A talented singer and bass guitarist, trained in classical piano and percussion, she joined her sisters in the 60s Detroit garage rock group The Pleasure Seekers whilst still in her teens and never looked back. By the early 70s, Suzi went off to England to work with producer Mickie Most, while her sister Patti joined the all-woman rock band Fanny. An underground following spread around Suzi's charisma and powerful singing.
Suzi found herself singing the material of songwriting duo Chinn & Chapman, musicians who were also having hits with Sweet. Combining shades of bubblegum pop with a hard rock spirit, similar to the power pop ethos of the era, Suzi embraced the glam sound. Under their tutelage, she had four top ten rock hits in the U.K., but she remained mostly unknown in the U.S.
However, her U.K. fame expanded through the 70s, with Suzi becoming a successful solo singer, bassist, and songwriter with a string of charting hits. Her appeal extended into the 80s while many of her contempoaries broke up. Notable songs of his period include "Can The Can", "Devil Gate Drive", "Tear Me Apart", and "The Wild One", among many others.
Suzi extended her career to television in 1979 when she guest starred for three seasons on the hit television series 'Happy Days'. She played the character Leather Tuscadero, who was the younger sister of Fonzie's love interest, Pinky Tuscadero. In 1979, at the height of the disco era, she finally made the U.S. Top Five with the track "Stumblin' In", a duet with Chris Norman.
In her musical career she has had 16 hit singles, sold over 45 million records and toured since 1964. She has also had guest appearances in the Runaways documentary "Edgeplay" and various UK television shows including Minder, Dempsey And Makepeace and Absolutely Fabulous.
In 1990, Suzi trod the boards in London's West End playing the lead in the musical Annie Get Your Gun and wrote and starred in a musical about Talullah Bankhead.
Suzi continues to write, perform and record her own original material and has a forthcoming new album Naked Under Leather. She also hosts an excellent show on BBC Radio 2.
Quatro's first single "Rolling Stone" did not achieve popularity anywhere except Portugal, where it made number one. Most introduced Quatro to the songwriting and production team Nicky Chinn/Mike Chapman. Her second single "Can the Can" (1973) was a number one hit throughout Europe and in Australia. It was followed up by three further hits: "48 Crash" (1973), "Daytona Demon" (1973) and "Devil Gate Drive" (1974) on RAK Records. Her first two albums were also European and Australian successes.
These recordings, however, met little success in her native U.S., despite tours in the mid-1970s supporting Alice Cooper, and, except in Australia, the popularity of Quatro's rocking glam rock declined from 1975. In the interim, she did enjoy success as a session player.
Quatro's fortunes did not change until 1978 when "If You Can't Give Me Love" became a hit in the UK and Australia. This did nothing to prompt Stateside success, but "Stumblin' In", a duet recorded that same year for RSO Records with Chris Norman of Smokie secured a #4 peak in the U.S. Both tracks featured on the "If You Knew Suzi" album. A year later, Quatro released "Suzi... And Other Four Letter Words". She called it her favourite album. This featured singles, such as "She's In Love With You", which made number 11 in the UK , "Mama's Boy" (34) and "I've Never Been In Love" (56). In 1980, her song "Rock Hard" was featured on the soundtrack of the cult film Times Square, along with some punk and new wave bands like Talking Heads, Ramones, XTC and The Pretenders. This success period proved brief however, and her last UK hit was "Heart of Stone" in late 1982. In 1985 Quatro collaborated with Bronski Beat and members of The Kinks, Eddie and the Hot Rods, and Dr Feelgood on the Mark Cunningham-produced version of David Bowie's classic "Heroes", released the following year as the 1986 BBC "Children In Need" single.
In December 2005, a documentary chronicling Quatro's life, "Naked under leather" directed by former Runaway Victory Tischler Blue appeared. In February 2006, Quatro released "Back To the Drive", produced by Sweet guitarist Andy Scott. The album's title track was penned by her former collaborator Mike Chapman.
March 2007 saw Quatro release a version of The Eagles' "Desperado", followed by the publication of her autobiography, "Unzipped".
Suzi Quatro has sold over 45 million records.
http://www.suziquatro.com
Sticks And Stones
Suzi Quatro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But you gotta take my rock and roll
Sticks and stones may break my bones
But you gotta take my rock and roll
Tune my mind to the station radio
My baby told me he ain't comin' back no mo'
Romeo, don't you know
Turned me on from he old matrimonial blow
He's so stiff even music couldn't make him go
Your batteries are running low
And I ain't stayin', no, no, no
Sticks and stones may break my bones
But you gotta take my rock and roll
Sticks and stones may break my bones
But you gotta take my rock and roll
We're alone tonight and you've done let me go
I need some man to tease before I get too old
You're movin' way to slow
So on your feet and go
In the song Sticks and Stones, Suzi Quatro seems to be speaking out against the people who want to suppress and control her, particularly in the music industry. The lyrics suggest that some people don't understand or appreciate rock and roll, and so they try to undermine its significance by controlling her or her career. When she sings "sticks and stones may break my bones, but you gotta take my rock and roll," she is essentially saying that even if someone tries to hurt her physically or emotionally, they cannot take away her passion for music.
The opening lines of the song "tune my mind to the station radio, my baby told me he ain't comin' back no mo'" convey the idea that music is a powerful form of therapy for Suzi Quatro. She seems to be saying that music is her only solace in the absence of her lover leaving her. In the following verses, she directly speaks out against someone who has wronged her. She accuses them of stealing her pride and trying to control her life. Quatro's raw and powerful voice perfectly captures the intensity of her emotions as she sings.
Line by Line Meaning
Sticks and stones may break my bones
Physical harm can be inflicted upon me, but it will not result in my surrendering my passion for rock and roll
But you gotta take my rock and roll
No matter what happens, I will not abandon the rock and roll lifestyle that I hold so dear
Tune my mind to the station radio
I am preparing myself mentally for some form of entertainment, likely in the form of music
My baby told me he ain't comin' back no mo'
My significant other has informed me that they do not intend to return to me
Romeo, don't you know
A reference to Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', suggesting that the person addressed is unaware of the emotional pain they are causing
You steal my pride and go
This person has taken something important to me, causing me to feel humiliated and less than I was before
Turned me on from the old matrimonial blow
I was excited by the freedom and empowerment that came from ending a stifled, unhappy marriage
He's so stiff even music couldn't make him go
This person is so rigid and inflexible that not even music- a powerful force in my life- could influence or persuade them
Your batteries are running low
You are losing energy and vitality, which makes it difficult for me to maintain interest in you
And I ain't stayin', no, no, no
I refuse to remain in this situation, as it no longer satisfies me and I crave something more exciting and fulfilling
We're alone tonight and you've done let me go
We are together in this moment, but our relationship has already failed and you have let me slip away
I need some man to tease before I get too old
I am seeking romantic and sexual experiences, and I feel a sense of urgency as I worry that I am running out of time to enjoy these pleasures
You're movin' way too slow
You are not keeping up with my lively, fast-paced lifestyle and desires
So on your feet and go
I am telling you to leave, as we are not compatible and do not serve each other's needs
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: SUZIE QUATRO, LEN TUCKEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thomasstrehlow
Best ever๐
@sveinsigurdgismarvik4445
50 years old album still its a SMASH album.
@ninad7581
๐น๐น๐น๐น๐น๐๐