Pictures of Matchstick Men

"Pictures of Matchstick Men"
"Pictures of Matchstick Men"
	Artwork for UK release
Single by Camper Van Beethoven
from the album Key Lime Pie
Released	1989
Genre	Psychedelic rock
Label	Virgin
Songwriter(s)	Francis Rossi

"Pictures of Matchstick Men"
"Pictures of Matchstick Men"
	A-side label of the UK vinyl release
Single by The Status Quo
from the album Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo
B-side	"Gentleman Joe's Sidewalk Café"
Released	5 January 1968
Genre	Psychedelic rock; psychedelic pop;
Length	3:09
Label	Pye (UK); Cadet Concept (United States)
Songwriter(s)	Francis Rossi
Producer(s)	John Schroeder
The Status Quo singles chronology

"Pictures of Matchstick Men" is the first hit single by Status Quo, released on 5 January 1968.^{[citation needed]}

Status Quo version[]

The song reached number 7 in the British charts, number 8 in Canada, and number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming their only hit single in the United States.^[3]^[4]^[5] Francis Rossi confirmed on DVD2 of the Pictures set that it was originally intended to be a B-side to "Gentleman Joe's Sidewalk Cafe", but it was decided to swap the B-side and the A-side of the single.

There are two versions, one in stereo and another in mono, with significant differences: the original single was in mono and has the trademark wah-wah guitar in the breaks between lyrics, but this is omitted in stereo.

The song opens with a single guitar repeatedly playing a simple four-note riff before the bass, rhythm guitar, drums and vocals begin. "Pictures of Matchstick Men" is one of a number of songs from the late 1960s which feature the flanging audio effect. The band's next single release, "Black Veils of Melancholy", was similar but flopped, which caused a change of musical direction.^[6]

Rossi (living in a prefab in Camberwell at the time)^[7] later said of the song:

I wrote it on the bog. I'd gone there, not for the usual reasons...but to get away from the wife and mother-in-law. I used to go into this narrow frizzing toilet and sit there for hours, until they finally went out. I got three quarters of the song finished in that khazi. The rest I finished in the lounge.^[8]

The "matchstick men" reference is to the paintings of Salford artist L. S. Lowry.^[8]

The song was reprised, in 2014, for the band's thirty-first studio album Aquostic (Stripped Bare). It was featured in the 90-minute launch performance of the album at London's Roundhouse on 22 October, and was recorded and broadcast live by BBC Radio 2 as part of their In Concert series.^[9]^[10]

"Pictures of Matchstick Men" is featured in Men in Black 3, in a scene set in 1969 at Andy Warhol's Factory. It is also featured in the computer game Mafia III, set in 1968, where it can be heard on the radio. The Sky Documentary The United Way, the song featured in the clips of triumphs of the Busby Babes and Manchester United.

Releases[]

1968: Pictures of Matchstick Men / Gentleman Joe's Sidewalk Cafe [Promo] 45 rpm Vinyl 7"; Pye / 7N 17449
1969: Retrato de hombre con bastón / El café del caballero Joe 33 rpm, Mono Vinyl 7"; Music Hall / MH 31.101 Argentina
1973: Pictures of Matchstick Man / Ice in the Sun 45 rpm Vinyl 7"; Pye / 12 746 AT

Other versions[]

In 1983, the Slickee Boys released the first cover of the song on their album Cybernetic Dreams of Pi.
In 1989, Camper Van Beethoven scored a number 1 hit on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in the United States with their version from the album Key Lime Pie. One of the instruments played in this rendering is a violin.^[11] It is played at the end of the Ray Donovan episode, "If I Should Fall from Grace with God" (2017; season 5, episode 7).^[12]
In 1996, Arjen Anthony Lucassen recorded a cover of this song for his cover album Strange Hobby.
In 1997, a take by the American gothic metal band Type O Negative was recorded, featuring vocals by Ozzy Osbourne, and released on the Private Parts: The Album soundtrack.
In 2018, Florida-based gothic metal band October Noir released it as a non-album single.^[13]

References[]

