling me it can't be done
Stop telling me it can't be done
Let's pray and pray it can be done
Just pray and pray it can be done
Temazo de (I) de la lora!!!!!!
Daniel Lucena
@Oscar G. Don't come and say:"It can't be done"!!!🤣🤣🤣
Oscar G.
Thank you for the lyrics