Status Quo - Blue For You

Some readers might find this hard to believe, but once upon a time Status Quo were a highly respected band. After starting their career with the psychedelic "Pictures of Matchstick Men" in 1968, the band developed into one of the country's finest rock bands and were seen as the leading purveyor of heads down, no nonsense boogie.

Between 1973 to 1976, Quo released four albums, three of which went to number one, with the other peaking at number 2. A string of memorable singles reached the Top 10, "Caroline", "Break The Rules", "Down Down" and "Roll Over Lay Down".

"Blue For You" was probably the high-water mark for the band, and spawned two further classic hit singles, namely "Rain" and "Mystery Song". After this, it was mostly downhill and the arrival of punk/new wave contributed to Quo being viewed as three-chord dinosaurs and highly unfashionable. 

There was still the occasional great song released, such as their cover versions of "Wild Side Of Life" & "Rockin' All Over The World", plus their own "Whatever You Want". I did go out and buy "Again and Again", thinking they were having a laugh at themselves, only to learn they were being deadly serious ! However, most of their subsequent releases went into the forgettable dross category. 

In 1985 Status Quo famously opened the Band Aid Concert at Wembley, fittingly playing "Rockin' All Over The World", and Quo's hard core fans remained faithful in large enough numbers to see the band achieve all sorts of Guinness Book of Records, such as 60 chart hits in the UK, of which 22 made the Top 10, and 57 were Top 40. 22 consecutive albums made the UK charts, and over the course of their career Quo released over 100 singles and 33 albums.

The classic Quo line-up consisted of Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi sharing guitar and vocal duties, with Alan Lancaster on bass and occasional lead vocals, and John Coghlan on drums. 

My memory of "Blue For You" was that it was a very good album with not a poor song on it although looking at the track listing now, the only songs I could properly remember were the two hit singles plus "Is There A Better Way". I had a vague recollection of how "Blue For You" and "Rolling Home" went.

The title of the album apparently came from a combination of the photo shoot for the album, with the boys dressed in their traditional all blue denim, possibly sponsored by Levi, plus there also being the song "Blue For You" on the album, which was then deemed appropriate enough to become the title track, even though its blues nature wasn't really representative of the hard rock/12 bar boogie nature of the rest of the album.

The album opens with "Is There A Better Way" with Lancaster providing the vocals. It has an urgent, almost punk riff but a short dreamy interlude in a different time signature in the middle section. "Is there a better way ? Is there a better way ? Is there a better way ahead or just another day ? There's got to be a way to make a better day. I'm gonna find away to make a better day. You're never gonna be the one to hold me down".

"Mad About The Boy"isn't the Noel Coward/Dinah Washington classic, of which a Quo version could be quite interesting, but is instead a standard boogie sung by Rossi, with a formulaic guitar solo and some piano in the mix.

"Ring Of A Chance" is also sung by Rossi and has a duelling guitar duelling intro. The main riff is similar to that in "Mystery Song". "Move into the light, come on into the light. Move into the light. I'll see you in the light, all right".

The pace changes with "Blue For You", a slow, mellow blues number written and sung by Lancaster which has a melodic guitar solo

Side one closes with Parfitt's stomping "Rain" and its peculiar pronunciation of rain. "How can I see what I'm needing for. How can I give what I gave before. How can you tell me that you want me to stay. How can I stay when I'm trying to say, that I can't live without the rain. Yes I can't live without the rain".

"Rolling Home" opens side two and is another standard boogie, sung by Rossi. There is a touch of harmonica but the guitar solo is a bit cliched. "Me and my lady love the way you're rollin' home"

"That's A Fact" is sung by Rossi and has a Hamilton Bohannon or even Chuck Berry riff. "Sitting in a cornfield looking at a cob, thinking of a long line waiting for a job. And I'm alone and that's a fact".

"Ease You Mind" is more 12 bar boogie, written and sung by Lancaster and the second track on the album with some boogie woogie piano. "I'm gonna ease your mind, I'm gonna write a line, and write a letter to you. I'm gonna let you know that I'll be coming home, and make it better with you".

Parfitt's hard rock "Mystery Song" has a gentle guitar intro and soft vocal for over a minute until the main riff blasts in. The seven minutes were edited down to just under four minutes for the single release. "The boys know what you're giving, you give the boys such a lot of fun. And by the way that you make a living you've got the boys all on the run".

