In Search of the Fourth Chord

In Search of the Fourth Chord is the twenty-eighth studio album by English rock band Status Quo, released on 17 September 2007. The title is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the rumour that the group always plays the same three chords, and a reference to the album In Search of the Lost Chord by British rock band the Moody Blues. The album's artwork is a parody of the Indiana Jones films.

In Search of the Fourth Chord
Studio album by
Released17 September 2007
RecordedHear No Evil Studios, London
ARSIS Studios, Surrey
GenreHard rock, blues rock, boogie rock
Length58:25
LabelFourth Chord Records
ProducerPip Williams
Status Quo chronology
The Party Ain't Over Yet
(2005)
In Search of the Fourth Chord
(2007)
Pictures - 40 Years of Hits
(2008)
Singles from In Search of the Fourth Chord
  1. "Beginning of the End"
    Released: 10 September 2007
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Classic Rock[2]
PopMatters[3]

The album saw the return of producer Pip Williams for the first time since 1996's Don't Stop.[4] It entered the UK Albums Chart at number 15.[5]

The track "Bad News" also marks bassist John "Rhino" Edwards' first lead vocal on an original Status Quo song: his son Freddie also plays the guitar solo on the track. This track and "Gravy Train" (sung by Parfitt) are also the first two Status Quo tracks that were written solely by John Edwards.

Track listing

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  1. "Beginning of the End" (Francis Rossi, John Edwards) – 4:23
  2. "Alright" (Rick Parfitt, Wayne Morris) – 4:12
  3. "Pennsylvania Blues Tonight" (Rossi, Bob Young) – 3:44
  4. "I Don't Wanna Hurt You Anymore" (Rossi, Young) – 4:00
  5. "Electric Arena" (Rossi, Young) – 5:25
  6. "Gravy Train" (Edwards) – 3:23
  7. "Figure of Eight" (Andy Bown) – 4:08
  8. "You're the One for Me" (Matt Letley) – 3:30
  9. "My Little Heartbreaker" (Rossi, Young) – 3:50
  10. "Hold Me" (Rick Parfitt, Simon Climie, Wayne Morris) – 4:33
  11. "Saddling Up" (Rossi, Bown) – 3:42
  12. "Bad News" (Edwards) – 5:05
  13. "Tongue Tied" (Rossi, Young) – 4:21

UK bonus track

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  1. "I Ain't Wastin' My Time" (Rossi, Young) – 3:36

Europe bonus track (excluding France)

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  1. "One by One" (Parfitt, Young) – 4:12

Still In Search Of The Fourth Chord (Germany enhanced bonus CD)

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  • CD2: Exclusive Bonus Live CD, Recorded live at the National Arboretum Westonbirt, Tetbury, Sunday 22 June 2008
  1. "Caroline" (Rossi, Young) - 6:19 Live
  2. "Beginning of the End" (Rossi, Edwards) - 4:14 Live
  3. "In the Army Now" (Rob Bolland, Fred Bolland) - 4:04 Live
  4. "Down Down" (Rossi, Young) - 4:45 Live
  5. "Whatever You Want" (Parfitt, Bown) - 5:34 Live
  6. "Rockin' All Over the World" (John Cameron Fogerty) - 3:50 Live
  7. "Beginning of the End" (Rossi, Edwards) – Video

Personnel

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Additional personnel

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  • Gregg Jackman – Logic programming
  • Pip Williams – additional guitars
  • Chloe du Pré – choir (track 13), cello (track 14, European edition)
  • Freddie Edwards – guitars and solo (track 12)
  • Daniel Jackman – second bass (track 13)
  • Laura Macara – choir (track 13)
  • Kevin McAlea – keyboards (track 4)
  • Bob Young – harmonica (tracks 3 and 9, and track 14, UK edition)

Recorded at Hear No Evil Studios, London[6] and Francis Rossi's "ARSIS" Studios ("A Roof Somewhere In Surrey"), Surrey

Charts

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Chart (2007) Peak
position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[7] 71
French Albums (SNEP)[8] 142
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[9] 22
Scottish Albums (OCC)[10] 17
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[11] 13
UK Albums (OCC)[12] 15
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[13] 39

References

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  1. ^ Mawer, Sharon. Status Quo: In Search of the Fourth Chord > Review at AllMusic
  2. ^ Staunton, Terry (January 2014). "Status Quo - Reissues". Classic Rock (192): 122.
  3. ^ Leftridge, Steve (15 December 2009). "Review: In Search of the Fourth Chord". PopMatters. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  4. ^ "Details of In Search of the Fourth Chord". Statusquo.co.uk. Archived from the original on 16 July 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  5. ^ "Status Quo Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  6. ^ "NHT Audio". Nhthifi.com.
  7. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Status Quo – In Search of the Fourth Chord" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  8. ^ "Lescharts.com – Status Quo – In Search of the Fourth Chord". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  9. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Status Quo – In Search of the Fourth Chord" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  10. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  11. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Status Quo – In Search of the Fourth Chord". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  12. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  13. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 8, 2023.