Sometimes a simple cool guitar tone draws me in and this one does. I’ve only posted one Status Quo song and that was their only big hit in America…Pictures of Matchstick Men. I started to listen to their catalog and they were a very good rock and roll boogie band. Some of their songs sound similar but they are a lot of fun. One thing that no one could accuse them of…being pretentious.
They were one of those bands that were huge in the UK but didn’t get played much here. Along with Slade, Faces, T Rex, and others. I’ve talked to some bloggers about it and found that lead guitarist Francis Rossi brought up a good point. He said “Our manager told us we needed management in the U.S. When the idea was presented to me back in about 1971, I didn’t realize the importance of having representation in the States and rejected the suggestion. Unfortunately, what that meant was that whilst we were getting support and promotion during the time we spent in America, we had nobody working for us at all when we weren’t there. I think that happened to a degree for Slade and the Faces as well.
This song was written by Francis Rossi with their road manager and part-time harmonica player Bob Young. The song peaked at #1 in the UK in 1974. It was on the album On The Level which peaked at #1 on the UK Charts in 1975. It’s hard to believe but this is their only #1 hit with all the songs they released.
Rossi wrote the song in Los Angeles while the band was out “exercising their pencils” but he wrote this at a bar next door when Bob Young came by and helped him. They stole a little of the rhythm of the intro from their own song…the hit Pictures of Matchstick Men.
Francis Rossi: “We were in Los Angeles staying in this terrible little travel lodge on Sunset Boulevard, which the time seemed by heaven. Traditionally, I would stay in a room boring and most people would be out. I was sitting with a guitar with a G tuning just messing around with the thing. And I got the entire (thing).”
“Most music you sit on acoustic guitar and you try do harden it up somehow. These things at the time you don’t realize they’re going to be wherever they turn out to be. It was enjoyable to make it. It was quite thunderous at the time and the record. People kept asking me how we’ve got so much bass on the record. But I have no idea why we have so much bass on the record. But people love it, still do.”
Down Down
Get down deeper and downDown down deeper and downDown down deeper and downGet down deeper and down
I want all the world to seeTo see you’re laughing, and you’re laughing at meI can take it all from youAgain again again againAgain again again and deeper and down
Get down deeper and downDown down deeper and downDown down deeper and downGet down deeper and down
I have all the ways you seeTo keep you guessing, stop your messing with meYou’ll be back to find your wayAgain again again againAgain-gain-gain-gain deeper and down
Down down deeper and downGet down
Get down deeper and downDown down deeper and downDown down deeper and downGet down deeper and down
I have found you out you seeI know what you’re doing, what you’re doing to meI’ll keep on and say to youAgain again again againAgain-gain-gain-gain deeper and down
Down down deeper and downGet down
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