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 Give You More
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's not the way you thought that it would be
If I could change my way to you
If I could change, it wouldn't be me
And you see
I know I never tried the things I should have done
Oh and time is always passing by
So I do try not to tell a lie
When I'm so low, when I'm so high
Yet you cry when I say I can't give you more
First you said you'd never try to slow me down
That ev'rything would work out really fine
But as those walls closed in on us
Your words just fell right out of line
And behind
I know I never tried the things I should have done
And time is always passing by
I want to do the things I never done before
So I do try not to tell a lie
When I'm so low, when I'm so high
Yet you cry when I say I can't give you more
Oh, oh, oh, can't give you more
Can't give any more
Oh, oh, oh, can't give you more
Ain't got any more
Did you figure ours would be an easy thing
Like lazy days of lying in the sun
I told you if you wanted me
That ev'ry day just wouldn't be fun
Now it's done
I know I never tried the thing I should have done
And time is always passing by
I want to do the things I never done before
So I do try not to tell a lie
When I'm so low, when I'm so high
Yet you cry when I say I can't give you more
Oh, oh, oh, can't give you more
Can't give you more
Oh, oh, oh, can't give you more
I ain't got any more
Oh, oh, oh, I ain't got any more
I ain't got any more
Oh, oh, oh, can't give you more
I ain't got any more
The lyrics of Can't Give You More by Status Quo are about a relationship where one person is not satisfied with the lifestyle they are living, and the other is unable to change who they are to meet their partner's expectations. It starts with the first person acknowledging that this is not the kind of life their partner wanted and that they wish they could change but they can't, as it is who they are. The singer repeats that they never tried to be something they were not and that they desire to do things they have never done before. The partner is disappointed and doesn't understand why they can't give more to the relationship. The singer tries not to lie but admits they often feel low or high, yet still can't give more.
The second verse involves the partner, who initially promised to never slow the singer down, but as the relationship progressed and it became more complicated, the partner's words became empty promises, and ultimately they fell out of line. The singer again apologizes for not trying hard enough, yet still fails to fulfill the partner's expectations. It is clear that the partner thought the relationship would be easy, but the singer warned them that it wouldn't, so now it has come to an end.
The song is about the intricacies of relationships, how difficult it can be to change who we are and balance our own needs with those of our partners. The singer is honest about their limitations and regrets, giving a raw and truthful account of the breakdown of a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Now you know this ain't the kind of life for you
You have understood that this lifestyle is not suitable for you
It's not the way you thought that it would be
It does not match your expectations
If I could change my way to you
If I could mold myself according to you
If I could change, it wouldn't be me
If I change who I am, I will no longer be myself
I know I never tried the things I should have done
I have not attempted the things I was supposed to
Oh and time is always passing by
The time is continuously moving forward
I want to do the things I never done before
I desire to experience the things that I have never tried before
So I do try not to tell a lie
I make an effort to be truthful
When I'm so low, when I'm so high
In my darkest moments and my highest points
Yet you cry when I say I can't give you more
However, you become emotional when I inform you that I am incapable of providing more
First you said you'd never try to slow me down
Initially, you promised that you would never put an obstacle in my path
That ev'rything would work out really fine
Everything would be perfectly fine
But as those walls closed in on us
But as we were cornered with problems
Your words just fell right out of line
Your promises were just broken
Did you figure ours would be an easy thing
Did you think our relationship would be trouble-free?
Like lazy days of lying in the sun
Like spending carefree days in the sun
I told you if you wanted me
I had informed you earlier that if you decided to be with me
That ev'ry day just wouldn't be fun
Every day would not be enjoyable
Oh, oh, oh, can't give you more
I am unable to offer more
Can't give any more
I have already given everything I had
Ain't got any more
I do not have anything else to offer
I ain't got any more
I am depleted, and I cannot provide more
I know I never tried the thing I should have done
I have shirked my responsibilities
Oh, oh, oh, can't give you more
I cannot give any more
Can't give you more
I cannot provide what you desire
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: FRANCIS ROSSI, BOB YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Theresa Maleady
I love the album and the tracks had this from when I left school I really enjoy listening to the lads. Long live the mighty Quo
Victor Ponomaryov
This is the best Status Quo's song.
livingonanisland
1 dislike from someone who's only ever heard RAOTW and WYW. Love this track and love the version on the Rock Till You Drop album aswell. LONG LIVE THE QUO!!
tromp803
I love this track, too bad that whole album was so poorly "mixed" sounds like you have speakers made out of milk cartons.
Barry McNicholl
Definition of 'cunt' - A person who dislikes this song
kdunstfan1
lol
Alfredo Cristovam de Souza
thanks Rick !!! QUO Forever !!!!!
ben z walker
thanks!