Hello! (album)

Hello! is the sixth studio album by the British rock band, Status Quo. Released in September 1973, it was the first of four Quo albums to top the UK Albums Chart. It was also the first Quo album on which drummer John Coghlan was credited with songwriting.

Keyboard player Andy Bown and saxophonist Stewart Blandamer both played on "Forty-Five Hundred Times". This was Bown's first appearance on a Status Quo album, although he would guest on most subsequent releases, and become a permanent member of the line-up a few years later.

1973 began for the band in February when their old record company Pye, following the group's success for their new label in 1972, decided to release a single from their 1971 album Dog of Two Head. The single, Rossi and Young's "Mean Girl" reached #20 upon its release. It was backed by the Rossi/Parfitt composition "Everything", taken from the band's 1970 album Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon.

In August 1973 the only single from the album, Rossi and Young's Caroline was released, reaching #5. This was the group's first single to reach the UK top five. Its B-side was a non-album track called "Joanne", written by Alan Lancaster and Rick Parfitt.

The 8-track album was released in September the same year. It became the most successful album the band had ever released. Initial copies of the record on vinyl came with a large black and white poster of the group. Of the 8 tracks on the album, only 6 of them were new. "Caroline" had already been heard by the public due to its single release, whereas "Softer Ride" had served as the b-side to the band's "Paper Plane" single from their previous album Piledriver.

No other singles were issued from the album, although a live version of Roll Over Lay Down appeared on a three-track EP released in May 1975, which reached No. 9 in the UK Singles Chart.

This was the band's first album to feature the band's name written in the now-familiar font used on most subsequent album covers.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[1]

Allmusic gave the album a mixed retrospective review, criticizing the over-simplicity of many of the songs and overindulgence of some, while praising their enjoyable energy. However, they concluded that the album manages to be effective and enjoyable in spite of its flaws, concluding, "Clearly the product of a band at their commercial and creative peak, Hello! wears its strengths and weaknesses well: not particularly flashy or intelligent, but without exception confident, comfortable and fun."^[1]

Track listing

"Roll Over Lay Down" (Rossi/Parfitt/Lancaster/Coghlan/Young) - 5:38
"Claudie" (Francis Rossi/Bob Young) - 4:06
"A Reason for Living" (Francis Rossi/Rick Parfitt) - 3:46
"Blue Eyed Lady" (Rick Parfitt/Alan Lancaster) - 3:54
"Caroline" (Francis Rossi/Bob Young) - 4:18
"Softer Ride" (Rick Parfitt/Alan Lancaster) - 4:02
"And It's Better Now" (Francis Rossi/Bob Young) - 3:20
"Forty-Five Hundred Times" (Francis Rossi/Rick Parfitt) - 9:53

2005 reissue bonus track

"Joanne" (Rick Parfitt/Alan Lancaster) - 4:06 - originally the B-side of Caroline

Personnel

Preceded by Sladest by Slade	UK number-one album 27 October 1973	Succeeded by Pinups by David Bowie

References

1 2 http://www.allmusic.com/album/r50102

Status Quo

Francis Rossi Rick Parfitt Andy Bown John 'Rhino' Edwards Leon Cave Alan Lancaster Jess Jaworski Alan Key John Coghlan Roy Lynes Pete Kircher Jeff Rich Matt Letley

Studio albums (UK)	Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo Spare Parts Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon Dog of Two Head Piledriver Hello! Quo On the Level Blue for You Rockin' All Over the World If You Can't Stand the Heat... Whatever You Want Just Supposin' Never Too Late 1+9+8+2 Back to Back In the Army Now Ain't Complaining Perfect Remedy Rock 'Til You Drop Thirsty Work Don't Stop Under the Influence Famous in the Last Century Heavy Traffic Riffs The Party Ain't Over Yet In Search of the Fourth Chord Quid Pro Quo Bula Quo! Aquostic (Stripped Bare)

UK Top 20 singles	"Pictures of Matchstick Men" "Ice in the Sun" "Down the Dustpipe" "Paper Plane" "Mean Girl" "Caroline" "Break the Rules" "Down Down" "Roll Over Lay Down" "Rain" "Mystery Song" "The Wild Side of Life" "Rockin' All Over the World" "Again and Again" "Whatever You Want" "Living on an Island" "What You're Proposing" "Lies" / "Don't Drive my Car" "Something 'Bout You Baby I Like" "Rock 'n' Roll" "Dear John" "Ol' Rag Blues" "A Mess of Blues" "Marguerita Time" "Going Down Town Tonight" "The Wanderer" "Rollin' Home" "Red Sky" "In the Army Now" "Dreamin'" "Ain't Complaining" "Running All Over the World" "Burning Bridges" "The Anniversary Waltz (Parts One and Two)" "Come on You Reds" "Jam Side Down" "You'll Come 'Round" "The Party Ain't Over Yet"

Other singles	"Black Veils of Melancholy" "Make Me Stay a Bit Longer" "Are You Growing Tired of My Love" "The Price of Love" "In My Chair" "Tune to the Music" "Gerdundula" "Rockers Rollin' / Hold You Back" "Accident Prone" "She Don't Fool Me" "Who Gets the Love?" "Not at All" "Little Dreamer" "Can't Give You More" "Rock 'til You Drop" "Roadhouse Medley" "I Didn't Mean It" "Sherri, Don't Fail Me Now!" "Restless" "When You Walk in the Room" "Fun Fun Fun" "Don't Stop" "All Around My Hat" "The Way It Goes" "Little White Lies" "Twenty Wild Horses" "Mony Mony" "Old Time Rock and Roll" "All Stand Up" "Thinking of You" "All That Counts Is Love" "Beginning of the End" "It's Christmas Time" "Jump That Rock (Whatever You Want)"

See also	Status Quo discography Bob Young

Book

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