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 Stop Me Now
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh baby please don't stop me now
Oh baby please don't stop me now
I scheme all night and I dream all day
I'm so paranoid someone's gonna take you away
You look surprised and I'm so amazed
But don't let true love fade away
I see your face and I hear your name
Give me one chance and no-one's gonna take you away
You look surprised and I'm so amazed
But don't let true love fade away
Oh baby please, I'm on my knees
Oh baby please don't stop me now
Oh baby please, it's always been a dream
If it's really me don't stop me now
Oh baby please don't stop me now
You look surprised and I'm so amazed
But don't let true love fade away
You look surprised and I'm so amazed
But don't let true love fade away
The lyrics of Status Quo's "Don't Stop Me Now" suggest a desperate plea from the singer, who seems to be in love with someone they feel is slipping away. The lines "Oh baby please, I'm on my knees" and "Oh baby please don't stop me now" both highlight the singer's desperation and urgency in wanting to hold onto this love. The repetition of this refrain makes it clear that the singer is willing to do whatever it takes to keep their love from fading away.
The next few lines reveal the root of the singer's paranoia: the fear that someone will take their loved one away. They scheme and dream all night, consumed by this fear. Despite this, they reassure their loved one that they just want one chance to prove how much they love them and keep them from being taken away. The repeated line "But don't let true love fade away" reinforces the idea that the singer believes their love is worth fighting for.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh baby please, I'm on my knees
I am begging you to listen to me
Oh baby please don't stop me now
Do not reject me or hold me back
Oh baby please don't stop me now
I am pleading with you to keep going
I scheme all night and I dream all day
I am constantly strategizing and fantasizing about us
I'm so paranoid someone's gonna take you away
I am afraid of losing you to someone else
You look surprised and I'm so amazed
I am in awe of your reaction to me
But don't let true love fade away
We must hold onto our genuine love
I see your face and I hear your name
You are always on my mind
Give me one chance and no-one's gonna take you away
If you just give me a chance, I will protect you from others
Oh baby please, I'm on my knees
I am still begging, pleading
Oh baby please, it's always been a dream
Being with you has always been my aspiration
If it's really me don't stop me now
If you truly want me, let us move forward
Oh baby please don't stop me now
Once again, please do not hold me back
You look surprised and I'm so amazed
I remain astonished by your reaction
But don't let true love fade away
Our love must not diminish
You look surprised and I'm so amazed
I continue to be in shock of your response
But don't let true love fade away
Again, we must preserve our love
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALAN LANCASTER, ANDY BOWN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tomyelectronic
For me the "outer space" track from this album because of the all-in-all sound. Hard and boogie rockin' it rides along its way. Always liked it from the very first time i heard it back in late 1981 or early 1982. Oh baby....please......don't stop me now! Great and definitely a lost pearl. Did Quo ever play this on stage? I don't think so. Greetings from germany.
Lukas Marzell
An great frantic four classic vs andy bowns great keyboard work.... nuff( lancaster) song...d tuned guitars vs heavy drums pumping bass, an amazing riff what can't let to sit still, its impossible to not move to a quo song, all four...rick, parfitt, lancaster and bown singing in super harmony.... its sure recorded live in the studio, vs no overdubs. And testament of quo...a masterpiece
Chrys
Πω πω!!Τελειο!!Σπιντατο!Amazing Status Quo!!
Chrys
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Chrys
Μετα τα σκυλαδικα που ακουω ολο το βραδυ ειναι ο,τι μου χρειαζοταν για να στανιαρω!!!
status quo-all
https://www.facebook.com/groups/489354311102647/
Moby Whale
Rossi on drums