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.
Nevashooda
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shoulda known better than to follow it through
Nevashooda touched
Nevashooda kissed
Lord knows you didn't insist
Shoulda known better
Point-blank range
You hit my heart
I'm blown apart
I hate that
Shoulda known you'd put a spell on me
When all I wanted was company
Nevashooda listened
Nevashooda looked
Lord knows you got me hooked
Shoulda known better
You had it planned
From the start
Bullseye babe
You stole my heart
I hate that
I nevashooda
Nevashooda
I nevashooda
Nevashooda
Shoulda known better than to let you down
Shoulda known better than to play the clown
Nevashooda strayed
Nevashooda lied
Lord knows how I'll survive
Shoulda known better
Point-blank range
I hit your heart
Bullseye babe
We're torn apart
I hate that
I nevashooda
Nevashooda
I nevashooda
Nevashooda
Shoulda known better than to pull your string
Shoulda known better than to do that thing
Shoulda known better than to cut you out
Shoulda known better than to scream and shout
Shoulda known better than to call your name
Shoulda known better than to play your game
I nevashooda
Nevashooda
I nevashooda
Nevashooda
The lyrics of "Nevashooda" by Status Quo are about regret and the realization of making a mistake. The song talks about how the singer fell for someone and should have known better than to continue with the relationship. The title itself is a play on the phrase "should have" and emphasizes the regret of not knowing better.
The opening lines "Shoulda known better when I fell for you, shoulda known better than to follow it through" paint a picture of the singer's initial hesitation, but also an awareness that they ignored their instincts. The lines "Point-blank range, you hit my heart, Bullseye babe, I'm blown apart" describe how the deceitful lover targeted and hit the singer's heart, leaving them emotionally shattered.
Throughout the song, the references to "Nevashooda" imply the regret of the singer. They should have known better, and now they are left to deal with the aftermath of their actions. The use of repetition in the chorus, "I nevashooda, Nevashooda, I nevashooda, Nevashooda," emphasizes the weight of the regret and the realization that the action can't be undone.
Overall, the lyrics illustrate the experience of falling for someone and realizing that it was a mistake. The use of language and imagery effectively communicate the regret and emotional pain associated with the experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Shoulda known better when I fell for you
I made a mistake falling for you
Shoulda known better than to follow it through
I should have stopped myself from pursuing you
Nevashooda touched
I did not expect or plan to be physically intimate with you
Nevashooda kissed
I did not expect or plan to kiss you
Lord knows you didn't insist
You did not pressure me to do anything
Shoulda known better
I made a mistake
Point-blank range
Directly, without any buffer or warning
You hit my heart
You deeply affected me emotionally
Bullseye babe
You hit your target perfectly
I'm blown apart
I am devastated and shattered
I hate that
I am upset and regretful
Shoulda known you'd put a spell on me
I should have known you would enchant and captivate me
When all I wanted was company
I just wanted someone to spend time with
Nevashooda listened
I did not expect or plan for you to be attentive to me
Nevashooda looked
I did not expect or plan for you to be attracted to me
Lord knows you got me hooked
You have a strong hold on me emotionally
You had it planned
You strategized and intentionally pursued me
You stole my heart
You captured my affections
I nevashooda
I did not expect or plan for this to happen
Nevashooda
Unexpected or unplanned
Shoulda known better than to let you down
I should not have disappointed or upset you
Shoulda known better than to play the clown
I should not have acted foolishly or childishly
Nevashooda strayed
I did not plan or intend to be unfaithful
Nevashooda lied
I did not plan or intend to deceive or misrepresent myself
Lord knows how I'll survive
I am unsure how to move on from this emotionally
Shoulda known better than to pull your string
I should not have manipulated or controlled you
Shoulda known better than to do that thing
I should not have engaged in that behavior
Shoulda known better than to cut you out
I should not have excluded or ignored you
Shoulda known better than to scream and shout
I should not have expressed my anger or frustration in that way
Shoulda known better than to call your name
I should not have reached out to you or tried to communicate with you
Shoulda known better than to play your game
I should not have engaged in manipulative behavior or allowed myself to be manipulated by you
Contributed by Aria T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Hans van Beek
Great tune! New Quo with fresh material, close to their roots!
klls
does anybody have the chords of this track?