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.
Don't Bring Me Down
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You got me thinkin' that I'm wastin' my time
(Don't bring me down, no no no no no)
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
(Don't bring me down)
You wanna stay out with your fancy friends
I'm tellin' you it's got to be the end
(Don't bring me down, no no no no no)
(Don't bring me down)
Don't bring me down, groos
Don't bring me down, groos
Don't bring me down, groos
Don't bring me down
What happened to the girl I used to know?
You let your mind out somewhere down the road
(Don't bring me down, no no no no no)
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
(Don't bring me down)
You're always talkin' 'bout your crazy nights
One of these days you're gonna get it right
(Don't bring me down, no no no no no no no)
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
(Don't bring me down)
Don't bring me down, groos
Don't bring me down, groos
Don't bring me down, groos
Don't bring me down
You're lookin' good just like a snake in the grass
One of these days you're gonna break your glass
(Don't bring me down, no no no no no no no)
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
(Don't bring me down)
You got me shakin' got me runnin' away
You got me crawlin' up to you everyday
(Don't bring me down, no no no no no)
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
(Don't bring me down)
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
(Don't bring me down)
The opening lyrics of Status Quo's "Don't Bring Me Down" describe a troubled relationship. The singer is feeling disrespected and unappreciated by their partner. The lyric "You got me runnin' goin' out of my mind" suggests that the singer is experiencing high levels of anxiety and stress due to this relationship. Furthermore, the partner's refusal to spend time with the singer's normal friends is a point of contention, with the singer feeling forced to end the relationship.
The next stanza describes how the singer's partner has changed over time. The line "What happened to the girl I used to know?" reveals that the partner has lost their former qualities, which seems to be due to excessive partying and questionable decision-making. The advice given to the partner is reiterated by the concluding lines, as the singer pleads to "not bring me down", with emphasis given through repetition of the line "Don't Bring Me Down" throughout the song.
Line by Line Meaning
You got me runnin' goin' out of my mind
You are causing me to feel restless and crazy
You got me thinkin' that I'm wastin' my time
You are making me believe my efforts are pointless
(Don't bring me down, no no no no no)
Please don't make me feel worse than I already do
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
I'm pleading with you to understand before I give up completely
You wanna stay out with your fancy friends
You prefer to spend time with people who are more important than me
I'm tellin' you it's got to be the end
I'm saying our relationship needs to come to a close
What happened to the girl I used to know?
I don't understand how you changed so much from the person I thought I knew
You let your mind out somewhere down the road
You lost sight of who you were and what's important
You're always talkin' 'bout your crazy nights
You constantly brag about your wild experiences
One of these days you're gonna get it right
I hope someday you find your way and figure out what really matters in life
You're lookin' good just like a snake in the grass
You may appear attractive, but you have ulterior motives
One of these days you're gonna break your glass
Your actions will catch up with you and you will suffer the consequences
You got me shakin' got me runnin' away
You are causing me to feel scared and want to escape
You got me crawlin' up to you everyday
You are making me feel as though I have to constantly appease you
(Don't bring me down)
I can't handle any more negativity or hurt from you
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
I'm giving you one last chance to redeem yourself before I give up
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jeff Lynne
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@saschadevrimomay572
I need a Hard Rock Version of this amazing Song!!!!
@statusquo-all6370
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@Gillesbisson
LOVE STATUS QUO
@statusquo-all6370
RIFFS
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@martinrafaels.o.1994
What's the name of the album please