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.
Do You Live In Fire
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
treat me like I was dirtThe reason doesn't show Satan lives in your soul‘Cos you keep doing me wrongDoing wrong Do you live in fire, or is it just a
wayTo keep me longing for you, or keep me far awayDo
you live in fire? Do you live in fire?Do you live in fire?
When I look into your eyesYou seem so pure and
coolBut when I smile you turn awayAnd I feel such a
fool Satan lives in your soul‘Cos you keep
doing me wrongDoing wrong Do you live in fire,
far awayDo you live in fire? Do you live in fire?Do
you live in fire? Do you live in fire, or is it just
a wayTo keep me longing for you, or keep me far awayDo you live in fire....
In Status Quo's song "Do You Live in Fire", the lyrics paint a picture of a tumultuous relationship where one partner is very much in control and the other is struggling to understand why they are treated poorly. The opening line, "Do you live in fire, girl, 'cos Satan's in your soul" sets the tone for the rest of the song, with the singer comparing their partner to the devil. The line, "You treat me like I was dirt, the reason doesn't show" further emphasizes the mysterious nature of the relationship and how the singer is unable to discern why they are treated so poorly.
The chorus, "Do you live in fire, or is it just a way to keep me longing for you, or keep me far away", highlights the singer's confusion and desperation to understand their partner's actions. They are trying to figure out if their partner is intentionally keeping them at arm's length or if it's an inherent trait of their personality. The line, "When I look into your eyes, you seem so pure and cool, but when I smile you turn away and I feel such a fool" further emphasizes the turbulent nature of the relationship and how the partner's actions are leaving the singer feeling rejected and confused.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you live in fire, girl
Are you consumed by fiery passion, girl, fueled by the Devil's influence?
‘Cos Satan's in your soul
Because you are possessed by Satan, and he guides your actions and intentions.
You treat me like I was dirt
You consistently mistreat me, as if I am worthless and deserving of disrespect and disregard.
The reason doesn't show
You don't offer any explanation for your behavior towards me, leaving me to wonder and question what I have done wrong.
Satan lives in your soul
You are influenced and guided by evil, as if you have made a pact with the Devil himself.
‘Cos you keep doing me wrong
Because your actions towards me are consistently hurtful and unfair, without reason or explanation.
Do you live in fire, or is it just a way
Do you truly live a passionate and intense existence, or is your negative treatment of me a way to keep me either longing for you or pushing me away?
To keep me longing for you, or keep me far away
Are you manipulating my emotions and desires for your own benefit, either by keeping me hooked on your fiery persona or by pushing me away so that you can maintain control?
When I look into your eyes
When I gaze into your eyes and seek connection with you,
You seem so pure and cool
You initially come across as serene and righteous, without a hint of the malevolent energy I sense in you later on.
But when I smile you turn away
But as soon as I show any warmth or affection towards you, you reject and distance yourself from me, as if my positive energy is repelling to you.
And I feel such a fool
I feel foolish for believing that you could reciprocate my feelings and for investing so much emotional energy into someone who ultimately mistreats me.
Do you live in fire?
Do you genuinely live in an intense and passionate state of being, filled with exciting experiences and intense emotions?
Do you live in fire?
Is the fire within you authentic and genuine, or merely a facade to manipulate those around you?
Do you live in fire?
Are you consumed by the fiery passion of Satan's influence, or is there a more benign explanation for your erratic and hurtful behavior?
Do you live in fire, or is it just a way
Is your passion and intensity a true reflection of your innermost self, or simply a tool to control and manipulate others?
To keep me longing for you, or keep me far away
Are you using your fiery persona to elicit strong emotions from me, whether desire or fear, so that you can maintain power over me?
Do you live in fire...
Is your fiery demeanor authentic and true to your soul, or merely a facade to manipulate and control those around you?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: ALAN CHARLES LANCASTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Stefan Woehlke
Short, crisp,
rocky - really a good track that already showed that Status Quo would
not be on the psychedelic track for much longer, and they were much more
focused on real rock.
Stuart Webster
brilliant track from quo ! long long time ago
Alex Plumb
Good song much better than some of the material which made it on to the second album.
Fam Dobbenberg
great number,..rock + 10
CARL SIMPSON
Can anyone else hear the guitar in the background or just me?