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.
Josie
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I feel that I'd better state my case
I'd like to clear up the misunderstandings that surround
Our latest excursions into space
Why, you may ask, do I still try
And penetrate beyond the endless sky
Up high
Let me look into your eyes Josie
Count the stars along the Milky Way
I won't leave you, not tonight Josie
If you'll try to love me, try to love me
Show me you do
The way that I love you
In spite of the difficulties met with at the start
The probe will be carried out as planned
The problem is now the big question of the human heart
And what kind of stress it can withstand
Where, you may ask, will all this end?
Well I can't say I really comprehend.
Let me look into your eyes Josie
Count the stars along the Milky Way
I won't leave you, not tonight Josie
If you'll try to love me, try to love me
Show me you do
The way that I love you
When I look into your eyes Josie
The world of man is very far away
Stay with me and let me hear you say
That you'll try to love me, try to love me
Show me you do
The way that I love you
The lyrics to Status Quo's song "Josie" seem to revolve around an attempt to explain, or defend, the band's latest "excursions into space". The first verse sets the scene by referencing a rumor that requires clarification. The second verse delves deeper into the human heart, suggesting that the "probe" (presumably a metaphor for the band's new direction) will expose the "big question of the human heart", and the kind of stress it can endure.
The refrain, which is repeated throughout the song, calls upon Josie to "try to love me" and "show me you do, the way that I love you". This refrain seems to serve as a source of comfort for the singer in the face of the uncertainty introduced by the new direction that the band is taking. The final verse paints a picture of escapism, where the world of man is "very far away" when viewing the cosmos through Josie's eyes. The song seems to be a plea of sorts, asking Josie to join the singer in viewing the galaxy as a way of distancing themselves from the turmoil of their current situation, and to bond through their shared love of something greater than themselves.
Overall, the lyrics to "Josie" are somewhat cryptic, but it seems clear that they are attempting to explain or justify the band's recent shift in sound. The song asks the listener (Josie) to join the singer in taking a step back from the world and viewing it through a different, perhaps more abstract lens, in order to better understand themselves and their situation.
Line by Line Meaning
In view of the fact that there's a rumour going round
As there is a rumor spreading around, I feel it necessary to speak my mind
I feel that I'd better state my case
I need to make my position clear
I'd like to clear up the misunderstandings that surround
There are many misconceptions about what we have been doing, and I would like to address them
Our latest excursions into space
Our most recent missions into the unknown
Why, you may ask, do I still try
You might wonder why I am still attempting to explore the far reaches of the universe
And penetrate beyond the endless sky up high
To reach beyond the seemingly infinite heavens
Let me look into your eyes Josie
Allow me to gaze deeply into your eyes, Josie
Count the stars along the Milky Way
Together, let us count the multitude of stars visible along the expanse of our galaxy
I won't leave you, not tonight Josie
I promise not to leave you alone tonight, Josie
If you'll try to love me, try to love me, show me you do
If you are willing to attempt to love me, to express your love for me, demonstrate your true feelings
The way that I love you
In the manner which I love you
In spite of the difficulties met with at the start
Despite the challenges encountered in the beginning
The probe will be carried out as planned
Our investigation will proceed according to the established plan
The problem is now the big question of the human heart
The primary obstacle has become a matter of the emotional capacity of humanity
And what kind of stress it can withstand
And how much pressure it can bear
Where, you may ask, will all this end?
You may be wondering where this journey will ultimately lead us
Well I can't say I really comprehend.
To be honest, I do not fully understand either.
When I look into your eyes Josie
As I gaze into your eyes, Josie
The world of man is very far away
The world of humanity seems distant and inconsequential
Stay with me and let me hear you say
Remain here with me and verbalize your commitment
That you'll try to love me, try to love me, show me you do
Promise me that you will strive to love me, demonstrate your love for me
The way that I love you
As I love you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, SKINNY ZACH MUSIC INC
Written by: DION DI MUCCI, TONY FASCE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jaime Alvarado
on Rain
great song ,,, !!!!!!!