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.
Too Far Gone
Status Quo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't want to see you looking this way
It's a crime the way you're carrying on
You'll keep it up till you're too far gone
Yeh yeh, yeh yeh
You took off with a no-good double dealing money maker
It's too bad your head was up in the clouds
Don't wait forever, it's too far gone
If you want to play a bad game, you've got to be a good player
It don't matter if you win or you lose
No one cares if you're right of wrong
You only win when you're too far gone
You said goodbye, you'd never listen
You couldn't be wrong
And now it's over it's not so easy
To say it's all gone
You're running wild living out your fantasy life
And ev'rybody knows the game by the look in your eyes
Too far gone, too far gone
Too far gone, too far gone...
The lyrics of the Status Quo song "Too Far Gone" are a commentary on the destructive and selfish behavior of a person who is addicted to money and power. The singer of the song addresses this person directly, calling them a "low down liquor drinking money grabber" and accusing them of being involved with a "no-good double dealing money maker." The singer expresses concern about the way this person is carrying on, warning them that they will keep going until they are "too far gone," beyond the point of no return.
The chorus of the song reinforces this message, with the repeated phrase "too far gone" serving as a kind of warning and lament. The singer suggests that this person is living out a fantasy life, running wild and indulging in their own desires without any consideration for the consequences. The song implies that this kind of behavior is ultimately empty and self-destructive, and that those who engage in it will end up losing everything.
Line by Line Meaning
You've been looking like a low down liquor drinking money grabber
I can tell by your appearance and behavior that you're someone who only cares about money and drinking.
I don't want to see you looking this way
I am disappointed and disapproving of your current state and behavior.
It's a crime the way you're carrying on
Your actions are morally wrong and hurtful to others.
You'll keep it up till you're too far gone
You will continue with these behaviors until it's too late to turn back.
Yeh yeh, yeh yeh
Repetitive vocalization with no significant meaning.
You took off with a no-good double dealing money maker
You left with someone who's untrustworthy and manipulative for financial gain.
It's too bad your head was up in the clouds
It's a shame that you were not seeing things clearly and realistically.
It's a shame you didn't get what you want
You deserve the consequences of your actions, even if you didn't achieve your desired outcome.
Don't wait forever, it's too far gone
Do not procrastinate and wait too long to change, or it will be too late.
If you want to play a bad game, you've got to be a good player
If you choose to engage in immoral activities, you have to be skilled and experienced at it to succeed.
It don't matter if you win or you lose
The outcome of the game or situation is insignificant.
No one cares if you're right of wrong
The morality of your actions is irrelevant to others, they only care about the results.
You only win when you're too far gone
You will only consider yourself as successful when you've reached a point of no return in your immoral ways.
You said goodbye, you'd never listen
You ended the relationship and refused to listen to advice.
You couldn't be wrong
You believed you were always right, which was not the case.
And now it's over it's not so easy
It's harder to move on and make things right now that the damage is done.
To say it's all gone
It's difficult to admit that everything is ruined and there is no turning back.
You're running wild living out your fantasy life
You're behaving recklessly and selfishly, without regard for others' feelings or consequences.
And ev'rybody knows the game by the look in your eyes
It's evident to everyone that you're playing a deceitful game solely for your own benefit.
Too far gone, too far gone
Repeated warning that it's too late to turn back and make things right.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALAN LANCASTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jaime Alvarado
on Rain
great song ,,, !!!!!!!