"Stick to the Status Quo" is a song featured in the movie High School Musical and on the movie soundtrack, performed by an ensemble of East High students, with solos by Zeke Baylor (Chris Warren Jr.), Martha Cox (Kaycee Stroh), "Skater Dude" (Dutch Whitlock), Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale) and Ryan Evans (Lucas Grabeel).
The song is also featured twice on the first season of the Disney+ spin-off series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, sung by the cast of the school production of High School Musical, with a solo by Seb Matthew-Smith (Joe Serafini) and a dance solo by Gina Porter (Sofia Wylie)
Background[]
High School Musical
Stick to the Status Quo is the consequence of Troy altering the fabric of East High by auditioning for the school musical. Due to Troy’s social clout, several of his peers are inspired to publicly embrace their own secret passions. Zeke, a jock, reveals that he loves baking, Martha, a "brainiac", reveals that she loves to dance, and an unnamed Skater Dude reveals that he plays the cello. Each of these revelations are met with anger and/or shock by most of the students, who are uncomfortable with the fact that the norms are being disrupted. Troy is absent throughout the entire scene.
Sharpay and Ryan are among those who are upset with the changes at East High, presumably due to the fact that Troy and Gabriella are challenging them for the leads in the play. For that reason, it is in their best interests to "get things back where they belong." At the end of the song, while Gabriella attempts to make her way through the crowded lunch room, she slips on a spilled milk puddle on the floor and her nachos go flying in the air and land on Sharpay's shirt, causing her to scream, and Gabriella apologizes and cleans her off, making everyone laugh.
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
In the show, the song can be heard twice. First it can be heard in a rehearsal in the second episode of the first season, "The Read-Through". It is performed by the students cast in the school production of High School Musical.
In the ninth episode of the same season, "Opening Night", the song is performed again, this time during the opening night of the show. Alongside the musical ensemble, Seb portrays the role of Sharpay Evans and Gina, in the role of Taylor McKessie, performs a main dance routine.
Lyrics[]
Zeke:
You can bet
There's nothin' but net
When I am in a zone and on a roll
But I've got a confession
My own secret obsession
And it's making me lose control
Jocks:
Everybody gather 'round
Zeke:
Well if Troy can tell his secret than I can tell mine - I bake.
Chad:
What?
Zeke:
I love to bake! Strudels, scones, even apple pandowdy!
Jocks:
Not another sound
Zeke:
Someday I hope to make the perfect crème brûlée.
Jocks:
No, no, no, no
No, no, no
Stick to the stuff you know
If you wanna be cool
Follow one simple rule
Don't mess with the flow, no, no
Stick to the status quo
Martha:
Look at me
And what do you see?
Intelligence beyond compare
But inside I am stirring
Something strange is occurring
It's a secret I need to share
Brainiacs:
Open up, dig way down deep
Martha:
Hip hop is my passion! I love to pop and lock and jam and break!
Brainiac:
Is that even legal?
Brainiacs:
Not another peep
Martha:
It's just dancing... Sometimes I think it's cooler than homework.
Brainiacs:
No, no, no, no
No, no, no
Stick to the stuff you know
It is better by far
To keep things as they are
Don't mess with the flow, no, no
Stick to the status quo
Skater Dude:
Listen well
I'm ready to tell
About a need that I cannot deny
Dude, there's no explanation
For this awesome sensation
But I'm ready to let it fly
Dudes & Dudettes:
Speak your mind and you'll be heard
Skater Dude:
Alright, if Troy wants to be a singer then I'm coming clean: I play the cello!
Skater Dude #2:
Awesome! What is it? A saw!?
Skater Dude:
No, dude, it's like a giant violin!
Dudes & Dudettes:
Not another word
Skater Dude #2:
Do you have to wear a costume?
Skater Dude:
Coat and tie!
Dudes & Dudettes:
No, no, no, no
No, no, no
Stick to the stuff you know
If you wanna be cool
Follow one simple rule
Don't mess with the flow, no, no
Stick to the status quo
Jocks, Brainiacs, & Dudes/Dudettes:
No, no, no
Stick to the stuff you know
It is better by far
To keep things as they are
Don't mess with the flow, no, no
Stick to the status quo
Sharpay:
This is not what I want
This is not what planned
And I just gotta say, I do not understand
Something is really...
