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.
Rock 'N' Roll
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Playing near or far too many times should have known
It can lose you all sleep at night
Twelve bar blues is now alright
Now it's up to you to try and find the reason to
Rock 'n' Roll and every song
Rock 'n' Roll and everyone
It's Rock 'n' Roll and Rock keeps rollin' on
Waiting all the time to find radio plays on Caroline
They say you'll get there in the end
We can pray, what we say
Makes a difference in the end
Looking back it can be funny, it can be very strange
Everything we do, it's funny, we never rearrange
It can lose you all sleep at night
Twelve bar blues is now alright
Now it's up to you to try and find the reason to
Rock 'n' Roll and every song
Rock 'n' Roll and everyone
It's Rock 'n' Roll and Rock and Rock 'n' Roll
It's Rock 'n' Roll and Rock keeps rollin' on
Waiting all the time to find radio plays on Caroline
They say you'll get there in the end
We can pray, what we say
Makes a difference in the end
Rushing always in a hurry, and try to give it up
Everything we do it's funny, it's never good enough
It can lose you all sleep at night
Twelve bar blues is now alright
Now it's up to you to try and find the reason to
Rock 'n' Roll and every song
Rock 'n' Roll and everyone
It's Rock 'n' Roll and Rock and Rock 'n' Roll
It's Rock 'n' Roll and Rock keeps rollin' on
Waiting all the time to find radio plays on Caroline
They say you'll get there in the end
We can pray, what we say
Makes a difference in the e
In "Rock 'N' Roll" by Status Quo, the lyrics speak to the ups and downs of being a musician and the love of rock music. The song starts with a reflection on the fear of being alone and the questionable decisions made in the past. The chorus encourages the listener to find meaning in rock and roll, and how it perseveres through time. The second verse mentions the struggle to gain popularity through radio plays, but in the end, it's all about what is said and how it affects others. The final verse touches on the constant rush to perfect one's craft, yet it is never enough, and it is time to focus on the joy that rock music brings.
The song's message is one that any musician can relate to. The fear of being alone and the constant struggle to remain relevant is a difficult journey. Still, for those who truly love the music, the genre's spirit never dies. The song encourages the listener to find meaning in rock and roll, and how it perseveres through time. It's about enjoying the genre's passion, appreciation and creating music that speaks to the heart.
Line by Line Meaning
Never thought I'd have a worry for me to be alone
I never expected to worry about being alone
Playing near or far too many times should have known
I played too often and should have realized the consequences
It can lose you all sleep at night
It can keep you up all night
Twelve bar blues is now alright
The simple twelve-bar blues is now acceptable music
Now it's up to you to try and find the reason to
It's your turn to search for the reason
Rock 'n' Roll and every song
Rock 'n' Roll and all songs
Rock 'n' Roll and everyone
Rock 'n' Roll and everyone who loves it
It's Rock 'n' Roll and Rock and Rock 'n' Roll
It's all about Rock 'n' Roll and more Rock 'n' Roll
It's Rock 'n' Roll and Rock keeps rollin' on
Rock 'n' Roll will always continue
Waiting all the time to find radio plays on Caroline
Waiting for the radio station Caroline to play your music
They say you'll get there in the end
They say that eventually, you'll make it
We can pray, what we say
We can pray and hope that what we say matters
Makes a difference in the end
What we say can make a difference in the end
Rushing always in a hurry, and try to give it up
Always in a rush but trying to slow down
Everything we do it's funny, it's never good enough
Everything we do seems humorous, but it's never perfect
Waiting all the time to find radio plays on Caroline
Still waiting for Caroline to play your music
They say you'll get there in the end
People still say you'll eventually make it
We can pray, what we say
We still have hope that what we say matters
Makes a difference in the end
What we say can still make a difference in the end
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Francis Rossi, Bernard Frost
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ralphtoastiepetersonoffici5079
What can I say… You hear a song like this that you love so much for the first time in over 30 years and you realise it’s part of who you’ve become.……
@70ad89
I could not have put it better myself. Long live the Quo.
@alancarlton8380
Worse I ain't heard this in 40yrs though surprised that I knew it word 4 word❤
@DigitalUnderground7
This one is for you Dad.....R.I.P 👍🏻Thanks for the great memories and introducing me to some of the best music ever
@diannecollier6267
Me and my Dad used to sing to this too.. Only recently have I been able to find it on here.
Reminds me of him everytime I hear it ♥️♥️♥️
@daynerpotter9514
My Dad loves the quo, I will play "Burning Bridges" at his funeral ❤️❤️
@DigitalUnderground7
@@daynerpotter9514That was my dads favourite Quo song! 😊👍🏻
@richardstokes3625
Same here with my Dad. This and ELO
@jamescollings1834
What an utterly classic! Just shows great music at its finest.
@nicedog1
The solo brings tears to my eyes. Fantastic!