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.
End Of The Line
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't feel you're all alone
You've been away for much too long
It's time that you came home
Out on the town, you've been fooling around
I've been talking to myself
I fantasise about the look in your eyes
But my heart's stopped healing
And I can't help feeling it's the end of the line
Staying away, don't let them say
That it's the end of the line
Please don't hurt me
Don't desert me, it's the end of the line
Think it over, come on over
It's the end of the line
When you say that you want me woman
Is it just a lie?
Saying things that you don't believe
Can only mean goodbye
Dreaming of all the times we had
It seems all over now
Can't you see that I want you back
But I just can't see how
But my heart's stopped healing
And I can't help feeling it's the end of the line
Staying away, don't let them say
That it's the end of the line
Please don't hurt me
Don't desert me, it's the end of the line
Think it over, come on over
It's the end of the line
But my heart's stopped healing
And I can't help feeling it's the end of the line
Staying away, but don't let them say
That it's the end of the line
Please don't hurt me
Don't desert me, it's the end of the line
Think it over, come on over
It's the end of the line
The lyrics of Status Quo's "End of the Line" express a sense of heartbreak and rejection. The singer pleads with his lover to come back to him, admitting that he has been imagining her return even as she has been out with other men. He confesses his love for her and cries out for her not to leave him, as his heart has stopped healing and he is clearly in a lot of pain. Despite his attempts to convince her to return to him, he fears that it may already be the end of their relationship and that he may never again experience the magic of her love.
The song is an emotional ballad that speaks to the heartache of a broken relationship. The singer in the lyrics is vulnerable and honest about his feelings, showing the depths of his love and the pain of his loss. The use of metaphors creates a strong emotional impact and adds nuance to the lyrics. The song is a powerful testament to the power of love and its impact on our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Call me if you need me, woman
Reach out to me if you require my help, dear
Don't feel you're all alone
Don't think that you have no one to turn to
You've been away for much too long
You've been gone for an extended time
It's time that you came home
It's time for you to return to me
Out on the town, you've been fooling around
You've been engaging in inappropriate behavior in the city
I've been talking to myself
I've been having conversations with myself
I fantasize about the look in your eyes
I imagine the expression in your gaze
It's magic in itself
It's enchanting in its own way
But my heart's stopped healing
However, my heart has ceased to recover
And I can't help feeling it's the end of the line
And I can't help believing that it's the conclusion of our relationship
Staying away, don't let them say
Staying apart, don't allow others to utter
That it's the end of the line
That it's the termination of our relationship
Please don't hurt me
I'm pleading with you to not harm me
Don't desert me, it's the end of the line
Do not abandon me, this is the end of the line
Think it over, come on over
Ponder it, then come and meet me
When you say that you want me woman
When you declare that you desire me, my lady
Is it just a lie?
Is it merely a deception?
Saying things that you don't believe
Stating things that you do not trust
Can only mean goodbye
Can only signify farewell
Dreaming of all the times we had
Remembering all the moments we shared
It seems all over now
It appears that it's all over now
Can't you see that I want you back
Can you not perceive that I desire your return
But I just can't see how
But I just cannot fathom a way
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RICK PARFITT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jorge Rodriguez
No me canso de escuchar este temazo
MaxEagle50
THIS IS POWERFULL ! ! !
Paul Duffin
Ye God's this Song seriously kicks **se. One of Quo's Ultimate Finest, tightest and production beyond brilliant! This should be one day on The Very, Very Best of Quo!
George Mathie
Rick Parfitt was status quos badass nobody rocked harder than rick we miss you r.i.p
JC
He had the best voice in the band in my opinion
George Mathie
@JC yes he most certainly did
Omar Landeros
por favor esa voz de rick parffit es incomparable
Alfred König
Ohne Worte.....
Stark Jungs 👍👍👍👍👍
progmeup
Best song from the LP.
Defender100
Maybe, but there are quite a few to great tracks to choose from!