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.
Dreamin
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What were you dreamin'?
Was it another guy and did he make you cry
While you were dreamin'?
I don't find it easy to say
But I think it's right that you have to know
Why won't you understand you're being underhand
I love you more and more, of that you can be sure,
Even your dreamin'.
I don't mind if you just say
You dream of us both but I have to know
You've got to understand you're being underhand about your dreamin'
Dreams, dreams, dreams, some are never long enough
Dreams, dreams, dreams, some are never good enough
I wonder do, do, do you ever get to sleep at night?
Who, who, who is it gonna be tonight?
You've been a naughty girl, you've got me in a whirl
I do believe it
You know you can be sure I want you more and more
Can you believe it?
I don't find it easy to say
But I think it's right that you have to know
You've been a naughty girl, you've got me in a whirl
I do believe it
You are a naughty girl, you've got me in a whirl
Can you believe it?
You've been a naughty girl, you've got me in a whirl
About your dreamin'
About your dreamin'
About your dreamin'
The song "Dreamin'" by Status Quo explores the theme of jealousy and insecurity in a relationship. In the first verse, the singer hears their partner crying in their sleep and wonders if they were dreaming about another person who made them upset. The singer admits that they find it difficult to express their feelings but feel it's necessary for their partner to know the truth. The chorus repeats the word "dreams" and poses the question of whether their partner ever gets a good night's sleep or whether they constantly have troubling dreams about other people. The second verse continues the theme of jealousy, with the singer calling their partner a "naughty girl" and admitting that they are in a "whirl" because of their partner's dreamin'.
The song seems to suggest that the singer is struggling with feelings of insecurity and is constantly worried that their partner is dreaming about someone else. It also highlights the importance of communication in a relationship, even if it's difficult to express one's true feelings. The repetition of the word "dreams" in the chorus creates a haunting effect, emphasizing the importance of one's subconscious thoughts and desires.
Line by Line Meaning
I heard you cry tonight while you were sleeping tight
While you were asleep, I heard you crying and wondering what made you upset.
What were you dreamin'? Was it another guy and did he make you cry While you were dreamin'?
I'm curious to know what your dream was about. Did you dream about another guy, who made you cry without realising it?
I don't find it easy to say But I think it's right that you have to know
It's hard for me to express, but I think it's important that you are aware.
Why won't you understand you're being underhand About your dreamin'?
You're being secretive and not revealing your true thoughts to me which is bothering me.
I love you more and more, of that you can be sure, Even your dreamin'.
I love you deeply and unconditionally, even if your dreams concern something that makes me uncomfortable.
I don't mind if you just say You dream of us both but I have to know
It's okay if you tell me that you dream about the two of us, but at the same time, I need to understand the nature of your dream.
Dreams, dreams, dreams, some are never long enough Dreams, dreams, dreams, some are never good enough I wonder do, do, do you ever get to sleep at night? Who, who, who is it gonna be tonight?
Dreams are often fleeting and not long-lasting, and sometimes they are unpleasant. I wonder if you ever have a good sleep at night, and who is going to be in your dream tonight?
You've been a naughty girl, you've got me in a whirl I do believe it You know you can be sure I want you more and more Can you believe it?
Your secretive thoughts and emotions are making me go crazy. But you should know, that I love you more and more every day.
You are a naughty girl, you've got me in a whirl Can you believe it? You've been a naughty girl, you've got me in a whirl About your dreamin' About your dreamin' About your dreamin'
You're making my head spin with your hidden thoughts, can you believe that? It's all centered around your dreams about which I'm not sure.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BERNARD JOHN FROST, FRANCIS ROSSI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
rhian jones
“Dreaming” is one of Status Quo best song
Gustavo Salazar
Siempre me gustó este temazo !
Dave Cochrane
The In The Army Now album was a bit of a shock at the time for us die-hard Quo fans, but it really is one of their best IMO. Good production, interesting guitar breaks like Rossi used to write in the mid-70's that almost served as middle-eights, good tunes... it kind of went downhill pretty fast after that, becoming lazy, unadventurous and safe, and never recovered.
J v/d hatert
they did in 2002 heavy traffic album was old school 12 bar blues album
Markus Michaelsen
R.I.P. Rick Parfitt +++
paul kenney
sadly missed
Chris Dakin
RIP Ricky.
Mario Mariusz
TRACKS
7" Single Vertigo 888 309-7 ()
Dreamin' - Status Quo 3:07 PLAY
Rockin' All Over The World - Status Quo (Live) 3:30
skintrade
Sounds like something from invisible touch
Dave Cochrane
skintrade
Seriously? This is nothing like Genesis.