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.
Just Take Me
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All my leaves have fallen, left me all alone
If I was a rich man, if I was a king
I would give you all I have, give you everything
If you'd just take me
Just take me now
If you'd just take me
Never seen my daddy, died when I was two
Mama did the best she could, taught me all she knew
Said that love was everything, tears came to her eyes
Never knew the meaning, now I realize
[Chorus:]
Love is all you need
All you need now
If you just take me
I'm trying hard to get you, I'm not the only one
Never had a big car, but I'm not on the run
If love has got a meaning see it in my eyes
If you see the beginning, then you'd realize
[Chorus]
Love is all you need
All you need now
If you just take me
Just take me
Just take me now
Won't you just take me
The song "Just Take Me" by Status Quo is a heartfelt plea from the singer to the object of his affection to give him a chance at love. The lyrics portray the singer as a poor man, who has nowhere to go and has been left alone after all the leaves have fallen. He acknowledges that he may not have much, but if he was a rich man or a king, he would give everything he has to the person he loves. The chorus of the song emphasizes that love is all one needs and pleads with the person to just take him now.
The second verse of the song reveals that the singer never knew his father, and his mother taught him that love was everything. The singer did not understand the meaning of love back then but has come to realize how important it is in life. The singer further conveys that they have been trying hard to win over the object of their affection, but the significant other has not reciprocated.
Overall, the song is an honest and raw confession of love from someone who does not have much but is willing to give everything they have for a chance at love. The lyrics suggest that love is the only essential and valuable thing in life, and the singer is ready to embrace it wholeheartedly.
Line by Line Meaning
I am just a poor man, got nowhere to go
I don't have a lot of money and don't really have any direction in life.
All my leaves have fallen, left me all alone
Everything I had has disappeared and I feel like I'm all by myself.
If I was a rich man, if I was a king
If I had a lot of money or power, I would do everything I could for you.
I would give you all I have, give you everything
I would be willing to sacrifice everything to make you happy.
If you'd just take me
If you would agree to be with me, I would be so happy.
Just take me now
I want you to choose me immediately.
Never seen my daddy, died when I was two
My father passed away when I was just a baby.
Mama did the best she could, taught me all she knew
My mother raised me on her own, but she did a good job.
Said that love was everything, tears came to her eyes
My mother believed that love was the most important thing in the world, and she would become emotional when talking about it.
Never knew the meaning, now I realize
At the time, I didn't fully understand what my mother meant by 'love is everything', but now I do.
Love is all you need
Love is the most important thing in life.
All you need now
You don't need anything else if you have love.
I'm trying hard to get you, I'm not the only one
I'm not the only person interested in you, but I'm doing my best to show you that I care.
Never had a big car, but I'm not on the run
I might not have a lot of material possessions, but I'm not running away from anything either.
If love has got a meaning see it in my eyes
You can tell how deeply I believe in love just by looking into my eyes.
If you see the beginning, then you'd realize
If you can see where our relationship might go, you would understand why being with me is the best choice.
Won't you just take me
I'm really hoping that you'll choose to be with me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: ALAN CHARLES LANCASTER, RICHARD JOHN PARFITT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
firefly
Increíble que esta secuencia de videos del disco Quo tenga tan poco aprecio.
Érase un grupo de amigos amantes del rock en los años 70 que conocieron a Status Quo después de hacer lo propio con los supergrupos como Purple o Zeppelin. Y supieron que habían llegado a algo distinto a aquellos, igualmente auténtico o quizá más.
Steven Churma
One of my favourite songs of all time. Pure raw power music. Beats anything put out today.
Oscar G.
Status Quo simply the best rock band all over the world, there will never be any other band like it ever.
Kev Gelardi
best album of all time....
Nodrog Landboy
The mighty Quo at there very best.!. A. L. R.P. rip. J.C . F.R. Original Quo.
simon buckley
The drummering on this tune WOW!
Paul jones
For me the best Rossi solo, and there have been many.
Melancholy Man
Superrrrrrrrrrrrrrr))))))))))))))))))
Kevin James
Bo Diddley wrote this song! The syncopation between FR and RP is electrifying! Live AL’s voice and JC? Fkn dynamite
HEY!
@Kevin James Thanks mate! I totally see what you mean now. "Pretty Thing" is a pretty heavy song considering the time it was written, I have to say I wasn't expecting it to be that cool but it's absolutely BRILLIANT! I've also checked out Cold Chisel and they seem pretty cool as well. Now I've got two new musicians to explore, thanks!