Status Quo is a British rock band (London, England) with strong boogie line… Read Full Bio ↴Status Quo is a British rock band (London, England) with strong boogie line. The group was founded by bassist Alan Lancaster and guitarist Francis Rossi in 1962.
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.
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.
Gerdandula
Status Quo Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Status Quo:
Spring Summer and Wednesdays I can't leave, but I won't stay here If I stay,…
10 Proud Mary Left a good job in the city, working for the…
1000 Years I can't wait to say all the things I want…
13 Burning bridges Building dreams has always been my way Making time and livin…
17 When you look at me, tell me what you see Do…
20 Wild Horses ( rossi / frost ) How do you do? Tell me how…
4500 Times I′m goin' out west where the wind blows tall ′Cause Tony…
a mess of blue I just got your letter baby, too bad you can't…
A Reason For Living I felt in need of some loving So I sat down…
Accident Prone I'm a lay-by lover And you're just another Who just wants to…
Address Book Throw away your old address book Of the guys you used…
Again And Again Once upon a time not so very long ago There wasn't…
Ain't Complaining There's nothing left, there's nothing right There's nothing…
All Around My Hat All around my hat I will wear the green willow And all…
All Day And All Of The Night I'm not content to be with you in the daytime Girl…
All Stand Up All stand up, let me hear you say never say…
All That Counts Is Love Got a feelin' that I can't shake off I know it…
All That Money Paint it black it won't come back to me on the rack stret…
All The Reasons When I find myself in trouble and I need someone…
All Through The Night All through the night, oh, all through the night All through…
All We Really Wanna Do I thought it over in a quiet room What about it,…
Almost But Not Quite There I want to have you here with me To cuddle up…
Alright Can't believe that I'm standing here alone How you used me…
And I Do You was a liar another day that your going down Your…
And It's Better Now Riding along on the words of a song in my…
Anniversary Waltz Part 2 Rock'N'Roll Music Just let me hear some of that rock…
Another Day You never listen when I say Only need another day You neve…
Another Game In Town I been trying hard to tell you Still, I guess it's…
Another Shipwreck I woke this morning in a different disguise And I was…
Antique angelina There's a grandfather clock in the corner With a smile on…
Any Way You Like It Any way you like it is the way it's gonna be Any…
Are You Glowing Tired Of My Love You never seem, seem to have the time to listen…
Auntie Nellie Sitting here with Auntie Nelly, she is so alone Talking idl…
Baby Boy When I was a little baby boy Just to sit and…
Back On My Feet I'm back on my feet again I'm flying high Watching my…
Backing Off I got the message I’m backing off I got the message So now…
Backwater Down at Backwater junction rolling down the line In the dark…
Bad Company I've seen your eyes, they hypnotise I cannot look away I kno…
Bad News I was born in the middle of nowhere They found me…
Beautiful Right from the time when we first said hello Everything's b…
Beginning Of The End Happy days are here again Its official, from number ten We'r…
Belavista Man I got a room with a view from the mountain…
Better Take Care I came from out of nothing, and let me tell…
Better Than That Home is bringing you back that feeling is back all over the…
Better Times Well I feel so good And I feel so sure I walk…
Big Fat Mama Say you need me, say you need me Tell me that…
Big Fat Mamma Say you need me, say you need me Tell me that…
Big Man I know where I'm heading for I know what I wanna…
Black Veils of Melancholy If I see you hiding in the night by a…
Blessed Are the Meek ( rossi / frost ) You know the story about a…
Blue Eyed Lady Little Blue eyed lady How come you're all alone I've been …
Blue For You Now I see the light that's shining from your eyes Even…
Blue-Eyed Lady Little Blue eyed lady How come you're all alone I've been …
Blues & Rhythm ( rossi / bown ) I saw this picture in a…
Born To Be Wild Get your motor runnin' Head out on the highway Lookin' for a…
Break The Rules Spent a long, long evening in a low down honky-tonk…
Breaking Away Me and my friends gonna make a pile of money Gonna…
