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.
I Want The World To Know
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rollin' back to Lady Jane
And can't you see the sun is shinin'
Temperature's a-risin'
Rood'n'doodee, what's your name?
Seven-forty-seven, flying over heaven
You could be a millionaire
Any kind of weather everybody, everywhere
I wanna be your brother
And I wanna be your friend
I wanna be your brother
Shake you by the hand
Come on, everybody, gonna have a party
Rock it all over the world
Come on and shake it all over, over and over
Down, down, come on and spread the word
I wanna be your brother
And I wanna be your friend
I wanna be your brother
And shake you by the hand
I want the world to know
Shake it, shake it, shake it
I want the world to know
I wanna be your brother
And I wanna be your friend
I wanna be your brother
Shake you by the hand
Shake it, shake it, shake it
I want the world to know
I wanna be your brother
I want the world to know
Shake it, shake it, shake it
I want the world to know
I wanna be your brother
I want the world to know
The lyrics of Status Quo's "I Want The World To Know" talks about the desire to connect with people and spread love and positivity all over the world. The opening lines show the band's passion for music and their journey towards Lady Jane, which is a song from their 1974 album "Quo". The lyrics reference the sun shining and temperature rising, which creates an ambiance of happiness and joy. The next stanza talks about how anyone can be successful no matter who they are or where they come from.
The chorus emphasizes the band's message of wanting to be everybody's friend and brother. They want to shake hands with everyone and spread the word to the world to promote brotherhood and positivity. The repeated lines "I want the world to know" shows Status Quo’s intention to make an impact worldwide, to reach every corner of the globe and to promote a sense of belonging and togetherness.
The song is ultimately about love, brotherhood and spreading joy, a message that Status Quo has been promoting throughout their career. The track has a catchy rhythm and happy vibes, which make it a classic example of ’80s party music. The lyrics may seem frivolous, yet it is one of the hallmarks of Status Quo’s early career.
Line by Line Meaning
Slippin' and a-slidin', rockin' and a-riding
Having a good time with lots of movement and energy
Rollin' back to Lady Jane
Returning to a place of comfort and familiarity
And can't you see the sun is shinin'
Expressing positivity and optimism about current circumstances
Temperature's a-risin'
Feeling intense excitement and anticipation
Rood'n'doodee, what's your name?
Playful and lighthearted greeting to a stranger
Seven-forty-seven, flying over heaven
Marveling at human innovation and the beauty of the natural world
You could be a millionaire
Encouraging listeners to dream big and aim for success
And you could be a Rockefeller
Suggesting that anyone can achieve great wealth and influence
Any kind of weather everybody, everywhere
Asserting that nothing can stand in the way of worldwide unity and celebration
I wanna be your brother
Expressing a desire for camaraderie and familial closeness with listeners
And I wanna be your friend
Extending friendship and emotional support to all who hear the song
Come on, everybody, gonna have a party
Inviting everyone to join in on the fun and festivities
Rock it all over the world
Encouraging global celebration and collective enjoyment
Come on and shake it all over, over and over
Urging listeners to dance and enjoy themselves repeatedly
Down, down, come on and spread the word
Encouraging others to share the message of unity and celebration
I want the world to know
Desiring widespread recognition and acknowledgement for the positive message of the song
Shake it, shake it, shake it
Encouraging listeners to dance and move with joy
I wanna be your brother
Reiterating the desire for close, familial relationships with all who hear the song
And shake you by the hand
Expressing a desire for personal connection and friendship with listeners
I want the world to know
Emphasizing the importance of spreading the message of positivity and unity
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALAN LANCASTER, KEITH LAMB
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Omar Landeros
Alan Lancaster in this song special!!
status quo-all
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