Ryan:
Something's not right
Sharpay:
Really wrong
Sharpay & Ryan:
And we gotta get things
Back where they belong
We can do it
Skater Dude:
Gotta play
Dudes & Dudettes:
Stick with what you know
Sharpay & Ryan:
We can do it
Martha Cox:
Hip hop hooray
Brainiacs:
She has got to go
Sharpay & Ryan:
We can do it
Zeke:
Crème Brûlée
Jocks:
Keep your voice down low
Jocks, Brainiacs & Dudes/Dudettes:
Not another peep
No, not another word
No, not another sound
No
Sharpay:
Everybody quiet!
Gabriella:
Why is everybody staring at you?
Taylor:
Not me, you.
Gabriella:
Because of the callbacks? I can't have people staring at me, I really can't.
Jocks, Brainiacs & Dudes/Dudettes:
No, no, no, no
Sick to the stuff you know
If you want to be cool
Follow one simple rule
Don't mess with the flow, oh no
Stick to the status quo
No, no, no
Stick to the stuff you know
It is better by far
To keep things as they are
Don't mess with the flow, no, no
Stick to the status
Stick to the status
Stick to the status quo
Cast of the High School Musical production:
Not another peep
No, not another word
No, not another sound
No
No, no, no, no
Sick to the stuff you know
If you want to be cool
Follow one simple rule
Don't mess with the flow, oh no
Stick to the status quo
No, no, no
Stick to the stuff you know
It is better by far
To keep things as they are
Don't mess with the flow, oh, no
Don't you stick to the status
don't you stick to the status
Don't you stick to the status quo
Cast of the High School Musical production:
No, no, no, no
Sick to the stuff you know
If you want to be cool
Follow one simple rule
Don't mess with the flow, oh no
Stick to the status quo
No, no, no
Stick to the stuff you know
It is better by far
To keep things as they are
Don't mess with the flow, oh, no
Don't you stick to the status quo
Seb:
Everybody quiet!
This is not what I want
This is not what planned
And I just gotta say, I do not understand
Something is really...
Something's not right
Really wrong
And we gotta get things
Back where they belong
Cast of the High School Musical production:
Not another peep
No, not another word
No, not another sound
No
No, no, no, no
Sick to the stuff you know
If you want to be cool
Follow one simple rule
Don't mess with the flow, oh no
Stick to the status quo
No, no, no
Stick to the stuff you know
It is better by far
To keep things as they are
Don't mess with the flow, oh, no
Don't you stick to the status
don't you stick to the status
Don't you stick to the status quo
Appearances[]
- High School Musical (2006)
- High School Musical: The Concert (2007)
- High School Musical: The Ice Tour (2007)
- High School Musical: Sing It! (2006) - Cover Version
- Disney Sing It! – High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008)
- High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019)
Peak Chart Positions[]
Title | Year | US | US Pop |
ITA | UK | Certifications | Album |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
"Stick to the Stats Quo" (Performed by Tisdale, Grabeel, Warren Jr., Stroh & Dutch Whitlock) |
2006 | 43 | 37 | 50 | 74 | RIAA: Gold | High School Musical |
International Versions[]
Title | Language | Singers |
---|---|---|
"Jo Karte Ho Wohi Karo" | Hindi | Shweta Pandit & Neuman Pinto, (Chorus) Samantha Edwards, Suzanne D'Mello & Dean D'Souza |
Trivia[]
- Skater Dude and Skater Dude #2, who did not get names in the first movie, were given the names "Ripper" and "Mungo" in High School Musical on Stage!.
- Dutch Whitlock was arrested in 2008 for robbing a pizzeria.
- The High School Musical franchise did not plan for Martha to be a recurring character in the sequels, but she was met with such a great reception in Status Quo that they were left with no choice.
- Julia Lester has referred to this song as the "essential High School Musical song."
- This is one of the two High School Musical songs sung by Dr. Eggman in the Sonic X comic issue 33, the other being Get'cha Head in the Game.
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