Bring It On Home If you ever change your mind About leaving, leaving me behin…
Broken Man Sitting by a broken window Up in a back room swallowing…
Burning Bridges Building dreams has always been my way Making time and livin…
Bye Bye Johnny She drew out all her money out of the Southern…
Cadillac Ranch Well there she sits buddy just a-gleaming in the sun There…
Calling I've never been a loner Never been to California but I…
Calling The Shots She won't drink and she won't swear You can't take her…
Can It was a teenage wedding and the old folks wished…
Can't Be Done Everywhere I dare to go, the corners that I turn I'm…
Can't Drive My Car Ah ah ah ah, don't drive my car I'm just a…
Can't Give You More Now you know this ain't the kind of life for…
Can't See For Looking Welcome back in town I hear that you are available did…
Carol Oh Carol, don't let him steal your heart away I'm gonna…
Caroline If you want to turn me on to Now anything you…
Caroline ) If you want to turn me on to Now anything you…
Centerfold Does she walk? Does she talk? Does she come complete? My hom…
Christmas Time Another year's gone rock and rollin' by Oh how time flies It…
Ciao Ciao You messed up all of my plans You gave zip, took…
Ciao-Ciao You messed up all of my plans You gave zip, took…
Claudette I got a brand new baby and I feel so…
Claudie It's so long since I sang songs to you I forget…
Clown Now don't you feel sorry, oh no, for me now There's…
Come On You Reds Busby Babes they always made me cry Thinkin' 'bout the…
Come Rock With Me On again No I newer knew we could go on and…
Come Rock With Me / Rockin' On Now don't you feel sorry, oh no, for me now There's…
Coming And Going Let me know what I want to know If you really…
Confidence ( bown ) All she needs is a little confidence All she…
Crawling From The Wreckage Got out really early from the factory, driving like a…
Cream Of The Crop I gotta get myself far, far away I gotta tell myself…
Creepin I like the way you walk You got a giggle when…
Creepin' Up On You I like the way you walk You got a giggle when…
Creeping up on You I like the way you walk You got a giggle when…
Cross That Bridge I wasn't born in a lap deluxe I didn't have no…
Cupid Stupid You've got so many secrets and tell so many lies You…
Cut Me Some Slack I'm aiming to please, oh yes my aim is true But…
Daughter You and I can see what's going wrong We know we…
Dead in the Water She's got to run, she's got to hide She's got her…
Dear John Everybody was talking to me Like I was a child In their…
Democracy It's coming through a hole in the air, From those nights…
Diggin I got two black eyes A nasty cut on my nose A…
Diggin' Burt Bacharach I got two black eyes A nasty cut on my nose A…
Diggin' Burt Bacharach I got two black eyes A nasty cut on my nose A…
Dirty Water Oh, oh, oh, oh The water's getting deep And I can't swim Bec…
Do It Again If you ever found anything better than working You'd want to…
Do You Live In Fire Do you live infire, girl‘Cos Satan's in your soulYou treat …
Doesn Doesn't matter, doesn't matter if the rain comes down I'll f…
Doing It All For You Dawn is breaking, it's time to rise Aching body, tired eyes…
Don If you wake up and don't wanna smile If it takes…
Don't Bring Me Down You got me runnin' goin' out of my mind You got…
Don't Drive My Car Ah ah ah ah, don't drive my car I'm just a…
Don't Give It Up You say it's over, this time it's goodbye Why won't you…
Don't Mind If I Do Don't mind if I do, don't mind if I Don't care…
Don't Stop If you wake up and don't wanna smile If it takes…
Don't Stop Me Now Oh baby please, I'm on my knees Oh baby please don't…
Don't Think It Matters Maybe I'm right, or maybe I'm wrong I got to go…
Don't Waste My Time You spend my money You drink my best red wine You think…
Dont Matter To Me ( rossi / young ) big life doing it all Lookin after…
Down Down 123 Go Got so Stoned that i weighted down another place That…
Down The Dust Pipe Heading down the back turnpike, signposts are pointing west …
Down the Dustpipe Heading down the back turnpike, signposts are pointing west …
Down To You Down to you. it's down to you The way you do,…
Dreamin I heard you cry tonight while you were sleeping tight What…
Drifting Away You can't see what you mean to me I just can't…
Dust To Gold We know you're watching over us the job you took for…
Ease Your Mind I'm gonna ease your mind, I'm gonna write a line And…