Overall it was enjoyable to hear "Blue For You" and whilst I still think there isn't a bad song on the album, it now sounds a little dated. "Is There A Better Way" actually sounded the best track, although the two hit singles still sound good.

 Track Listing :

Side One :

1. Is There A Better Way
2. Mad About The Boy
3. Ring Of A Chance
4. Blue For You
5. Rain

Side Two :

1. Rolling Home
2. That's A Fact
3. Ease Your Mind
4. Mystery Song

Released : 1976
UK Chart Position : 1 

Singles : 

Rain ( No 7 - 1976 )
Mystery Song ( No 11 - 1976 )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Squeeze - Argybargy

"Argybargy" was the third album from Deptford's finest and the last to feature Jools Holland until a reunion many years later.

I had always thought of Squeeze as a singles band until I saw them on Rock Goes To College, where every song played was brilliant.  Even though "East Side Story" was by then the recently released LP, I opted to buy an earlier album, possibly because I liked "Pulling Mussels ( From A Shell )" so much, but more likely because it was half-price in W.H Smith at £2.49 !

The dynamics of Squeeze were that Chris Difford wrote the lyrics which Glenn Tilbrook then put to music. Tilbrook sung the majority on the songs, with Difford usually singing one per album, and was the vocalist on "Cool For Cats", the band's first Top 5 hit.  

I though Argybargy was terrific and liked every track, although looking at the track-listing now I could only remember the two singles plus the one song where Jools Holland was the singer !

The album begins with "Pulling Mussels ( From A Shell )" a sparkling pop song with a killer hook and great lyrics. There is a mostly one note guitar solo, before a jazzy piano break. "They do it down on Camber Sands, they do it at Waikiki", "But behind the chalet, the holiday's complete, and I feel like William Tell,  Maid Marian on her tip-toed feet. Pulling mussels from a shell".

Despite the subject material of a break-up with a girlfriend "Another Nail In My Heart" is toe-tapping pop song with a notable guitar break. "And here in the bar, the piano man's found another nail in my heart".

"Separate Beds" is a slower tempo with Holland's tinkling of the ivories to the fore, and is a song about the awkwardness of staying at the girlfriend's parents' house for the first time. "Her mother didn't like me she thought I was on drugs. My mother didn't like her, she's never peel the spuds.

"Misadventure" has a punky, throbbing bass and the song speeds along at a frantic pace. It has an early  Blondie style organ and a sing a long chorus "From the Isle of Dogs to the Egyptian sands, where the Arabs chew on dates. And I haven't forgot what it's like to be with misadventure and her mates".

"I Think I'm A Go Go" has slow, dreamy piano dominated intro, a tender pre-chorus and a heavy Beatles influence. The first verse is about Amsterdam, the second New York and the third London "This world's got smaller, I'm shaking lots of hands. Saying lots of things that no one understands. You can shake my tree but you won't get me. Where am I ? I think I'm go go, go go, go go"

The funky opens side two "Farfisa Beat" and chugs along with a decent guitar riff.

"Here Comes That Feeling" has a Pink Floyd style keyboard intro and a spoken voice before Difford starts singing his one lead vocal on the album. Overall the track has a slightly menacing. "Tonight I'm cracking, I'm murder acting. Footlit the visual of my lines, I'll smoke and drink it. I'll eat and think it. Miserable the murder plot unwinds"

"Vicky Verky" is played at a break-neck speed with a 1950/60s Rock n' Roll feel, and there is an odd sounding keyboard break, perhaps a harpsichord ?

"If I Didn't Love You" was released as a single in the USA but was just an album track in the UK. The instrumental break reminds me of a Pixies song from Doolittle.  "If I didn't love you I would hate you" & "The record jumps on a scratch"...... "If I, If I, If I, If I, If I, If I, If I, If I, If I didn't love you".

"Wrong Side Of The Moon" is a jaunty piano number sung and co-written by Jools Holland, with "Cool For Cats" girly style backing vocals and a memorable guitar solo. "I'm forgetting to remember to forget"

The album closes with "There At The Top", a pub-rock song with a fairground organ sound and there's great pre-chorus. The guitar solo reminds me of something from Brinsley Schwarz. "She's looking at her map (looking at her map). And looking at her watch (looking at her watch). Bags on the rack (bags on the rack). Seems like she's there, seems like she's there at the top".

