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.
Heavy Traffic
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ain't nobody said a word that's true
Ain't it time to stop this crap type talking
Won't you tell us what you're gonna do
Tell you what why don't we break this pattern
Tell you what why don't we do some do
All together we can make it happen
Want to drive yeh drive
I want to drive but I can't get no-where
Heavy traffic all over this town
I want to drive yeh drive
I want to drive I gotta get somewhere
Heavy traffic is bringing me down
Every time I see the red light burning
Don't it always make the air turn blue
But until we see the red light turning
There ain't nothing anyone can do
We all dream about an open highway
Making dreams is all that we can do
We'd be moving on if I had my way
Nothing can stop me getting back to you
Want to drive yeh drive
I want to drive but I can't get no-where
Heavy traffic all over this town
I want to drive yeh drive
I want to drive I gotta get somewhere
Heavy traffic coming into this town
I want to drive yeh drive
I want to drive but I can't get no-where
Heavy traffic all over this town
I want to drive yeh drive
I want to drive I gotta get somewhere
Heavy traffic is bringing me down
Heavy traffic all over this town
Heavy traffic all over this town
Heavy traffic coming into this town
Heavy traffic
The lyrics to Status Quo's "Heavy Traffic" seem to be about the frustration of being stuck in traffic, both physically and metaphorically. The opening lines express a sense of people talking for a long time without saying anything of substance. The singer calls for an end to this "crap type talking" and implores someone to tell the truth about what they're planning to do. The song seems to advocate for action and working together to make things happen.
The chorus repeats the desire to drive and get somewhere, but heavy traffic keeps getting in the way. The frustration builds as even the sight of a red light burning can make the air turn blue. The lyrics express a longing for an open highway and a desire to move forward, with the singer being determined to get back to someone despite the obstacles in their way.
Overall, the song seems to be a commentary on the feeling of being stuck and the desire to break free from that suffocating feeling. The heavy traffic acts as a metaphor for any kind of obstacle that prevents us from achieving our goals, and the song urges us to find ways to work together and make things happen despite those obstacles.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's been a long time talking
Everybody has been talking for a long time
Ain't nobody said a word that's true
Nobody has said anything that is true
Ain't it time to stop this crap type talking
Isn't it time to stop talking nonsense?
Won't you tell us what you're gonna do
Can you tell us what you are going to do?
Tell you what why don't we break this pattern
Let me suggest that we break this pattern
Tell you what why don't we do some do
Why don't we take action?
All together we can make it happen
If we work together, we can make it happen
Untogether and we won't get through
If we are not united, we will not succeed
Want to drive yeh drive
I want to drive my car
I want to drive but I can't get no-where
I want to drive, but I cannot go anywhere due to the heavy traffic
Heavy traffic all over this town
There is heavy traffic all over the town
Every time I see the red light burning
Whenever I see a red traffic light
Don't it always make the air turn blue
Doesn't it always make people angry and frustrated?
But until we see the red light turning
Until we see the traffic light turning green
There ain't nothing anyone can do
There is nothing anyone can do to make the light turn green
We all dream about an open highway
We all dream of driving on an open road
Making dreams is all that we can do
However, making those dreams come true is all we can do
We'd be moving on if I had my way
If it were up to me, we would be moving on
Nothing can stop me getting back to you
Nothing can stop me from getting back to where you are
Heavy traffic coming into this town
There is heavy traffic coming into the town
Heavy traffic is bringing me down
The heavy traffic is making me feel down
Heavy traffic all over this town
There is heavy traffic all over the town
Heavy traffic coming into this town
There is heavy traffic coming into the town
Heavy traffic
There is heavy traffic
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, BMG Rights Management
Written by: ROSSI, YOUNG, JOHN EDWARDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
nosferatu49
This song, ans the whole album is awesome!!!! This is Quo's renaissance!!!
Heavy Herti
One of their best tracks. Very heavy. Lots of good songs on the "Heavy Traffic" album - for me outstanding and one of their best albums! Good Rockin' heavy guitar sound! And with a good drive in every song. That's why i love Quo!
ROBERT NORTON
loved this 1st time i played the cd.and still do.
Eyleen rossi
So awesome,this Guys are the best.i always been a Fan of Status Quo.
nosferatu49
@QueenReigns1 Yes, Yes... I know... This song is comming from the 2002 album "Heavy Traffic", and in my comment, I say that "Heavy Traffic", the album is "Quo's renaissance", and of course, "Quid prop Quo" belongs to that renaissance... Heavy Traffic, as Quid Pro Quo belongs to Quo's best albums! But thanks for trying to help!
silver588
Brilliant song...
wbegnel1
100:1
Keith Leeuwen
Saw them in Irvington, New Jersey on this tour at The Cricket Club !
Fernando lópez
someone has the full link of the concert?
alice lopez
may heavy traffic band noong 80's nasan na kaya sila buo pa ba ang grupo?