Electric Arena I have been there I've been seen there And I keep going…
Elizabeth Dreams Elizabeth dreams Of the day When the way That I looked at…
End Of The Line Call me if you need me, woman Don't feel you're all…
Enough Is Enough I don't care what you say to me I'm gonna try…
Everything My eyes can see, my hands can feel My ears can…
Everytime I Think Of You I wrote a letter but I threw it away I can't…
Face Without a Soul She's a face without a soul This lady's heart is gold She'…
Fakin' The Blues (Rossi Frost) Waiting around for a miracle Looking at me for…
Falling In Falling Out Oh no I took your number down Now I can't find…
Falling off the World So many years of knock, knock, knocking on doors Walking bac…
Fame Or Money He showed you no interest, he gave you no love From…
Familiar Blues The more you criticize me The more I know im right I…
Famous In The Last Century ( andrew bown ) Famous in the last century The last century…
Fighting With the Pack ( rossi / parfitt / frost ) I've spent my life…
Figure Of Eight Yesterday, I couldn't wait I thought today was gonna be gre…
Fiji Time May we have your attention dear ladies and gentlemen pleas…
Fine Fine Fine I never knew of heartache 'Til I messed with you I sure…
Fire Do you live infire, girl 'Cos Satan's in your soul You treat…
For You Now I see the light that's shining from your eyes Even…
Forty Five Hundred Times There's nobody on the end of my line I'm in time…
Forty-Five Hundred Times There's nobody on the end of my line I'm in time…
Frozen Hero Another night, another night another night with the the big…
Fun Fun Fun Well she got her daddy's car And she cruised through the…
Gentleman Joe's Sidewalk Cafe Hey Joe Would you please lend me your ear? I've got to…
Gentlemen Joe's Sidewalk Café Hey Joe Would you please lend me your ear? I've got to…
Gerdundula Love it seems I just can't find Love it seems I…
Get Back Jojo was a man who though he was a loner…
Get Out And Walk I got fat knees From crawlin' so fast I got sore lips From…
Get Out Of Denver ( seger ) I still remember, it was autumn and the…
Getting Better I used to get mad at my school The teachers that…
Gloria Yeah, right. Did you hear about my baby? She come…
Go Go Go I gotta get along 'cause it's a long, long ride…
GoGoGo Turn your head around and look at me Take a look…
Goin' Nowhere I'm tired out, my head is aching I want to shout,…
Going Down For The First Time I wake up every morning and that's my first mistake From…
Going Down Town Tonight ( johnson ) I'm going down town tonight, I'm gonna find…
Gone Thru The Slips Same old weekend, she pays off her hairdresser Then she buy…
Gonna Teach You To Love Me You're setting me up, you're turning me down You're turning…
Good Golly Miss Molly Good golly Miss Molly, sure like to ball Good golly, Miss…
Good Sign Nice to see Nice to see you, I've been feeling so…
and many more tracks by Status Quo.
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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@nc_naqi
RIP…Mr.Rick😢😢
I'm Japanese.
I love this video.
残念です。
この動画で、彼らにたくさん興味を持ったので…
後半のフレットをお互いにもって
弾いている姿が楽しそうでほっこりしていました。
この姿が見られなくなると思うと寂しいですね。
リックさん、天国で安らかに。
@wolfgangberger8379
Einfach nur geil...!!!So etwas findet man heute schon lange nicht mehr! Ich war damals dabei - im September 2004 in der Columbiahalle in Berlin.
Unvergesslich....! Das war an meinem 50. Geburtstag...
@michaelherzog6949
Eines der besten Stücke von Quo! Rick, ruhe in Frieden!
@nickandrew1089
To all the todders who said Quo couldn't play guitar,
This song shows you knew fuck all! RIP RICK. You lived life to the limit. That's a hell of an achievement to have kept rockin' for so many years. Another part of my teens now just a part of history & many happy memories.
@thecybercommunityjamband2180
Any saying Quo couldn't play are idiots, and no nothing about music and playing!
@jacobmassey3897
At least they made it to the magic 50 mark before he passed 😥
@FATBAZ01
Reckon this is one of the most underrated tracks the band have done. Musically brilliant but portrayed as casual. The guitar swops are so much fun and show how good these blokes are. Just the usual class of the band... Luvvit...
@Kitandrox
YES YES YES YES AND YES SOME MORE!!!
@omarvechy6261
Genius !!!!!!
@anelladambrosio2513
Bellissima esibizione!che suono meraviglioso, per questo gruppo storico...😊😍😘🎶🎸🎸🎶💘💓💋💋💯💯🌅
@user-normsweb
From their 4th album, Dog of two Head