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.
Let's Ride
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And we were riding down the dusty road
I took a turn around the dusty track
And said I'm never ever coming back
Aw, but baby come and ride with me
Come on and ride like it used to be
I know you like the way it feels
Riding high on a pair of wheels
Let's ride, let's ride, let's ride
Take me up and won't you come on, let's ride
It took me twenty-five thousand miles
A new starter and a pair of tyres
When at last I realised the end
Was coming up around the bend
I turned around and scraped my boots
And headed back again towards my roots
The wind was blowing through my hair
And the sun was shining everywhere
Let's ride, let's ride, let's ride
Take me up and won't you come on, let's ride
A little loving goes a long, long way
And it called me back again
Now I know which way to go
I'm never ever gonna ride alone
So baby come and ride with me
Come on and ride like it used to be
I know you like the way it feels
Ridng high upon a pair of wheels
Let's ride, let's ride, let's ride
Take me up and won't you come on, let's ride
Let's ride, let's ride, let's ride
Take me up and won't you come on, let's ride
The lyrics to "Let's Ride" by Status Quo offer a glimpse into a past event that the singer is reminiscing about. The first verse describes a moment when the singer and their companion were riding down a dusty road, but then the singer decided to take a different path, suggesting a departure or separation. However, the chorus of the song expresses an invitation to the companion to come and ride together again, as they used to do, suggesting a reconciliation. The second verse further emphasizes the distance traveled by the singer, mentioning the miles, starter, and tires, but then the singer becomes aware that the end is near and heads back towards their roots, feeling the wind in their hair and the warmth of the sun. The final verse is an affirmation that the singer is no longer alone and that they have someone to ride with, with a declaration of love that is powerful enough to bring them back.
The overall theme of the song is that of nostalgia for a lost time, and a desire to recapture the feeling of freedom and exhilaration that comes with riding on a motorcycle down an open road. The song also seems to express a longing for connection and companionship, which is achieved through riding together. The lyrics emphasize the importance of love, the sense of adventure that comes with taking risks, and the joy of experiencing life's simple pleasures.
Line by Line Meaning
It's such a very long time ago
Reflecting upon a distant past
And we were riding down the dusty road
Recollecting a shared motorcycle ride
I took a turn around the dusty track
Changed course from previous path
And said I'm never ever coming back
Declaring finality and certainty
Aw, but baby come and ride with me
Inviting someone to share current path
Come on and ride like it used to be
Recreating the past ride together
I know you like the way it feels
Acknowledging someone's fondness for motorcycle rides
Riding high on a pair of wheels
Enthusiastically describing the experience of motorcycle riding
Let's ride, let's ride, let's ride
Excitedly extending the invitation to ride
Take me up and won't you come on, let's ride
Urging someone to join in a new adventure
It took me twenty-five thousand miles
Recounting distance traveled
A new starter and a pair of tyres
Describing mechanical repairs
When at last I realized the end
Coming to terms with the conclusion
Was coming up around the bend
Drawing near to the final destination
I turned around and scraped my boots
Making last minute preparations before heading back
And headed back again towards my roots
Returning to familiar surroundings
The wind was blowing through my hair
Savoring the sensation of the wind on the motorcycle ride
And the sun was shining everywhere
Appreciating the beauty of the world
A little loving goes a long, long way
Recognizing the importance of love
And it called me back again
Feeling the pull to love and to return to somebody
Now I know which way to go
Having clarity about direction forward
I'm never ever gonna ride alone
Expressing a commitment to share future motorcycle rides
So baby come and ride with me
Reiterating the invitation to join in the journey
Let's ride, let's ride, let's ride
Encouraging enthusiasm for the ride
Take me up and won't you come on, let's ride
Echoing the enthusiasm to embark on the adventure
Let's ride, let's ride, let's ride
Repeating the enthusiasm for the ride
Take me up and won't you come on, let's ride
Inviting others to join on the journey once again
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALAN LANCASTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jaime Alvarado
on Rain
great song ,,, !!!!!!!