In summary, the two singles which open the album remain heads and shoulders above the rest of the material but a lot of the songs are in the very good category ie "There At The Top", "Misadventure", "Vicky Verky" and "If I Didn't Love You", whilst "Wrong Side Of The Moon" has a certain lovable charm. There isn't a bad track on the album. 

Track Listing :

Side One :

1. Pulling Mussels ( From A Shell )
2. Another Nail In My Heart
3. Separate Beds
4. Misadventure
5. I Think I'm Go Go

Side Two :

1. Farfisa Beat
2. Here Comes That Feeling
3. Vicky Verky
4. If I Didn't Love You
5. Wrong Side Of The Moon
6. There At The Top

Released : 1980
UK Chart Position : 32 

Singles : 

Another Nail In My Heart ( No 17 - 1980 )
Pulling Mussels ( From A Shell ) ( No 42 - 1980 )

 

 

 

 

Bruce Springsteen - Darkness On The Edge Of Town

 

Released in 1978, "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" was the fourth album from Bruce Springsteen. The only song I had previously heard from Bruce was "Born To Run", which had been a very minor hit in the UK.

Capital Radio's Nick Horne frequently played tracks from this album on his evening radio show, although my memory was it was nearly always the title track and Candy's Room. I viewed the album in a positive light, but not enough to go out and buy it.

It must have been close to 10 years after its release that I finally owned the album, the sticker showing I must have purchased it at a reduced price, but the actually price label is half missing !

I was pleasantly surprised by the record, particularly liking anthems such as "Badlands", "The Promised Land" and "Prove It All Night", which I had either never previously heard, or had totally forgotten !

A few months ago I was in a branch of Currys and the music being played throughout the store was this album. As I waited over 30 minutes without anyone coming to serve me, I was able to hear nearly all of the album before I walked out in disgust, but at least I can now remember all the songs !

Lyrically mostly songs are of the hopes and aspirations of working people, and their lives can be better, but there are occasional frustrations, misfortunes or betrayals. 

Side One opens with "Badlands", a rousing anthem with great lyrics, a guitar solo followed by a saxophone break. The song slows after the instrumental break, before building up for the grand finale. "Badlands, you gotta live it every day, let the broken hearts stand as the price you've gotta pay. Keep movin' 'til it's understood, and these badlands start treating us good".

"Adam Raised A Cain"  is a slower pace blues influenced song, with a raw screechy guitar intro and the bass is the dominant instrument for the verse. The chorus has a Gospel tinge to it.

"Something In The Night" has a gentle piano intro before a raw yell leading into the verse and the backing vocals are soulful. There is just the voice and a drum for third verse before the full instrumentation returns for the chorus. It's a beautiful song that I had forgotten.

"Candy's Room" starts with faint, but urgent drums with then piano and vocal for the first verse. The pace increases to become almost frantic punk. 

The nearly 7 minutes long sombre piano ballad "Racing In The Street" closes side two. A Hammond joins in midway before the drums and bass come in. The piano and organ outro is beautiful.

Side two opens with a short harmonica blast to start "The Promised Land" leading into another stadium anthem, with some jazzy organ, a big chorus, then a tender piano and guitar breaks before the sax bursts in. The harmonica returns before the final verse and also in the outro."The dogs on Main Street howl 'cause they understand, if I could take one moment into my hands. Mister, I ain't a boy, no, I'm a man, and I believe in a promised land".

"Factory" is country influenced slow ballad with a piano and organ break. It's the shortest song on the album at just over two minutes. 

"Streets Of Fire" has an organ intro, a slow growling vocal, and some angry guitar for chorus. There is tasteful guitar break.

"Prove It All Night" the third up-tempo rock anthem. Again there is a saxophone break before a killer guitar solo. Again the pace for the third verse slows before the rising chorus to finish. "Everybody's got a hunger, a hunger they can't resist. There's so much that you want, you deserve much more than this. But if dreams came true, oh, wouldn't that be nice? But this ain't no dream we're living through tonight. And girl, you want it, you take it, you pay the price. To prove it all night, prove it all night".

The closer and title track "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" is another piano dominated ballad with a lovely piano riff.

 Overall, "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" remains a stunning album

Track Listing :

Side One :

1. Badlands
2. Adam Raised A Cain
3. Something In The Night
4. Candy's Room
5. Racing In The Street

Side Two :

1. The Promised Land
2. Factory
3. Streets Of Fire
4. Prove It All Night
5. Darkness On The Edge Of Town

Released : 1978
UK Chart Position : 14