^ DeRogatis, Jim (2003). "Ten Great Psychedelic Rock Songs". Turn On Your Mind: Four Decades of Great Psychedelic Rock. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 162. ISBN 0-634-05548-8.
^ Prown, Pete; Newquist, Harvey P. (1997). Legends of Rock Guitar: The Essential Reference of Rock's Greatest Guitarists (4th ed.). Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 113. ISBN 0-7935-4042-9.
^ "BBC - Music / Profiles - Status Quo". BBC. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2006. Archived from the original on 10 October 2006. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
^ "The enduring appeal of Status Quo". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 9 December 2005. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
^ staff (12 November 2008). "Cue The Quo". Aberdeen Press and Journal. Aberdeen, Scotland: Aberdeen Journals. OCLC 29379669. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
^ Rawlings, Terry (1 November 2002). Then, Now and Rare British Beat 1960-1969 (illustrated ed.). London, England: Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780711990944. OCLC 50272043. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
^ "Prefabs - Camberwell Borough Council". camberwellboroughcouncil.co.uk. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Headon, Tanya (17 December 2002). "Songs About Laurence Stephen Lowry". FreakyTrigger. Tom Ewing. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
^ "Status Quo Concert Setlist at Roundhouse, London on October 22, 2014 - setlist.fm". setlist.fm. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
^ "Status Quo - Acoustic". Radio 2 In Concert. bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
^ Akamatsu, Rhetta (11 February 2014). "Music Review: Camper Van Beethoven – Key Lime Pie [Reissue]".
^ Tallerico, Brian (24 September 2017). "Ray Donovan Recap: Confessions". Vulture. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
^ October Noir Pictures of Matchstick Men (RIPeter) (Single) - Spirit of Metal Webzine (fr)

External links[]

Gold Radio^{[permanent dead link]}

Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

[1] DeRogatis, Jim (2003). "Ten Great Psychedelic Rock Songs". Turn On Your Mind: Four Decades of Great Psychedelic Rock. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 162. ISBN 0-634-05548-8.

[2] Prown, Pete; Newquist, Harvey P. (1997). Legends of Rock Guitar: The Essential Reference of Rock's Greatest Guitarists (4th ed.). Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 113. ISBN 0-7935-4042-9.

[BBC-3] "BBC - Music / Profiles - Status Quo". BBC. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2006. Archived from the original on 10 October 2006. Retrieved 17 August 2012.

[BBC_News-4] "The enduring appeal of Status Quo". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 9 December 2005. Retrieved 17 August 2012.

[Aberdeen_Press_and_Journal-5] staff (12 November 2008). "Cue The Quo". Aberdeen Press and Journal. Aberdeen, Scotland: Aberdeen Journals. OCLC 29379669. Retrieved 17 August 2012.

[Rawlings-6] Rawlings, Terry (1 November 2002). Then, Now and Rare British Beat 1960-1969 (illustrated ed.). London, England: Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780711990944. OCLC 50272043. Retrieved 17 August 2012.

[7] "Prefabs - Camberwell Borough Council". camberwellboroughcouncil.co.uk. Retrieved 21 January 2017.

[Headon-8] Jump up to: ^a ^b Headon, Tanya (17 December 2002). "Songs About Laurence Stephen Lowry". FreakyTrigger. Tom Ewing. Retrieved 17 August 2012.

[9] "Status Quo Concert Setlist at Roundhouse, London on October 22, 2014 - setlist.fm". setlist.fm. Retrieved 25 February 2015.

[10] "Status Quo - Acoustic". Radio 2 In Concert. bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 25 February 2015.

[11] Akamatsu, Rhetta (11 February 2014). "Music Review: Camper Van Beethoven – Key Lime Pie [Reissue]".

[12] Tallerico, Brian (24 September 2017). "Ray Donovan Recap: Confessions". Vulture. Retrieved 15 December 2017.

[13] October Noir Pictures of Matchstick Men (RIPeter) (Single) - Spirit of Metal Webzine (fr)

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show v t Status Quo
Francis Rossi Andy Bown John 'Rhino' Edwards Leon Cave Richie Malone Rick Parfitt Alan Lancaster John Coghlan Jess Jaworski Alan Key Pete Kircher Matt Letley Roy Lynes Jeff Rich
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) Aquostic II: That's a Fact! Backbone
Singles	"Pictures of Matchstick Men" "Ice in the Sun" "Are You Growing Tired of My Love" "The Price of Love" "Down the Dustpipe" "In My Chair" "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" "Rockers Rollin' / Hold You Back" "Again and Again" "Accident Prone" "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" "She Don't Fool Me" "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" "Who Gets the Love?" "Running All Over the World" "Burning Bridges" "Not at All" "Little Dreamer" "The Anniversary Waltz (Parts One and Two)" "Can't Give You More" "Rock 'til You Drop" "Roadhouse Medley" "Come On You Reds" "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" "Jam Side Down" "All Stand Up" "You'll Come 'Round" "Thinking of You" "The Party Ain't Over Yet" "All That Counts Is Love" "Beginning of the End" "It's Christmas Time" "Jump That Rock (Whatever You Want)" "Backbone"
Other songs	"Don't Waste My Time" "Forty Five Hundred Times"
Live albums	Live! Live at the N.E.C. Live Alive Quo Live at the BBC
See also	Discography Members Bob Young

Pictures of Matchstick Men

Contents

Status Quo version[]

Releases[]

Other versions[]

See also[]

References[]

External links[]

"Pictures of Matchstick Men"
Artwork for UK release
Single by Camper Van Beethoven
from the album Key Lime Pie
Released	1989
Genre	Psychedelic rock
Label	Virgin
Songwriter(s)	Francis Rossi