Ol' Rag Blues

Last updated
"Ol' Rag Blues"
Single by Status Quo
from the album Back to Back
Released2 September 1983 (1983-09-02)
Genre Rock
Length2:51
Label Vertigo
Songwriter(s) Lancaster/Lamb
Producer(s) Status Quo
Status Quo singles chronology
"Caroline (live)"
(1982)
"Ol' Rag Blues"
(1983)
"A Mess of Blues"
(1983)

"Ol' Rag Blues" is a song recorded by the British rock band Status Quo. It was included on the album Back to Back in 1983, and also released as a single. [1] As of 2023, "Ol' Rag Blues" remains the only one of the bands 22 UK top ten singles to have never been performed live. [2]

Contents

"Ol' Rag Blues" originally had a lead vocal by Alan Lancaster; however, the final recording used for this single featured a lead vocal performance by Francis Rossi. Lancaster wrote the song with Keith Lamb, lead singer of British bands The Kase, Sleepy Talk and Mr. Toad, and founder and lead singer of Australian glam rock band Hush.

Track listing

7-inch

  1. "Ol' Rag Blues" (Lancaster/Lamb) (2.51)
  2. "Stay The Night" (Rossi/Miller/Frost) (3.20)

12-inch

  1. "Ol' Rag Blues" (extended remix) (Lancaster/Lamb) (4.50)
  2. "Stay The Night" (Rossi/Miller/Frost) (3.20)
  3. "Whatever You Want (Live At The N.E.C.)" (Parfitt/Bown) (4.21)

Charts

Chart (1983)Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [3] 31
Germany (Official German Charts) [4] 47
Ireland (IRMA) [5] 7
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [6] 20
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [7] 17
UK Singles (OCC) [8] 9

Related Research Articles

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Status Quo are a British rock band that formed in 1962. The group originated in London as The Scorpions and was founded by Francis Rossi and Alan Lancaster while they were still schoolboys. After a number of lineup changes, which included the introduction of John Coghlan in 1963 and Rick Parfitt in 1967, the band became The Status Quo in 1967 and Status Quo in 1969. As of 2022, the group have been active for 60 consecutive years.

<i>Whatever You Want</i> (album) 1979 studio album by Status Quo

Whatever You Want is the twelfth studio album by the British rock band Status Quo.

<i>On the Level</i> 1975 studio album by Status Quo

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<i>If You Cant Stand the Heat...</i> 1978 studio album by Status Quo

If You Can't Stand the Heat... is the eleventh studio album by English rock band Status Quo. Recorded at Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, Holland, and produced by Pip Williams, it was released in October 1978 and reached #3 in the UK album chart. The sleeve notes that Aphex Aural Exciter was used in the recording process, thus contributing to a more atmospheric sound than its predecessor, "Rockin' All Over The World". Unusually for a Status Quo record, a brass section, The David Katz Horns, was used, as well as a backing vocal trio: Jacquie Sullivan, Stevie Lange, and Joy Yates.

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<i>Back to Back</i> (Status Quo album) 1983 studio album by Status Quo

Back to Back is the sixteenth studio album by English rock band Status Quo and released in November 1983. For the first time in the group's history, it featured four singles, "Ol' Rag Blues", "A Mess of Blues", originally a hit for Elvis Presley, "Marguerita Time", and "Going Down Town Tonight" The album entered the UK chart at its highest position of No. 9.

<i>12 Gold Bars Vol. 2</i> 1984 compilation album by Status Quo

12 Gold Bars Volume II is a 1984 compilation album by English rock band Status Quo, released on Vertigo Records on 23 November 1984. It compiles all their UK hit singles from 1980 to 1984. The album was packaged as a gatefold vinyl LP and double cassette, containing 12 Gold Bars as a bonus album alongside Volume II.

<i>Rocking All Over the Years</i> 1990 greatest hits album by Status Quo

Rocking All Over the Years is a compilation album by English rock band Status Quo. The album contains all Quo's UK top 10 singles. Almost all songs have been shortened.

<i>Never Too Late</i> (Status Quo album) 1981 studio album by Status Quo

Never Too Late is the fourteenth studio album by English rock band Status Quo, coproduced by the group and John Eden. Released on 13 March 1981, it had been recorded at the same sessions – at Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin – as its predecessor Just Supposin'. It reached number 2 in the UK Albums Chart.

<i>1+9+8+2</i> 1982 studio album by Status Quo

1+9+8+2, is the fifteenth studio album by the English rock band Status Quo, released on 16 April 1982. It was the first to include new drummer Pete Kircher, who had recently replaced John Coghlan, and also the first to credit keyboard player Andy Bown as a full member of the band; on the previous few releases he had merely been listed as a guest musician although he had long been an integral member in all but name.

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Live at The N.E.C. was the second live album by rock band Status Quo which was recorded at the National Exhibition Centre. It had originally been released as part of the 3-LP box set From the Makers of... in 1982. In 1984 the recording became available as a separate album.

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"A Mess of Blues" is a song originally recorded by Elvis Presley for RCA Records in 1960, and written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. Although released as the B-side to "It's Now or Never", "A Mess of Blues" reached number 32 in the U.S. and number 2 in the UK independently.

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References

  1. "Status Quo discography". statusquo.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-01-04.
  2. "Status Quo Tour Statistics | setlist.fm".
  3. "Status Quo – Ol' Rag Blues" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  4. "Status Quo – Ol' Rag Blues" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  5. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Lies". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  6. "Status Quo – Ol' Rag Blues" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  7. "Status Quo – Ol' Rag Blues". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  8. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 September 2018.