Songfacts®:

• It is probably no exaggeration to say this song changed the direction of Status Quo, whose first few releases had a distinctly psychedelic feel, starting with "Pictures Of Matchstick Men." Although it has a distinct Quo feel to it, "Down The Dustpipe" was actually written by Carl Groszmann, an obscure Australian musician who appears to have had no meaningful commercial success.
  
  Released initially on the Pye label in March 1970 backed by "Face Without A Soul," it was demoed initially by Man; the Quo version did not meet with universal approval, to put it mildly.
• No fewer than 16 releases of the 7-inch single have appeared, including in Norway, Brazil and Australia; a 12-inch single was released on Pye in 1977 backed by "In My Chair" and "Gerdundula" with "Mean Girl" the second A-side track. >>>

  Suggestion credit:
  Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2