Status Quo has so many great songs that it’s a tremendous difficulty trying to get only ten.
While their famous three-chord rock style is well known, they have also seen huge success with psychedelic tracks like Pictures of Matchstick Men and stranger songs like In the Army Now.
Pictures Of Matchstick Men (1968)
A psychedelic tune that reached number 7 in the UK and 12 on the Billboard charts in the United States. Like many of Quo’s songs, it had more than one variant, with the original mono version containing a chargeable wah guitar sound between the lyrics.
Caroline (1973)
Caroline, who again had two versions, represented a great step forward for the Quos and became the song that opened their shows. Co-written by Rossi and harmonica player and ‘roadie’ Bob Young, the song was composed at the place where they were staying in Cornwall.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZHH7gsKbE0
Paper Plane (1972)
Paper Plane, also written by Rossi and Young, was released on the Piledriver album and reached number 8 on the UK charts. The boogie beat became the basis for many of Quo’s songs.
Roll Over Lay Down (1973)
Roll Over Lay Down was the A-side of an EP, Quo Live, which was released to celebrate the 13th anniversary of Status Quo.
Down Down (1975)
Rossi and Young teamed up again to write Down Down, which was the only UK single to hit the Quo’s. Again there are two variants, with the album version On The Level being almost two minutes longer than the single.
Mystery Song (1976)
Mystery Song, from the album Blue For You, has soft lyrics by today’s standards, but was quite controversial at the time, since it was about a prostitute.
Rockin’ All Over The World (1977)
Rockin ‘All Over the World was written by John Fogerty of the Creedence Clearwater Revival and published in 1975. The heaviest version of the Quos was released in 1977, it reached number 3 on the UK charts. and became world-famous when the band opened the Live Aid concert with this song.
Whatever You Want (1979)
Whatever you Want, written by Rick Parfitt and Andy Bown, came out on the album of the same name, and reached number 4 on the UK charts.
What You’re Proposing (1980)
What You’re Proposing, co-written by Rossi and Bernie Frost, rose to the top 3 in the UK, Switzerland, Ireland, and Germany. It’s perhaps not surprising that Rossi explains that the lyrics are about a woman who had come on to him, but this woman was someone else’s wife.
In The Army Now (1986)
In the Army Now was written by the South African-born Dutch duo, Bolland and Bolland, and released in 1982. However, Status Quo took the tune to No. 2 on the UK charts, and in several other countries, when They released their version in 1986.