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.
Marguerita Time
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Captured my memory
Captured a time for me
I could see
A time for me
Is gonna be
Deep in my heart
Deep in a part of me
Heart of me
Meant to be history
Could it be that I'm still wondering
I never knew what had happened to me
I didn't think it was true
That I could be just like anyone else
I'll take my chance with you
Picture a dream
Picture a fantasy
Picture a mood of me
Mystery you and me a mystery
Lost in a dream
Lost in a fantasy
Lost in what seemed to be
Dreams to be
Seemed to be
Had to be
Couldn't find no other reason
I never knew what had happened to me
I didn't think it was true
That I could be just like anyone else
I'll take my chance with you
Lets have a drink
It's Marguerita time
It's Marguerita time
After nine
Summer time
Any time
You'll still always find me wondering
I never knew what had happened to me
I didn't think it was true
That I could be just like anyone else
I'll take my chance with you
The lyrics of Status Quo's song Marguerita Time are a nostalgic reminiscence of a time that has passed. The first verse talks about how the memories of a certain time have captured the heart, mind, and soul of the singer. The words are reflective, and the repetition of the phrase "captured" emphasizes the importance of these memories. The singer sees this time as a part of him and knows that it'll become a part of history soon. The second verse talks about how the memories are so deep in the singer's soul that he's still wondering about its significance. The lyrics create a sense of longing, and we realize that the time has passed, and there's no going back.
In the chorus, the lyrics take a turn, and the singer suggests that they should have a drink together as it's Marguerita Time. The repetitive use of the phrase "Marguerita time" and "after nine, summer time, anytime" conveys the idea that the drink can make them forget their troubles and remind them of the good old days. The final verse reiterates the singer's confusion about what had happened to him and how he didn't think it was possible to be like anyone else. However, he's willing to take his chances with the listener and look towards the future.
Overall, the lyrics of Marguerita Time are about how memories of days gone by can capture the heart and soul and create a longing for the past. The lyrics convey a sense of nostalgia and the pain of losing something irretrievable.
Line by Line Meaning
Captured my heart
A feeling of love has been implanted in my heart
Captured my memory
The memory of this feeling has been etched in my mind
Captured a time for me
This moment in time has been preserved and is special to me
I could see
I am able to reflect and notice how meaningful this experience is
A time for me
This unique moment belongs to me and can never be replicated
Is gonna be
This memory will live on forever
Deep in my heart
This feeling is not just a surface level emotion but deeply ingrained in me
Deep in my memory
This memory is something that will never fade away and is a part of me forever
Deep in a part of me
This memory is not just scattered but has been embedded into my being
Heart of me
This experience has impacted me on an emotional level
Meant to be history
This moment was destined to become a significant part of my past
Could it be that I'm still wondering
I'm contemplating whether this experience was truly real or just a dream
I never knew what had happened to me
An unexpected event has occurred that has left an impression on me
I didn't think it was true
I can hardly believe that this moment has happened to me
That I could be just like anyone else
I used to think I was regular and just like everyone else, but this memory proves otherwise
I'll take my chance with you
I'm willing to take a gamble on this moment and treasure it
Picture a dream
Imagine a perfect, idealistic vision
Picture a fantasy
Visualize an unrealistic and mythical scenario
Picture a mood of me
Imagine an emotional tone that I exude
Mystery you and me a mystery
The relationship between us is shrouded in ambiguity
Lost in a dream
Caught up in a state of unconsciousness
Lost in a fantasy
Obsessed with an imaginative world that is not real
Lost in what seemed to be
Confused by what appeared to be a certain reality
Dreams to be
The possibility of achieving these dreams
Seemed to be
Appearance versus reality situation
Had to be
This experience absolutely had to happen
Couldn't find no other reason
There was no other way to explain this experience
Lets have a drink
Let's unwind and celebrate
It's Marguerita time
This is the perfect occasion to have a Marguerita drink
After nine
It's later in the day and an appropriate time to indulge
Summer time
The season of summer is associated with relaxation and fun
Any time
It doesn't matter the time of day or year, I'm always left pondering this experience
You'll still always find me wondering
Regardless of the passage of time, I'll still be contemplating this experience
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BERNARD JOHN FROST, FRANCIS ROSSI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
jakestown
Reminds me of being a kid in the 80s in the local working men's club. Metal ash trays, smokey rooms, pool tables, lively banter, stale lager smell, and this on the jukebox. Bloody brilliant 👏 long live the Quo.
Wagons World
Me too xx
Lassy Dogpie
Same here 😂🎉
Hayhay JChambers
The way they look at eachother, just makes me smile, such a great band
fluffythewondercat
I'd say it's more like the way Francis moons over Rick. I've seen him do this before in their performances but this one was utterly blatant, almost a seduction. Rick was a sweet, gentle man who deserved better.
Mister Meanie
Makes me smile and cry the same time
David Gbr
Shocking and they were not best friends
Timo Ilonen
They were best friends!
MsElvisman
This song is stuck in my head. Makes me feel really happy
Anna P
Love this song 👍 👍 👍 👍 👍 👍 👍 👍