"Down Down" is a song by English rock band Status Quo, released by Vertigo Records on 29 November 1974.[3] Written by Francis Rossi and Bob Young and produced by Status Quo, "Down Down" was Status Quo's only number one single on the UK Singles Chart. The single spent a week at the top of the chart in January 1975.[4] Both "Down Down" and its B-side "Nightride" were taken from the album On the Level (1975), which had yet to be released. The album version lasts 5 minutes and 24 seconds, whilst the single version is 3 minutes and 49 seconds.
"Down Down" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Status Quo | ||||
from the album On the Level | ||||
B-side | "Nightride" | |||
Released | 29 November 1974 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:49 (single version) 5:24 (album version) | |||
Label | Vertigo | |||
Songwriter(s) | Francis Rossi Bob Young | |||
Producer(s) | Status Quo | |||
Status Quo singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Video | ||||
"Down Down" on TopPop on YouTube |
Song information
edit"Down Down" was inspired by T. Rex's debut single "Debora".[5] Originally it was titled "Get Down", but this was changed before release, possibly to avoid confusion with the Gilbert O'Sullivan song of the same name.[6]
Towards the end of his life, DJ John Peel was known for playing "Down Down" as part of his eclectic DJ sets.[7]
In 1986 co-writer Bob Young recorded a country style version of the song to open his solo album In Quo Country.[8]
In July 2012, Status Quo reworked the lyrics to create a three-minute promotional song for the Australian supermarket chain Coles.[9] The chorus chants, "down down, prices are down". This was released on television and YouTube, the most notable of which depicted a mince rally.[10][11]
The song was reprised, in 2014, for the band's thirty-first studio album Aquostic – Stripped Bare. It was featured in the ninety-minute launch performance of the album at London's Roundhouse on 22 October and recorded and broadcast live by BBC Radio 2 as part of their In Concert series.[12][13]
Charts
editWeekly charts
editChart (1975) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[14] | 4 |
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[15] | 14 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[16] | 1 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[17] | 9 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[18] | 2 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[19] | 1 |
Norway (VG-lista)[20] | 8 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] | 2 |
UK Singles (OCC)[22] | 1 |
West Germany (GfK)[23] | 7 |
Year-end charts
editChart (1975) | Position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[24][25] | 15 |
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[26] | 18 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[27] | 13 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[28] | 14 |
Germany (Official German Charts)[29] | 27 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[30] | 11 |
Certifications
editRegion | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI)[31] | Silver | 250,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References
edit- ^ "Status Quo's 10 greatest songs, ranked". Goldradiouk.com.
- ^ a b Stanley, Bob (13 September 2013). "Some Kind of Monster: Metal". Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 568. ISBN 978-0-571-28198-5.
- ^ "News". Melody Maker. 16 November 1974. p. 51.
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 309. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Forbes, Sorrell (31 May 2019). "Status Quo Facts: 8 Essential Things You Need To Know". uDiscover Music. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
- ^ "Norfolk's Status Quo top 10 songs". BBC Norfolk. 28 August 2007. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
- ^ Mugan, Chris (2002-12-07). "John Peel's comments on playing 'Down Down'". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
- ^ "Back In Quo Country: Expanded Edition". Cherry Red Records. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
- ^ Alex Hayes (11 July 2012). "Status Quo rock for Coles commercial". B&T. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
- ^ "Coles Mince is Staying Down with Status Quo - Coles TV Ad". YouTube. 23 July 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-07-24. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
- ^ Hicks, Robin (11 July 2012). "Brit rockers Status Quo perform 'Down, deeper and down' for Coles". Australia: Mumbrella.
- ^ "Status Quo Concert Setlist at Roundhouse, London". setlist.fm. October 22, 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
- ^ "Status Quo - Acoustic". Radio 2 In Concert. BBC Online. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Status Quo – Down, Down" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ^ "Status Quo – Down, Down" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ^ "Status Quo – Down, Down" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 11, 1975" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ^ "Status Quo – Down, Down" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ^ "Status Quo – Down, Down". VG-lista. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ^ "Status Quo – Down, Down". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Status Quo – Down, Down" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 427. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "National Top 100 Singles for 1975". Kent Music Report. 29 December 1975. Retrieved 15 January 2022 – via Imgur.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1975". Ultratop. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1975". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1975". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1975". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ^ "British single certifications – Status Quo – Down Down". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 October 2016.