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.
In Your Eyes
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With her long black hair and (?) she can tell
Doesn't she know so well
She can cast a spell with that look of heaven
In her eyes, in her eyes
In your eyes, your eyes
Now I can't get to sleep
Doesn't seem to matter though
Doesn't seem to worry me
I can't get to sleep
I dream and dream, honest I do
Honest I do, dream of you
Couldn't we be away
On a different day could be so unusual
Couldn't we try to be
What the others say, what they think they see there
In your eyes, in your eyes
In your eyes, your eyes
Now I have been a fool
I've been in love, haven't we all
Everybody does it though
Every time we keep going back again
I've made that mistake
I dream and dream honest I do
Honest I do dream of you
Wouldn't it feel the same
Is it just a game that we play from time to time
Wouldn't I feel so good
If I understood what I see is written there
In your eyes, in your eyes
In your eyes, your eyes
Now when towards the end
I'm feeling blue and everything's wrong
Doesn't matter at the time
Doesn't matter this time anyway
I can't get to sleep
I dream and dream, honest I do
Honest I do dream, oh I can't get to sleep
I dream and dream, honest I do
Honest I do dream of you
In Your Eyes by Status Quo is a song about the singer's infatuation with a woman whose beauty and captivating gaze have left him entranced, unable to sleep and dreaming of her constantly. He describes her long black hair and the spell she seems to cast with a glance. The lyrics imply that there is something deeper and more profound in her eyes that he can't quite grasp, but feels drawn to nonetheless. The singer longs to be with her and wonders if they could be together, despite the expectations and opinions of others.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of longing and yearning, as the singer acknowledges his own feelings of being a fool for falling in love, but still can't help dreaming about this woman. There is a sense of uncertainty, as he wonders if their attraction is just a game or something more real and meaningful.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "in your eyes", emphasizing the power of this woman's gaze and the effect she has on the singer's thoughts and emotions. The song ends with the singer still dreaming about her, unable to sleep, but seemingly resigned to the idea that his infatuation will persist regardless of what happens.
Overall, In Your Eyes is a song that explores the complexities of love and desire, and the way that a person's gaze can have a profound impact on another. It portrays the ups and downs of infatuation, from the intense feelings of attraction and longing to the uncertainties and doubts that come with pursuing a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Doesn't she look so well
Isn't she beautiful?
With her long black hair and (?) she can tell
Her black hair looks amazing and she seems confident
Doesn't she know so well
She seems aware of her beauty and charm
She can cast a spell with that look of heaven
She has an enchanting gaze
In her eyes, in her eyes
Her eyes are captivating
In your eyes, your eyes
The person being addressed also has beautiful eyes
Now I can't get to sleep
I am restless
I dream and dream all the day through
I can't stop thinking about the person
Doesn't seem to matter though
It doesn't bother me
Doesn't seem to worry me
I am not concerned
I've made that mistake
I have been foolish in the past
Couldn't we be away
What if we were somewhere else
On a different day could be so unusual
It would be an extraordinary experience
Couldn't we try to be
What if we attempted to do something different
What the others say, what they think they see there
What do other people think when they look at us
Now I have been a fool
I have made mistakes in love
I dream and dream honest I do
I still dream about you
Wouldn't it feel the same
What if things remained unchanged
Is it just a game that we play from time to time
Am I just a plaything to you
Wouldn't I feel so good
It would make me happy
If I understood what I see is written there
If only I could decipher what you are feeling
Now when towards the end
As things come to a close
I'm feeling blue and everything's wrong
I'm sad and things aren't going well
Doesn't matter at the time
It doesn't seem important right now
Doesn't matter this time anyway
It won't matter now or later
I dream and dream, oh I can't get to sleep
I am consumed by thoughts of you
Honest I do dream of you
I can't help but think of you
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: FROST, HARRELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Efrain Puebla
This song always puts a smile on my face 2020 😊
Noryb 5557
Q recuerdos dios mio
Kristian Yrjölä
... and on my face 2022!!!!
Jostein Sande
I love this song. It gives me a unexplainable feeling. It strikes me right in the heart. Thank you Status Quo, thank you...
Ярослав Шевченко
great vocals, great groove, great flute, great solo, great music, great mood
paola olivares
SIN DUDA ALGUNA ESTA CANSION ES UNA DE LAS FAVORITAS !!! SALUDOS A TODA LA BANDA DE CD NEZA =)
oso lopes
Seguro que si. Sludos a toda mi banda rocker.
oso lopes
Toda mi bandita rocker de Neza.
Ray Glez
Recuerdos de juventud.. esta rola transporta.. una de rigor con los Maestros SQ
Kevin Francis
Great song from the first Quo album I ever bought, whenever I hear this song I'm ten years old all over again