Down the Dustpipe

Status Quo

About Down the Dustpipe

"Down the Dustpipe" is a song written by Australian singer-songwriter Carl Groszmann. He was a client of Valley Music, who were affiliated to Status Quo's management in their early days. The group recorded it, and in Francis Rossi's words, "it was the first record to feature our soon-to-be trademark boogie shuffle". It became one of the most popular numbers in their live set. Released as a single in March 1970, it took the media by surprise as it was so different in sound from their previous work. Radio 1 presenter Tony Blackburn dismissed it on air the first time he played it with the comment, "Down the dustbin for this one."A demo version of the song was recorded by Welsh band Man, who were hired by Pye Records as a studio band. They taught their arrangement of the song to Status Quo, who adopted it without changing much. In the future, whenever the two bands met, Man found it entertaining to keep reminding Status Quo of who did the original arrangement for their hit single. The harmonica was played by Bob Young, who had recently joined Status Quo as their roadie but became an unofficial member, playing harmonica on several subsequent recordings and co-writing many of their singles and album tracks. Although it was initially ignored by Radio 1, it made the charts largely through the group's increasing popularity as a live band, and reached number 12 in the UK Singles chart in July. Its slow progress gave it a 17-week stay in the Top 50, something never achieved by any of their subsequent, more well-known singles. 


Year:
1999
31 

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Heading down the back turnpike, signposts are pointing west
Fell into the lonely dustpipe, hope my pick-up can stand the test
But I'm doing all right now
Rolling down the dustpipe, na-na-na-na nana-na-nana-na

Rolling down the dustpipe now, got a ten dollar bill in my jeans
Because there ain't no room for a kosher cowboy in a town like New Orleans
But I'm doing all right now
Rolling down the dustpipe, na-na-na-na nana-na-nana-na

Guess I didn't make it in the city, but that's just the way that it goes
'Cos there's a lotta lunatics, crazy ghostmen, baby, don't like the shape of my nose
But I'm doing all right now
Rolling down the dustpipe, na-na-na-na nana-na-nana-na

Rolling down the dustpipe now, got a ten dollar bill in my jeans
Because there ain't no room for a kosher cowboy in a town like New Orleans
But I'm doing all right now
Rolling down the dustpipe, na-na-na-na nana-na-nana-na

Rolling down the dustpipe now, got a ten dollar bill in my jeans
Because there ain't no room for a kosher cowboy in a town like New Orleans
But I'm doing all right now.....

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer


Status Quo

Status Quo, also colloquially known as The Quo or just Quo, are an English rock band whose music is characterized by their distinctive brand of boogie rock. more »

4 fans

Written by: CARL ARNOLD GROSZMANN

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Song Composition
"Down the Dustpipe" is a popular song performed by Status Quo, a British rock band. The single was written by Australian country musician Carl Groszman, making it one of the band's early hits not composed by a member of the band.
Release & Success
The song was first released in 1970 and reached no. 12 in the UK Singles Chart.
Recording Label
"Down the Dustpipe" was released under the record label Pye Records, which was Status Quo's recording label at the beginning of their career.
Genre Shift
"Down the Dustpipe" marks a shift in Status Quo's musical style. While the band's previous work was more psychedelically inclined, this song leaned towards a more heavy rock and boogie-woogie style that the band became notable for.
Length
The track runs for 2:06 minutes, making it one of the shorter songs by Status Quo.
Album Inclusion
Despite its popularity, "Down the Dustpipe" was not included on an album until 1973 when it appeared on the compilation album "Status Quo". It was also included on several other compilation albums such as "Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon" and "Dog of Two Head".
Prominent Instruments
The song features a distinctive harmonica intro and an aggressive guitar riff which were innovative for the band as their style continues to evolve.
Criticism
The song had its share of criticism with some music critics saying its sound was too rough and alienating for the mainstream audience of the time.
Live Performances
"Down the Dustpipe" has become a staple in Status Quo's live performances. The band often opens their concerts with this song.
Band Members
The key band members performing on "Down the Dustpipe" were Francis Rossi (vocals and lead guitar), Rick Parfitt (rhythm guitar and vocals), Alan Lancaster (bass guitar and vocals) and John Coghlan (drums).

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