Status Quo

Francis Rossi of Status Quo took over Rock Radio on October 17. Here are the tracks he played - and what he had to say about some of them.

Andrew Gold: Lonely Boy

Johnny and the Hurricanes: Red River Rock
They did strange things with a funny little keyboard and I was fascinated by the twee little noises. This freaked me out when I was little.

Eagles: The Last Resort

Status Quo: All We Really Wanna Do
It’s from the Rock Till You Drop album which I thought was going to change the world and it didn’t even change my address. I nicknamed the track Polly. When I’m writing a song I try and find a line that’ll help me remember the melody the next day in case it’s no good. I had this line ‘All we really wanna do is polly-wolly-wolly-doodle all the day.

ELO: Can’t Get It Out of My Head

Led Zeppelin: D’yer Mak’er
As much as everybody else found the previous two albums the ones from Led Zeppelin, I thought Houses of the Holy was the best thing they ever did and I loved them to death for it.

Snow Patrol: Chasing Cars
It’s an extremely simple song, but I think that lovely line, “If I lay here, will you lay with me” – it’s one of those times you think “It should have been me – I should have had that…”

Beatles: Across the Universe
When Lennon says, “Nothing’s going to change my world” most of us can relate to that at times.

Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb
I’ve never really been a Floyd fan until last Christmas when I heard them doing a live version of this on the radio, and realised THAT’S why everyone loves them.

AC/DC: Whole Lotta Rosie
The criticisms of AC/DC are the same as Status Quo’s – they haven’t changed. But nor should they. This is just them all over – it just happens.

Everley Brothers: Temptation
It’s the first thing I saw that I wanted to do something like, so you can blame them. I think I’ll have a go at it one day – although I don’t have the vocal…

Status Quo: Marguerita Time
It’s upset a lot of the hardcore fans over the years and they know I know which is why I keep playing it. It’s one of those songs you’re quite proud of and want people to like. I don’t really care if anyone else likes it and it’s nice to feel that way about one of your own songs.

David Bowie: The Man Who Sold the World

Connie Francie: Old Time Rock’n’Roll
Bob Seeger also did it. We did it too and it wasn’t very good…

The Killers: If You Read My Mind

The Move: Fire Brigade
Roy Wood’s probably one of the best writers Britain’s ever had, and when I told him that he sat their crying.

Manfred Mann: Davy’s on the Road Again

Jimi Hendrix: Hey Joe
I tried to copy that song when I was young, which led me to Matchstick Men, so maybe I should try to copy more of his.

Little Richard: Lucille

Beatles: I Am the Walrus

Status Quo: In The Army
It’s the best record we made because it’s not one of our songs and it’s been very good to us… I know some of you can’t stick it but some of you love it.

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